Your Shelf Life

When it comes to gift giving, there’s nothing like a bound book (yes, a real book!) wrapped in shiny paper with a bow.

La Jolla–based author and artist Brian Selznick’s The Marvels continues his streak of young adult novels that match rich storytelling with beautiful illustrations. His past work has captivated filmmakers: The Invention of Hugo Cabret was made into the Oscar-winning Hugo by Martin Scorsese and Todd Haynes is directing Wonderstruck.

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Perhaps the most apropos book for the season is Marilynne Robinson’s The Givenness of Things, essays about faith, humanism, and contemporary society.

Music lovers are easy to shop for this year, with memoirs from Chrissie Hynde (Reckless), Elvis Costello (Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink), Carrie Brownstein (Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl), and Patti Smith (M Train).

Blogger and smarty-pants fashionista Tavi Gevinson tackles teenagerdom with insight from Lena Dunham and others in Rookie Yearbook Four.

For the art lover, the updated release of Tiny: Streetwise Revisited features the documentary photography of the late Mary Ellen Mark.

Your Shelf Life