20 books from 2020 that make great gifts

Kindness may not be a physical gift you can wrap up, but this book is. Curated by Lady Gaga for her Born This Way Foundation, Channel Kindness is a collection of stories written by young people who found their inner courage, started movements, or created safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth. “I wish I had a book like Channel Kindness when I was younger to help me feel acknowledged, remind me that I’m not alone, and encourage me to better support myself and others,” Gaga writes. 

Something everyone should really have after a year that saw the largest civil rights movement in American history, Be Antiracist is a powerful journal from best-selling author Ibram X. Kendi, with the aim of mapping out one’s journey toward antiracism. It’s a space to do the work, to make being antiracist a daily practice, with over 150 questions and prompts from Kendi’s crucial book How to Be An Antiracist, asking you to examine your own relationship with race. “The heartbeat of antiracism is confession. It is self-reflection,” Kendi writes. 

Finding a sense of grounding and control in these recent times has been tricky, but perhaps Alice Vincent’s Rootbound might inspire your giftee to turn to plants for this. From her plant-filled flat in South London, Alice Vincent fuses memoir with botanical reference guide in a true tale of how nurturing plants can literally breathe new life into you. You might encourage your giftee to check out Vincent’s newsletter, Noughticulture, in addition.

While you can’t give the gift of the actual Baby Yoda, you can do the next best thing: Baby Yoda CONCEPT ART. The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian is a new behind-the-scenes book full of concept art, sketches, and photographs of characters, costumes, locations, creatures, and vehicles from Season 1, as well as cast and crew interviews, all put together by Lucasfilm creative art manager Phil Szostak. With Season 2 making its triumphant arrival, this gift will have timely written all over it.

Here’s one for someone in your life with a strong sense of humour and a love for the Bodega Boys. TV hosts, podcasters, and comedians Desus Nice (Daniel Baker) and The Kid Mero (Joel Martinez) released their first-ever book in September. It’s an advice book that doubles as a sort of comedic memoir, offering up crucial knowledge about whether or not you’re washed (you probably are), and how to avoid dating someone who doesn’t pat dogs when the opportunity presents itself.

Here’s a fun one for all the mums. Just kidding, do not give this to your mum. If you experienced the macabre ride of motherhood and madness that is Ari Aster’s pre-Midsommar debut, why not relive it with A24’s printed screenplay. The studio behind Moonlight, Ex-Machina, and The Witch has previously released screenplay books for these films, and Hereditary is their 2020 edition. Featuring a foreword by Parasite director Bong Joon Ho, this 240-page hardcover book features Aster’s script, which you can recreate from the shadowy corners of your own home…as a family. 

One of the most talked-about tech books of the year, Anna Weiner’s Uncanny Valley is a memoir for our times. Ditching New York’s book publishing world for the surreal Silicon Valley startup bubble, Weiner weaves a cautionary tale of unbridled ambition, money, influence, and power in the place that’s changing everything about our world as we know it. 

Here’s one for those truly dedicated to equality and inclusiveness, which should be everyone. Mikki Kendall’s book of fiercely important essays, Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot, is required reading, unpacking the blind spots of the modern feminist movement and its failure to be adequately intersectional. It’s not going to be a comfortable gift to give, but it’s one of the best you can.

Taken from Horny and romantic books that will completely consume you.

Fiction is a risky gift, but this is one of the most talked-about books of the year. Irish author Naoise Dolan’s debut novel is a smart, witty, and gripping read. When Dubliner Ava moves to Hong Kong to teach English, she finds herself embroiled in a love triangle. Who will Ava choose? Good luck to your giftee putting this book down. — RT

Here’s one for those in your life who could use a bit of hope amid the dumpster fire that is 2020. In this time of existential strife, historian Rutger Bregman’s Humankind: A Hopeful History mines the past for evidence of human decency — and there’s plenty of it. It seems we genuinely are (and have always been) pretty decent, specifically in times of crisis. Bregman persuasively argues that we’ve evolved to work together and that consequently, it is not unrealistic to expect a world guided by compassion instead of self-interest and fear. — Nikolay Nikolov, Series Producer

If you’re gifting for someone who loves art, they might enjoy this stunning graphic novel. One of the world’s most recognisable artists, known for her plush, stuffed installations covered in polka dots, and her obsessive, repetitive drawings, the legendary Yayoi Kusama is simply made to be a comic hero. Italian-Thai illustrator Elisa Macellari has created a 128-page graphic novel version of the artist’s life, from her rural Japanese upbringing to her move to the U.S. in the ‘60s, her skyrocket to fame, and return to Tokyo. 

