Holiday Gift Giving: Best Books for Foodies, History Buffs, Kids and More

Millions of Americans love to read, which is why book sales are growing each year. That makes books a perfect choice for holiday gift giving.

Our staff and friends urge you to check out our entire bookstore.

There’s a Book for Everyone You Love

For the Foodie on your List …

The Flavors of Faith

Lynne Meredith Golodner’s The Flavors of Faith tells the true story of how different kinds of bread are connected with the spiritual traditions of Christians, Jews, Muslims and Native Americans. She not only tells the sacred stories of these Holy Breads—she also provides delicious recipes for each bread.

Enjoy eating? Fascinated with faith? Like to share with friends? You’ll love this book about timeless spiritual connections between food and faith. Lynne invites you to enjoy her stories that circle the globe—then step into your kitchen to make breads from traditions in Native American, Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities. This is a perfect choice for group discussions with friends taking turns baking a new treat each week. Lynne’s stories will inspire you to share your own!

For the History Buff on your List …

The Black Knight

Clifford Worthy, the great grandson of slaves, was one of the few African-American men of his generation who was accepted and excelled as a Black Knight of the Hudson, a traditional nickname for West Point cadets.

In The Black Knight, Worthy describes his journey to West Point, the many challenges he overcame both in his family and in the U.S. Army, including service in the front lines of Vietnam.

Rick Forzano, former Head Coach of the Detroit Lions praises Worthy’s memoir and his example to all of us. He has fought his way through virtually every stage in life with his faith in God giving him the necessary strength and courage, Forzano writes.

This autumn, Worthy was honored at West Point during an alumni gathering as the oldest surviving African American graduate.

30 Days with Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln is the soul of America, calling us to our best as Americans. Lincoln scholar Duncan Newcomer has hosted more than 200 episodes of the radio series Quiet Fire: The Spiritual Life of Abraham Lincoln. Now, 30 of his best stories provide a month of inspirational reading in a unique volume that invites us to read the stories—or to follow a simple code to hear the original broadcast each day.

Since its beginning, radio has offered a warm medium for connecting the heart, the head, and the imagination. This delightful collection of Lincoln’s wisdom was seeded in a creative radio show, Quiet Fire, writes Sally Kane, CEO of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, where this series was born on WERU, a station in mid-coastal Maine. Now, Quiet Fire has morphed into a daily companion for readers who connect the dots between time and space to map a new understanding of the chaotic times in which we live. Lincoln’s words resonate more urgently than ever, and Duncan has played alchemist in Quiet Fire to one of our country’s greatest souls and distilled an essence that can guide and comfort us.

For the Children on your List …

Sadie Sees Trouble

Sadie Sees Trouble is a unique invitation to parents to engage children with the delightful tale of Sadie the Dog as she tries to lure her little girl Penny back into active play around their home. Responding to nationwide calls by educators to reduce screen time among young children, veteran educators Linda and Julie Jarkey developed this first book in a series of Sadie stories so that it literally opens doors in family literacy.

What doors? Well, first, the doors to your kitchen cabinets! All of the book’s colorful artwork was produced with items typically found in a family’s kitchen. The components are listed at the back of the book, from strawberries to mustard. After reading the story the first time, readers can download free black-and-white illustrations of Sadie and Penny to color and expand the entire story. The authors welcome readers to visit the book’s website and share their ideas of ways to turn common foods and household materials into art supplies. The authors even step outside and include blades of grass clipped from the lawn. This first book is an open invitation to enter Sadie’s world and spark creative ideas in your home.

For the Loved One Who Needs a Smile …

Thanks. I Needed That.

There’s no storyteller like Rabbi Bob Alper, the world’s only full-time stand-up comic and practicing rabbi, whose hilarious routines are heard daily on the Sirius/XM clean comedy channel. The book Thanks. I Needed That. features 32 true stories from settings as far flung as The Tonight Show studio, the hills of Vermont, and a tiny Polish village.

Readers meet a stained-glass artist whose granddaughter is Drew Barrymore, a woman who attends services with her dog, a 5-year-old grief counselor and an elderly Holocaust survivor who discovers that he can speak about his lost sisters for the first time.

Warm, touching stories that evoke laughter and tears—this is a perfect gift for you or a loved one in the depths of Winter.

There Are So Many More …

Our staff and friends urge you to check out our entire bookstore.