Adam's 2023 book buying guide

Good morning, welcome back to Field Notes.

This week I have my first annual book buying guide. Is there someone in your life who would love to unwrap a good book this holiday season but you have no idea what to get them? Here are some ideas courtesy of my excellent taste. Some new, some old — all great.

---

For someone who has difficulty finding time to read

So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan: Claire Keegan writes magnificent works of short fiction (this book comes in at 47 pages). This story is small and simple but hits with real oomph. To give any plot details away would be too much, so you will just have to trust me. The sentences are pure and readable and it has a depth to it that rewards re-reading. If you can’t get your hands on this one, try Small Things Like These, also by Claire Keegan.

For someone who thinks they don’t like poetry

Musical Tables by Billy Collins: A book of small poems from the former US Poet Laureate. Collins is very generous and welcoming in his poetry and this book is no different with all the poems only being a handful of lines. Written with a good sense of fun, I think these poems are for almost everyone.

For someone who is up for a bit of an emotional rollercoaster

Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor: Published in 1971 and recently rereleased by NYRB, this novel is set predominantly in the Claremont Hotel, home to a group of quirky older people. It is a story about getting older, friendship, and how that friendship may be seen differently by one person compared to another. It’s a warm (but also at times sad), very observant, and funny book.

For someone who likes great characters (and lots of fun)

Slow Horses by Mick Heron: This is the first book in a series of spy thrillers, and it’s a hoot. What sets it apart from your average spy story is that it’s focused on a bunch of misfit agents who are sidelined from the main MI5 operation and sent to do menial tasks at Slough House. It has the deception and spycraft you would expect, but the real heart comes from the characters. Jackson Lamb, the head of Slough House, is an all-time great character (he is played by Gary Oldman in the Apple TV+ adaptation, which is also great). And if you like Slow Horses, there are eight books and counting in the series so you won’t run out of fun any time soon.

For someone who hasn’t figured it all out yet (a book for all)

I Came All This Way to Meet You by Jami Attenberg: Attenberg is a novelist and this is a memoir that focuses on writing and finding a sense of place (the subtitle is Writing Myself Home). I realise that mightn't sound all that interesting, so let’s try again: It’s a book about writing, travel, being alone, living with past trauma, growing up, getting good and angry about what you believe in, and — the crux of it all — finding yourself. It is also a funny book when it wants to be. How’s that?

For someone who enjoys a good thriller

Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton: I tried to stay away from books I had already written about this year but I couldn’t help but recommend this one again. It’s Eleanor Catton’s first book since 2013’s Booker Prize-winning The Luminaries and it was worth the wait. It’s an ecological thriller set in the fictional New Zealand town of Thorndike and it has a great plot, pacing, and characters — it has it all. Did I mention it pits a guerrilla gardening group against a nasty tech billionaire?

That’s all for today. Happy reading.