'Tis the season for gift giving...which means the struggle of figuring out what exactly to get for everyone. We here at MHL humbly suggest that the perfect gift is always a book, and we're here to help you figure out what book you should give to what person. (Of course, if none of these seem quite right, please fill out a Giftmatch form and we'll get you some custom recommendations right away!) And of course, if you want to get yourself a free gift...you can always check out one of these great books on your library card. (Just bring it back when you're finished, please.)
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The fate of humankind and the Earth hang in the balance as galaxies compete for glory in a universe-wide musical contest—rife with glitter, lipstick and electric guitars—where you must sing to survive. |
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Into the raging sea : thirty-three mariners, one megastorm, and the sinking of El Faro by Rachel Slade For your fisherman uncle who went to the Massachusetts Maritime academy In the tradition of The Perfect Storm and Into Thin Air, Rachel Slade's Into the Raging Sea is a nail-biting account of the sinking of the American container ship El Faro, the crew of 33 who perished onboard, and the destructive forces of globalization that put the ship in harm's way. |
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Cannonball by Kelsey Wroten For the 20-something who feels bad they don’t have it all figured out yet: Caroline Bertram is an aspiring writer, queer artist, alcoholic, and self-proclaimed tortured genius struggling with growing up and finding artistic fulfillment. |
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A rising K-pop star on the eve of her breakout television performance and a tabloid reporter on assignment meet by chance at a fancy hotel during a search for a good hamburger in ways that transform both of their careers. |
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Antoni in the kitchen by Antoni Porowski For the aspiring chef who understands that a mac and cheese is something that can actually be so personal: A star of Netflix’s Queer Eye shows home cooks how to make delicious creations in the kitchen but still stay casual, in a full-color cookbook that includes such recipes as Bastardized Easy Ramen, Malaysian Chili Shrimp, Roasted Carrots With Carrot-Top Pesto, and Salty Lemon Squares. |
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A New Yorker writer presents nine original essays examining the fractures at the center of culture today, offering insights into the conflicts, contradictions, incentives and changes related to the rise of toxic social networking. |
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Savage appetites : four true stories of women, crime, and obsession by Rachel Monroe For the true crime fan who feels conflicted about their morbid interests: Four true crime stories explore women, violence and obsession including a 1940s heiress whose dollhouse crime scenes established forensic science as well as a woman who moved into Sharon Tate’s guesthouse and entwined herself with the family. |
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Stay sexy & don't get murdered : the definitive how-to guide by Karen Kilgariff For the true crime fan who likes to laugh: A dual memoir by the hosts of the My Favorite Murder podcast share never-before-heard stories about their battles with depression, eating disorders and addiction, sharing insights into the cultural forces that prevent people from being their own advocates. |
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The feather thief : beauty, obsession, and the natural history heist of the century by Kirk W Johnson For the bird nerd who cares about science and conservation: Documents the astonishing 2009 theft of an invaluable collection of ornithological displays from the British Museum of Natural History by a talented American musician, tracing the author's years-long investigation to track down the culprit and understand his motives, which were possibly linked to an obsession with the Victorian art of salmon fly-tying. |
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Pastry love : a baker's journal of favorite recipes by Joanne Chang For the baker (who you hope will give you baked goods in return): An award-winning baker presents 125 of her favorite recipes—such as Strawberry Slab Pie, Mocha Chip Cookies and Malted Chocolate Cake—as well as lessons and techniques for both experienced bakers and beginners. |
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1,000 places to see before you die : The World As You've Never Seen It Before by Patricia Schultz For the world traveler who may or may not actually get around to taking that big trip: A photographic-rich edition of the best-selling travel book provides visual tours of top-recommended scenic destinations, from the Great Wall and the Ngorongoro Crater to the Donegal coast and the Bhutan festival. |
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The History of the World in Fifty Dogs by Mackenzi Lee For the goodest boys and girls (and those who love them): A collection of short illustrated essays intersperesed with fascinating facts about dogs describe beloved canine companions throughout history, including Laika, who went into space; Peritas, who was Alexander the Great’s trusted friend; and Martha, Paul McCartney’s sheepdog. |
