The hardest person to shop for on your Christmas list can usually be placated with the right book or CD.
Yes, people still buy those shiny silver disks, especially since it’s hard to wrap up a digital file and stuff it in a stocking. With that in mind, here are some recent book and music releases which could be just the right gift this holiday season.
BOOKS
- “Arguably” by Christopher Hitchens – The great writer may be battling cancer, but his rapier wit remains unchanged. “Arguably” assembles some of his thoughtful essays for easy consumption.
- “Pauline Kael: A Life in the Dark” by Brian Kellow – Conservatives may know Kael best for her infamous quote regarding President Richard Nixon’s re-election vote tally, but for movie buffs Kael’s prose represents a thoughtful, albeit typically left-of-center, voice.
- “Bossypants” by Tina Fey – The woman behind the infamous Sarah Palin impersonation is a top-notch humorist, and her first foray into the book realm proves it.
- “On the Island” by Tracy L. Garvis Graves – The compelling tale of an English teacher whose invitation to work on a tropical island ends up in disaster is a first-rate survival yarn.
- “The Ledge” by Jim Davidson and Kevin Vaughn – The year 2010 ended with movie goers marveling at “127 Hours,” the true story of Aron Ralston’s inspiring escape from a mountain chasm. Readers can relish another true tale of adventure and survival with this detailed account of two men battling the elements.
- “Delirium” by Lauren Oliver – A young woman living in a government-controlled society finds love as well as purpose in this young adult novel.
- “Rescue” by Anita Shreve – Smart, sensitive tale of a man’s attempt to rehabilitate a troubled woman.
- “Swamplandia” by Karen Russell – Gator wrestling meets family dysfunction and loss -what’s not to love?
- “In 50 Years We’ll All Be Chicks … And Other Complaints from a Middle-Aged White Guy” by Adam Carolla – He’s the toast of the podcasting world, but Carolla’s shtick translates easily to the printed page. Politically incorrect, and proud of it.
MUSIC
- “21,” Adele – Possibly the biggest crowd pleaser of the year, with appeal to pop, rock, blues, and soul aficionados alike. Who doesn’t like “Rolling in the Deep?”
- “Bad as Me,” Tom Waits – The idiosyncratic songwriter returns with his first full album proper since 2004’s “Real Gone,” revealing he’s still got a few fresh twists to take with his growly saloon-fixture aesthetic.
- “First World Manifesto,” Screeching Weasel – Screeching Weasel is one of the greatest pop punk bands ever, so it’s a delight to know that lead singer Ben Weasel is both conservative and Catholic, much to the chagrin of the punk community. Support this free thinker and get some great pop punk for yourself with his latest release.
- “Helplessness Blues,” Fleet Foxes – If you think vocals should be recorded in a single take with zero auto-tuning, this great American folk band is for you.
- “As Far as Yesterday Goes,” The Red Button – Near-perfect pop that feels like it was unearthed from a Flower Power time capsule. Seth Swirsky, a Big Hollywood contributor, and Mike Ruekberg re-team for another batch of great songs, from the blistering beauty of “I Can’t Forget” to the mournful “Picture,” you can’t go wrong with these 12 tracks.
- “Songs for Christmas,” Sufjan Stevens – Take a listen for yourself. A great mix of reverent but fresh takes on traditional Christmas music, plus plenty of magnificent originals. Also a great record of Sufjan’s progress as a songwriter over the years.
- “Best of Gloucester County,” – Danielson – Profiled on Big Hollywood at the time of its release, “Best of Gloucester County” is a rich, detailed celebration of family life and growing older and wiser, expressed through one-of-a-kind folk rock.
- “Bon Iver,” Bon Iver – Lush, expressive, melancholy folk music working from a wide sonic palette. A newly-released deluxe edition includes a music video for each and every song.
- “Drive” Soundtrack – Italo-Disco is back!
- “Era Extraña,” Neon Indian – Hazy, shoe-gaze-y but never lazy synth rock from the son of Mexican pop star Jorge Palomo.
- “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming,” M83 – Huge ’80s/John Hughes nostalgia trip, massive synth sounds. This is a rare double album that doesn’t drag; plus, if you buy it, you’ll be sticking it to unions!
- “Portamento,” The Drums -Very minimalist rock. Fans of both Joy Division and the Beach Boys will feel right at home.
Big Hollywood writers Ezra Dulis, Meira Pentermann and Ron Capshaw contributed to this guide.