Books Christmas Gift Guide

As a child, you probably thought books were only marginally less boring than socks, as Christmas presents go. Pick one from this list, however, and you'll be laughing

Feature by Ryan Rushton | 09 Dec 2013

Lars Iyer, Exodus (for the philosophical alcoholic)

The third book in the Spurious trilogy. The ongoing adventures of W. and Lars; two philosophy academics bemoaning existence through a fug of booze and shame. Worth it alone for the poetical abuse W. inflicts on Lars: 'Half-ton friend, in trouble again. Fuckwit in a vest, friend I love best.'

Kevin Barry, Dark Lies the Island (for someone who wants to say they read him before he got massive and lost his way)

Technically a 2012 release, this book of short stories seals Barry's rep as one of the most original voices to emerge from the Emerald Isle in some years. Full of acute observation and sly wit, this collection is the ideal companion to his equally excellent novel, City of Bohane.

Philipp Meyer, The Son (for someone who doesn't consider the shitty script to The Counselor a real 2013 Cormac McCarthy book)

Huge, sprawling American novel of the 'big' variety. Meyer gained media attention this year for his method approach to researching the traditions of Comanche Indians, drinking a pint of buffalo blood to accurately describe the taste. The whole book reads like it was written by the kind of man who does stuff like that daily.

Shaun Usher, Letters of Note (for someone you know nothing about)

The culmination of the excellent Letters of Note blog, this project shows the great and good in a more human light. Probably doesn't contain this gem from Kurt Vonnegut's letters, also released this year: "There is no chance I could ever respond warmly to upper class sensibilities, no matter how brilliantly expressed. This is politics. Example: T.S. Eliot. Fuck him. Everybody knows he’s from St. Louis – everybody except him.”

Don McCullin, Don McCullin (for those that like their coffee table slathered in gore)

Released to accompany the fascinating documentary on the life of renowned war photographer, Don McCullin. The questionable ethics of a man addicted to photographing warzones will not be resolved in these glossy images, but his talent for snapping the human cost of conflict is undeniable.

Margaret Atwood, MaddAddam (for that girl in the library you should probably stop following home)

Another final part of a trilogy, MaddAddam completes what was started with Oryx and Crake with Atwood bringing together many of the loose threads in her dystopian universe. Speculative fiction though, definitely not sci-fi. Definitely not.

Michael Pederson, Play With Me (for someone who feels like you do about things)

Edinburgh's own Michael Pederson, pouring his heart and soul and regurgitated pints into the gutter for all to see. Spinning the low and the high brow into a heady mix, these verses on sex, longing, grief and travel reminded us how vibrant a thing poetry can (and probably should) be.

Junot Diaz, This Is How You Lose Her (for your terrible ex, who you are totally over)

A lot of people wax lyrical about his Pulitzer-winning novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, but Diaz has always been a master of the short form. Whomever you give this to will wince in recognition at some version of themselves making all the wrong decisions to torpedo their relationship.

Tao Lin, Taipei (for someone replete with style and devoid of content)

This was the worst book of the year and a lot of people loved it.

You will find all of these books in your local independent book shop, as well as on the internet