Can you think of a book I can get MIL for xmas?

[nikki1978]

She was into Jodi Picoult for a while but has gone off her as has read too many. Likes Anita Shreve too. She also likes fiction based in the early to mid 20th century.

She is 64.

Help please!

I can recommend a book called 'Remarkable Creatures' by Tracy Chevalier, I got it for my mum and she loved it, and I did too. here

she might like Ann Tyler - 'Breathing lessons' or others by her.,
I enjoyed 'The Little Stranger' by Sarah Waters - its a ghost story set in the early part of last century. It's not anywhere near as scary as the blurb makes out (just rather atmospheric), but it is a bit of a marmite book - lots of people on here don't like it, and probably just as many do

Oh and I am getting my Mum 'The Help' for Christmas - I haven't read it myself, but have seen it recommended a lot.

Donna Tartt 'the little friend'? or Kate Atkinson 'when will there be good news?' might be a good one

The Help is great. I would like to get my MIL "How to make Friends and Influence People"

If she likes Anita Shreve, she might like Elizabeth Berg - similar-ish American author. Or anything by Carol Shields, if she hasn't read them. Or maybe Remembering the Bones by Frances Itani.

My Mum and MIL liked American Wife by Curtis Sittenfield.

My immediate thought was Anne Tyler - I would recommend "Digging to America", very observed and central characters of a similar age to your MIL.

Another thought - Helen Dunmore? Some of hers are contemporary, some historical (set in the siege of Leningrad or early 20th century Sweden etc). There's a very good value Helen Dunmore set of 10 books at the Book People at the moment.