What books are on your Christmas list?

[GreatExpectations2012]

I love unwrapping a chunky hardback on Christmas Day and settling in to read it early on Boxing Day morning whilst the rest of the house sleeps. I need some recommendations for my Christmas list this year; what's on your list?

I don't know yet as nothing has taken my fancy recently. I'd like a new veggie cookbook and a history book but don't know what. Any ideas?

I'd like Paul Hollywood's baking book, and quite like the look of Miranda Hart's book and Claire Balding's autobiography.

Vendetta: The Mafia, Judge Falcone and the Quest for Justice. I read Judge Falcone's book and was hooked by his bravery.

I love a Christmas hardback too. This year I'm really hoping for Tigers in Red Weather or The Red Book, The Newlyweds or Park lane. Not much! I'm currently reading Capital by John Lanchester which would have made an excellent Christmas hardback if I hadn't found it in the library. Last year's was Freedom.

kikidee you're not in London are you? Because we have Lisa Klaussmann - author of Tigers in Red Weather - coming to speak to our book group in December. Anyone interested, get in touch

Oh Highlandcoo, that's very exciting! I'm not in London unfortunately.

I'm hankering after that enormous Taschen book about Paris, but it's soo expensive (yeah, I know, Taschen's meant to be so cheap, but in Waterstones this book is £40, I think) so that's still a dream!

Otherwise, I would love a thick Degas biography and the Drinas and Jennings I don't have

For me reading at Christmas is children's books! My mum used to slip one under my door every Christmas and birthday. No wacking big hardbacks for me! haha

Likely to be:

The Lighthouse (for bookclub - it costs more that a penny on Amazon)!
The Uncommon Reader (also book club, but I might get this anyway)
Under the Volcano (Feb book club - also not a penny)!

I dont need any books really.

Would like to try JK Rowling's Casual Vacancy just out of interest.

The Victorian City, Judity Flanders.

Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries Part ll

The House of Redgrave

Merivel by Rose Tremain.

Loooved Restoration, can't wait to get stuck into this

I would like the Casual Vacancy, and Bring up the Bodies. They're both pretty chunky.

I've already bought 3 second-hand Helen Simpson collections and given them to DP to give me at Christmas (he can buy Terry Pratchett for me to give him, as I've lost count of which ones he's got).

You must read Hilary Mantel's Bring Up the Bodies if you haven't already,
here's my review from our Dubai book club and at the end are the other books we've read over the past 18 months or so with brief summaries of some of them.

doindubai.com/2012/11/24/book-review-bring-up-the-bodies-by-hilary-mantel/

I've just ordered How Children Succeed by Paul Tough having read a Give Us Grits not Grades article in the Times and also like the sound of the book Dear Lupin, letters from a loving father to a wayward son. My husband loved Capital by John Lanchester I'll read that as well and another favourite is Sharks Fin and Schezwan Peppper by Fushchia Dunlop, deliciously revolting descriptions ! Happy Reading Moni from Dubai.

I would like Richard Burton's Diaries - and to have them read to me in his voice [drool]

Try Lover in Law - perfect for curling up on a wintry night to immerse yourelf in a story full of lust, temptation and an unmentionable dilemma for any mother-to-be..............!!! It's really well-written, funny and seasonally pertinent, starting on January 1st with a strong New Year resolution feel........
www.amazon.co.uk/LOVER-IN-LAW-ebook/dp/B009Y8AOE6

Aaah I order this sort of thing for 50p from the local library. Bargain and I don't then have a massive hardback to make space for in the house...

Oh Moni, I'm in Dubai too! Will check out your reviews. I've read Wolf Hall so Bring Up The Bodies is a good choice. Might have a look at The Casual Vacancy.

I've got quite a lot of memoirs on my Christmas list this year - Clare Balding, Rob Lowe, Alfie Boe - I've also put all the book on next year's World Book Night list on my list. My Amazon wish list is massive even though I have over 160 unread books at home

Hi Gold Myrhh and Nonsense, are you a member of a book club in Dubai? Do you have a blog by any chance as well ? You can contact me via www.doindubai.com would love to hear from you and chat about books !

thanks Moni Dubai