After a year of shouting about our own books, we're all taking a break from that for an afternoon to celebrate some of the titles we plan on curling up to this festive season – as well as some of the titles that we'll be putting under the tree for others.
Sarah Braybrooke – Managing Director
The book I most enjoyed reading this year was Vernon Subutex 1, Virginie Despentes' madcap, incisive, addictive portrait of yesterday's subcultures (namely ageing punks) washing violently aground on the shores of late capitalism. I had thought this would be a too-cool-for-school social class satire (which it is) but more than that it is moving, political and very, very funny in places. Frank Wynne's polyvocal translation is brilliant too; full of uncannily convincing word choices that had me laughing out loud. And lucky me, there are two more books in the series to read, plus a TV adaptation staring Romain Duris in the works. I'll be reading part 2 first this Xmas. Talking of badass female French writers, I've heard that Annie Ernaux is very good so I'll be giving her fragmentary memoir The Years a go. And I have had so many people recommend me Sight by Jessie Greengrass that I will aspire to read that too.
Molly Slight — Editorial and Publicity Manager
I’m hoping that this year someone will have wrapped up a copy of Everything Under by Daisy Johnson and left it under my tree. My Twitter timeline has been singing its praises for months and I cannot wait to sit down after Christmas dinner with it. Two books I’ll definitely be giving this Christmas are Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss, a short, shocking story that took my breath away, and Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie, an urgent, contemporary retelling of Antigone.
Sophie Leeds — Digital Sales and Marketing Coordinator
This Christmas I shall be repeatedly reading a selection of books by children’s author and illustrator Steve Anthony. The current favourites of my three-year-old are Please Mr Panda and the gripping sequel, I’ll Wait, Mr Panda. Both books are full of great morals and life advice like: be patient and remember to say please and thank you. My toddler loves ignoring these nuggets of wisdom while shouting in my face ‘READ IT AGAIN MUMMY!’
Adam Howard — Publicist
Like many others, I mourned the loss of Ursula LeGuin this year; her books have had a huge impact on me. So I'm getting the absolutely beautiful new illustrated edition of her Earthsea books for others and hope there'll be one under the tree for me too. I've also got Olga Tokarczuk's Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead on my list (surely the best title of the year?) and will be taking Maggie Nelson's poetry collection The Latest Winter back to my Mum's over the break — but also intend to make time to reread one of my all-time favourites: John Crowley's rococo fairy tale Little, Big — a fireside read if there ever was one.
From all of us here, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a prosperous 2019.