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Indian-ish : recipes and antics from a modern American family by Priya Krishna For the cook who likes a family story along with their recipes: Collects recipes for the home cook that merge Indian and American cuisine, including such dishes as tomato-cheese masala toast, roti noodle stir-fry, herby avocado sandwich, and garlic-ginger chicken with cilantro and mint. |
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Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand For your friend who's yearning for the warm sunny days of summer while they get through the cold dark days of winter: A pregnant eldest sibling, a middle-sister civil rights activist, an infantry soldier brother deployed to Vietnam and a lonely 13-year-old youngest child find their lives upended by troubling family secrets. |
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For someone who enjoys considering Keanu Reeves: For an actor who's been in so many mega-hits and equally mega misses, it can be tough to track Keanu Reeves's accomplishments. But true fans know that Keanu is so much more than his Bill and Ted persona, both onscreen and off. For Your Consideration: Keanu Reeves examines the ways in which Keanu strives to be kind and excellent in work and in life. |
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NFL 100 : a century of pro football by Rob Fleder For the Pats fan (...or any other NFL team, we guess): Coinciding with the NFL’s 100th anniversary, a visual history of America’s most popular sport traces football from its beginnings to modern times through lists, charts, statistics and infographics alongside photos of evolving equipment and other memorabilia. |
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The story of Woodstock live : 50 years : relive the magic, artist by artist by Julien Bitoun For those whose freak flag may be waiting to fly again: A complete chronological account of Woodstock, hour by hour, performance by performances being released to coincide with its 50th anniversary and includes a foreword by festival co-founder, Michael Lang. |
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For the Bubbe who can't quite recreate the kugel her Zayde used to make: The Jewish Cookbook is an inspiring celebration of the diversity and breadth of this venerable culinary tradition. A true fusion cuisine, Jewish food evolves constantly to reflect the changing geographies and ingredients of its cooks. |
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Janis : her life and music by Holly George-Warren For anyone who has ever been 'busted flat in Baton Rouge': The Grammy nominee and award-winning co-author of The Road to Woodstock presents an intimate portrait of the counterculture music artist that includes coverage of her conservative upbringing, her extraordinary voice and her boundary-breaking legacy. |
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It's all a game : the history of board games from Monopoly to settlers of Catan by Tristan Donovan For the Board Game Geek Waiting for Her Turn: Traces the history and psychology behind board games across cultures and continents, highlighting the most interesting stories, including the paranoid Chicago toy genius who invented Operation and Mouse Trap and how Monopoly helped prisoners of war escape Nazis. |
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How to know the birds : the art & adventure of birding by Ted Floyd For the person whose Red Billed Oxpecker sighting was a game-changer: A unique blend of narrative and field studies introduces a new, holistic approach to bird-watching, by noting how behaviors, settings and seasonal cycles connect with shape, song, color, gender age distinctions and other characteristics traditionally used to identify species. |
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Go ahead in the rain : notes to A Tribe Called Quest by Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib For the person who left his wallet in El Segundo: The author looks at the evolution of the rap group, describing their early days as part of a rap collective, their first albums, their 1998 breakup and their comeback after the 2016 presidential election, and analyzes their musical and cultural influence. |
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Milk Street : the new rules : recipes that will change the way you cook by Christopher Kimball For the person who is eternally grateful for Christopher Kimball's browned butter for chocolate chip cookies tip: The Milk Street chef and his team offer such recipes as Vietnamese Chicken Salad and Malaysian-Style Noodles while demonstrating adaptable tips, tricks and ideas for dramatically improving preparation times and overall results. |
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A quick & easy guide to they/them pronouns by Archie Bongiovanni For your relative who has some questions about evolving language and doesn't want to embarrass themself: The concept of gender-neutral pronouns is introduced through a graphic novel tale of Archie, a snarky genderqueer artist, and cisgender Tristan, who is looking for an easy way to introduce these pronouns to his diverse workplace. |
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Movies (and other things) : a collection of questions asked, answered, illustrated by Shea Serrano For the film buff: The number one New York Times bestselling author turns his attention to movies in this new book in which many, many things happen, some of which funny, others of which are sad, all of which are handled with the type of care and dedication to pop culture. |