10 Good Reads to Give Adults for Christmas - Health and Wellness Nashville

Looking for some gift ideas this Christmas? Look no further! Here are ten of our favorite ‘adult’ reads. Trust us, your friends and family will thank you!

Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits by Reese Witherspoon (Touchstone)

For aficionados of the South or wanna-be Southerners, Academy Award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon offers up a generous helping of her charmed Southern life and ways, including favorite recipes, decorating ideas, entertaining and party hosting, and even hairstyling tips. A beautiful gift book that’s a feast for the eyes, and a fine read, and a great go-to reference when you’re planning that next party!

Elevation by Stephen King (Scribner)

King fans looking for a “lighter” read, might find a winner in the master storyteller’s latest. A novella set in his familiar Castle Rock, Elevation tells the tale of a man with a strange affliction and the eerie effect it has on his life and the quirky community around him. A semi-sweet story with just enough of King’s creepy touch to make you keep the lights on.

Thanks A Thousand: A Gratitude Journey by A.J. Jacobs (Simon & Schuster/TED Books)

A.J. Jacobs has been churning out brilliantly conceived personal challenge books for years and his latest is especially creative. This book’s journey takes Jacob from the morning cup of coffee on his table to every step of the way and person involved in getting that cup of Joe there. And he thanks every one of them. Thanks A Thousand crosses the globe and shows us all the secrets of gratitude and community.

Infinite Wonder: An Astronaut’s Photographs from a Year in Space by Scott Kelly (Knopf)

A picture really is worth a thousand words in this breathtaking, “out-of-this-world” photo collection and journal by astronaut Scott Kelly. Infinite Wonder documents Kelly’s year as Commander on the International Space Station and captures both the mundane tasks of everyday life and work in space, alongside the majesty and beauty of our own planet as seen from his rare perspective.

Educated by Tara Westover (Random House)

A not-to-be missed book, this memoir has topped every bestseller list it is eligible for and racked up numerous literary honors including book of the year status. Westover’s story is what movies are made of: a young girl growing up in the wilds of Idaho in a survivalist family that didn’t believe children should go to school. Westover tenaciously finds secret ways to educate herself and then eventually leaves the family to pursue formal education at both Harvard and Cambridge, where she not only excels academically but transforms her life.

I’ll Be There For You: The One About Friends by Kelsey Miller (Hanover Square Press)

The ‘90s belonged to Friends and through the magic of syndication, Friends will be there for you for generations to come. This book is a definitive retrospective for fans and a nostalgic look back at its must-see TV gold, but it’s also a history book of sorts chronicling the culture the show grew from and created and the influence it continues to have. A fond trip down memory lane with Ross and Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe.

Hindsight: & All the Things I Can’t See In Front of Me by Justin Timberlake (Harper Design)

Multi-talented Justin Timberlake has expanded his repertoire and added this extraordinary journal/art book/memoir to his body of work. Hindsight features reflections on his life, anecdotes, observations, and candid images from his personal archives. His life and career are both chronicled and examined in this very personal and inspiring offering.

Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak (Knopf)

From the YA author who brought us the poignant bestselling book and movie, The Book Thief, Zusak returns with another sweeping family saga. This time it is the story of five brothers who live by their own rules until one of them discovers he can build a bridge to the past, to their lost father, to a miracle. Zusak’s powerful storytelling and inventive language is breathtaking and in the words of a reviewer, “life-changing.”

Dubious Documents: A Puzzle by Nick Bantok (Chronicle)

It’s a beautiful book, but it’s also a collection of letters, notes, envelopes and clues, all a mysterious puzzle for readers to dive in and solve. Fans of Nick Bantok’s Griffin & Sabine series will thrill once again to the visual wonder of his pages while becoming immersed in the mystery he sets for those ready for the challenge.

The Reckoning: A Novel by John Grisham (Doubleday)

No list is complete without a new John Grisham! This season Grisham delivers The Reckoning, another suspense-filled thriller that takes readers back to the horrors of World War II. This is the story of a Mississippi soldier’s path from the jungles of the Philippines, to a Mississippi courtroom, with all the drama and Southern Gothic flavor that is signature Grisham.

Author: Roberta Croteau