23 November 2023
It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but in terms of festive gifting, Christmas is often up there with the most stressful too… We’re here to remind you that you can never go wrong with a good book – and they certainly are the easiest presents to wrap!
This festive season, we’ve got book recommendations for all, from Sunday Times bestselling puzzle books, to a chilling short story collection, and finally the triumphant return of the queen of Classics herself, Mary Beard.
What’s on your Christmas list? Tell us us on X @profilebooks and Instagram @profile.books.
Murdle All The Way
This Christmas, ditch the board games and the unavoidable family fall-outs, and get your loved ones on to Murdle. With our recently published Murdle: More Killer Puzzles, the bestselling puzzle phenomenon is here to stay.
Murdle: Vol. 1 by G. T. Karber
THE NUMBER 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER!
Discover this fiendishly compulsive and absolutely killer collection of 100 original murder mystery logic puzzles – perfect for amateur sleuths everywhere!
Murdle: More Killer Puzzles by G. T. Karber
Sherlock: Baffled. Poirot: Befuddled. This must be a MURDLE! Deductive Logico is back on the scene to investigate murders most foul in the second volume of the bestselling Murdle series.
Stocking Fillers
You’ve got the chocolate, the satsuma and the classic pair of socks, now take their Christmas stockings to the next level with a stonking good read! Whether they’re fans of short stories, passionate about activism, or a self-confessed word nerd, check out our recommendations for all the family below.
The Dead of Winter edited by Cecily Gayford
As the nights draw in, the veil between worlds thins, and all sorts of ghosts and ghouls come tumbling in. In the shadows, under the bed, in wind-whipped snowy landscapes and in rooms lit by guttering candles, the dead of winter are waiting for us … and their hearts are cold as ice.
Dive into these 10 chilling short stories, perfect for the darkest nights of the year.
Disobedient Bodies by Emma Dabiri
For too long, beauty has been entangled in the forces of patriarchy and capitalism: objectification, shame, control, competition and consumerism. We need to find a way to do beauty differently. This radical and empowering essay from the bestselling author of What White People Can Do Next points to ways we can all embrace our unruly beauty and enjoy our magnificent, disobedient bodies.
The Deorhord by Hana Videen
Welcome to the strange and fascinating world of Old English reference books of animals – the ordinary and the extraordinary, the good, the bad and the baffling… From the author of The Wordhord comes another delightful dive into the realm of Old English – words and creatures that will change the way you see the world.
Fascinating Histories
Believe it or not, we’ve got a history book for everyone this season. Take a look at the evolution of human thought through the humble notebook; the story of war through books; a singular history of slavery explored through a family keepsake; and the Romans as you have never seen them before. That’s a turn-up for the (history) books!
The Notebook by Roland Allen
A Spectator Book of the Year, The Notebook is the first cultural history of its kind, exploring the fascinating story of the humble notebook, from the bustling markets of medieval Florence to the quiet studies of our greatest thinkers. A must-have for stationery lovers!
The Book at War by Andrew Pettegree
From the author of The Library comes an enlightening look at books in wartime. In The Book at War, acclaimed historian Andrew Pettegree traces the surprising ways in which written culture – from travel guides and scientific papers to Biggles and Anne Frank – has shaped, and been shaped, by the conflicts of the modern age.
Emperor of Rome by Mary Beard
Mary Beard returns in this Sunday Times top ten bestseller. For fans of SPQR , Emperor of Rome is an entertaining and sweeping account of the social and political worlds of the rulers of ancient Rome.
All That She Carried by Tiya Miles
Longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction, All That She Carried is an eye-opening social history of love and resilience. Renowned historian Tiya Miles traces the life of a single object handed down through three generations of Black women to craft a deeply layered and insightful testament to the people who are left out of the archives.