Last year, I posted about the books I got for Christmas. (See that post here.) I thought it would be fun to do it again this year. Here’s a look at what was sitting under the tree for me this year.
This is from my husband, and it is a leather-bound copy of a book I posted about on the blog during the summer. This version of Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time is illustrated. I can’t wait to look through it. I wonder if the illustrations will help my non-scientific mind to make more sense of this book, which is already quite accessible. That’s the great thing about blogging. My husband knows what books I like now and surprises me with nice copies of them.
He also surprised me with this gem.
It is a leather-bound version (a fact that Fern would likely not approve) of Charlotte’s Web and two other E. B. White classics, The Trumpet of the Swan and Stuart Little. I have not yet read Stuart Little to my daughter, although we did read the other two this year. (I still need to post about reading The Trumpet of the Swan. It is such a fun book.) I am thrilled by this present. You can’t go wrong with E. B. White, for children and for adults. His essays are amazing as well.
My sister got me this book by request.
Selling Culture by Richard Ohmann is a book that my dissertation adviser keeps recommending to me, as it relates to the type of research I am doing. He used it for his dissertation, and I plan on reading it for mine and putting it on my comprehensive exams reading list for next fall. This one looks like it will be both of academic value and cultural interest to me.
The last book I received this Christmas was from my dad’s partner. It is a cookbook.
I’m excited about this gift because of the research I did on bloggers, and the fact that I looked at Ree Drummond’s The Pioneer Woman blog as part of it. In addition, there are some fantastic and easy recipes. Because I’m almost done with my Ph.D. coursework, I am looking forward to having more time to cook. I enjoy eating and, therefore, I enjoy cooking as well. This one has some creative recipes for every holiday; I’m looking forward to trying them all.
What books did you get for Christmas?
The Bookshelf of Emily J. 
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Many thanks!
Your so welcome 🙂
Great list. I got my wife a two volume set of Pioneer Woman, whom she loves. I just polished off Malcolm Gladwell’s “David and Goliath” a great, make you think read on how the underground may not be as big an underdog as you think. Happy reading and New Year, BTG
That Gladwell one sounds like a great read. I haven’t read anything of his since Blink. Would you recommend it? Happy New Year to you, too!
I am so jealosu of the E.B. White book!! I love all ove those stories!! The only book I got was weith the left over’s from my girlfriends Amazon card, they were Tijan’s books, Full Crest high and Full Crest Public. Still on the first one it’s a good read so far.
I am glad you found some good reads! And yes, I am still hugging the E.B. White one.
Enjoy reading them!
Thanks! I am sure I will.
I remember Charlotte’s Web as being the first book to actually make me cry at the end, and I brought it a while back for my niece – must ask her if she’s read it. Meanwhile I got quite a few books in December, and in the run up to Christmas in particular – to the point I wrote a post about it!:
http://nordie.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/new-acquisitions-december-2013/
I agree that Charlotte’s Web is a tearjerker. What a great gift for your niece. Thanks for sharing your link. A lovely list of books!
I took a stab at the Hawkins book some time back. Impenetrable. I felt better when some authoritative source said it was the biggest unread bestseller in publishing history.
LOL! I can see how that would be true. I got through it, but I didn’t understand much!
How fun! These all look great!
Yep! 🙂
I’ve been eying that edition of Hawking’s book. Hope you enjoy it! Looking forward to your thoughts after you read it 😉
I did already read it… If you want to see my thoughts, click on the link. My husband got it in a nice version since he knew I had reviewed it already on my blog. Enjoy!
Awesome I got the compiled tales & poems of Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare’s Sonnets, & John Green’s a fault in our stars
Ooh! You can’t go wrong with any of those.
These are great! Such thoughtful choices. I’ve made the Pioneer Woman’s olive cheese bread — ohmygoodness so amazing. Let us know how the cookbook is!
My husband gave me a ton of books — The Goldfinch and the Ron Burgundy book are highlights. 🙂
I can’t wait to read the Goldfinch, but I am waiting for the library copy. Let me know how it is, but from Tartt’s other work, I can guess it is pretty much perfect. That olive cheese bread sounds really good, too!