Here’s one for the person in your life who simply won’t be parted from their love of fast fashion. Journalist Lauren Bravo takes a self-aware look at the impact of these coveted clothes on the globe, offering up actually implementable tips to change our habits in How To Break Up With Fast Fashion. “I was feeling guiltier and more anxious about the planet, watching documentaries about the true cost, and realizing that when we buy clothes that are very cheap, it’s because somebody somewhere has paid the price,” Bravo told Mashable. 

Buying for teens? Get one of the most talked-about YA novels of the year for them, although they’ve probably already read it. National Book Award-winner and bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo’s Clap When You Land follows the story of two girls brought together in tragic circumstances, and the strength they gain by finding each other.

18-year-old activist Jamie Margolin’s book Youth to Power: Your Voice and How to Use It is an essential read for everyone who cares about the future of the planet (yes, that should be you and anyone you’re gifting to). The co-founder of climate organisation Zero Hour landed a foreword by Greta Thunberg for her book, which maps out the steps activists of any age can take. “I wish I would have had [this book] when I was younger and I was trying to make a change,” Margolin told Mashable.

Here’s one that had UK book lovers abuzz this year, if your giftee loves to be on the pulse. Sophie Heawood was living in LA and working as a Hollywood reporter when something happened that made her come down to earth with a bump. Literally. After being told by a doctor her chances of getting pregnant were slim due to PCOS, Heawood’s friend convinced her to go on a wild sex rampage. Cue an unexpected turn. The Hungover Games follows Heawood’s journey of navigating pregnancy and single motherhood when it’s literally the last thing you expected. — RT

How much do you know about African surfing culture? We’re willing to bet your giftee doesn’t have a whole beautiful book on the subject, as AFROSURF is the first-ever book to celebrate it. Created via Kickstarter by African surf company Mami Wata, the 300-page book has been put together by brand co-founder Selema Masekela with a collection of writers and photographers. “Global surf culture is dominated by the old Western narrative. We’re creating this book because Africa’s surf story needs to be told,” reads the book’s project page. 

With Denis Villeneuve’s Dune out in December, the graphic novel of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi classic could make a timely gift for a fan. It’s been adapted by Herbert’s son Brian Herbert with Kevin J. Anderson, and illustrated by Patricia Martin and Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín, with cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz (who worked on Marvel’s graphic novel of David Lynch’s version of Dune, so that’s nice). Note, they’ve split the first book of Dune into three graphic novels, so you might have to commit to three gifts.

Stephen King’s latest novella collection has something for all manner of horror fans: There’s the creepy mystery of “Mr Harrigan’s iPhone”, the Monkey’s Paw-esque moral dilemma of “Rat”, the world’s-within-world’s poignancy of “The Life of Chuck”, and — of course — the eponymous sequel to The Outsider, “If It Bleeds”. Is the reader guaranteed to like every single story in this collection? Maybe not. But that’s the beauty of getting four for the price of one. — Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor

A gift for those who care deeply about their fellow humans, or a needed wake-up call for those who could learn a little empathy, Ai Weiwei’s book Human Flow brings to light the stories of those on the front lines of the global refugee crisis. While making his 2017 documentary of the same name, the contemporary artist interviewed over 600 refugees, politicians, doctors, aid workers, and authorities in 23 countries. And while you can fit a small amount of those stories in a documentary, this book is able to give voice to many more, featuring 100 first-person accounts alongside Weiwei’s photographs.