I got it out of the library too, but it was so long (and I got a late start) that I couldn’t finish it by the time my two weeks were up.
Nice haul! I got The Travelling Hornplayer by Barbara Trapido and King Hereafter bu Dorothy Dunnett!
Those sound great!
I’ve actually read both of them before, but didn’t have copies.
Got a gift card but still trying to decide what to purchase. Decisions decisions. 😀
That is so hard! Good luck picking out some. 🙂
The Stephen Hawking book looks great! I love giving and receiving books as presents. This year, I got The Goldfinch, Burial Rites, and The Luminaries. Looking forward to reading all of them!
Jealous! That is an awesome list.
Great books. As I suspected there was a Persephone under the tree, The Priory by Dorothy Whipple. Happy New Year.
Yay for Persephone. I wrote my master’s thesis on The Priory. It is quite the read. I hope you enjoy it!
Amazing collection! I am so excited to see the E.B. White…I just recently decided to pick up a all three of them from the library, being some of the first books I read as a child, and fell in love with them. Enjoy!
How cool. I love hearing that you have good memories of his books, as I hope that reading them with my daughter will stick with her.
They were/are classics for children..and those of us with childlike souls. 🙂
I got cookbooks too!! My fam got together and gave me a huge selection of book from America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country. Cook on!!!! 🙂
Awesome! Those sound like good ones.
Love your Christmas collection! Enjoy. I got Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. I started reading it on Christmas Day and was already halfway through by bedtime. You know me and Henry VIII. =)
I do know YOU and Henry VIII! Can I borrow it when you’re done?
Absolutely! Then we can discuss! *giddily rubbing hands together*
I might write about my own books received for Chistmas. CHeck out my blog!
Sounds like fun!
These are great books. Anything E.B. White or Hawking is a wonderful read.
Agreed!
What lovely gifts! I was given a voucher for my favourite book store, so I will head there in the new year and browse 🙂
Those are sometimes the best gifts. Enjoy the browsing!
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Thank you!
Youre welcome!
I love the Pioneer Woman and use her recipes constantly. Enjoy the cookbook!
For Christmas, I got Cool Water by Dianne Warren, and with my Christmas money, I picked up Orenda by Joseph Boyden and Longbourne by Jo Baker (so I think that counts in the Christmas stash).
I haven’t heard of either of those. Thanks for telling me about them. Learning about new books is always fun!
I managed to read Longbourn as a pre-release and it’s fab! It’s up there on quite a few top ten lists….Shameless plug out of moi – here is the review I wrote at the time http://nordie.wordpress.com/2013/08/15/review-longbourn-by-jo-baker/
I’m jealous! I love reading and love books. I never get books for Christmas, even though they the only things I ever really want.
“A Brief History of Time” is on my to-read list, but I’m not a scientific person so it scares me. The fact that you read it and liked it gives me hope though. 🙂
Thanks for the insight to your Christmas! Happy reading.
I hope you got something good for Christmas besides books. Perhaps your family and friends need a little nudging on the books! Thanks for reading. 🙂
I love seeing what you and your blog followers received. I got only 1 book ( the one I requested), but it’s huge and magnificent…Zibaldone.
I haven’t heard of that one, but I’m intrigued just by the title. What is it about?
It’s the notebooks of the Italian writer, philosopher Leopardi. He was incredibly erudite and prolific, and I believe the Italian publication runs several volumes. This is a single volume, English translation. I wanted it based on a review in the NY Review of Books that I read. The review may be available online, if you are interested.
don’t know about others but a brief history of time (illustrated) is a great book for those who are not into physics but still are fascinated and want to know about!!!
happy reading…..
That’s exactly why I’m intrigued by this version. I read the one without pictures first… This might help!
yup i understand its quite difficult to understand the version which has no pictures.. as it may get boring (for some readers) plus a lot imagination is also required.
I read that version at least 3 times before i was able to get something to take with me from it,,,but after it i was able to actually appreciate the beauty of physics and the way of representation used by stephen hawkings…….btw i am yet to read universe in a nutshell…pls do give me feedback about it..