Holiday List Header 2021

2021 Holiday List

To round out the year and ring in 2022, we’ve compiled a list of the best new and classic books to read and give this holiday season.

Happy holidays to all! Since 1924, New Dominion Bookshop has been the place to find special holiday gifts. Support your community bookstore by shopping local and early for your gifts this year! Below are our hand-picked recommendations for everyone on your gift list.

How to Order

To order books, email us at staff[at]ndbookshop[dot]com or fill out the contact form on our website here. For personal recommendations or to purchase gift cards, give us a call at 434-295-2552. New Dominion Bookshop is currently open for browsing, curbside pickup, and shipping (normal rates apply). Free gift-wrapping is available for all orders!

 

General Nonfiction

Home: A Celebration
Edited by Charlotte Moss
In this charming collection of interiors and interiority, more than 130 activists, writers, and artists discuss their domiciles. (Rizzoli)

The Free World: Art and Thought in the Cold War
By Louis Menand
In this gripping history, Harvard professor and New Yorker staff writer Louis Menand examines the American intellectual and cultural milieu from 1945 to 1970. (FSG )

Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, and Shape Our Futures
By Merlin Sheldrake
This acclaimed bestseller illuminates the fascinating life of fungi and shares what we can learn from this interconnected kingdom. (Random House)

On Animals
By Susan Orlean
The author of The Library Book returns with a reverent look at the bond between humans and animals. (Avid Reader Press)

Hero of Two Worlds: The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution
By Mike Duncan
Popular history podcaster Mike Duncan turns to the headwaters of American democracy to craft a captivating vision of the Marquis de Lafayette. (Public   Affairs)

The God Equation: The Quest for a Theory of Everything
By Michio Kaku
In this scientific adventure about the search for unity, Michio Kaku makes physics accessible and exciting. For fans of string theory! (Doubleday)

Goodbye, Again: Essays, Reflections, and Illustrations
By Jonny Sun
From the creator of the popular alien character “Jomny” comes a collection of personal essays and drawings about being kind to yourself in the face of everyday chaos. (Harper Perennial)

Fighting Political Gridlock: How States Shape Our Nation and Our Lives
By David J. Toscano
David J. Toscano, a longtime local representative to the Virginia House of Delegates, unpacks the importance of state legislatures. (UVA Press)

Please Don’t Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes
By Phoebe Robinson
“A masterclass in transforming life’s most complicated parts into relatable gems. Righteous, ratchet, sincere, and downright entertaining.” —Hasan Minhaj (Tiny Reparations)

All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis
Edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson
This diverse anthology offers poems, illustrations, essays, and other writings by women at the forefront of the climate movement. (One World)

Biography & Memoir

Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty
By Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe
In this riveting biography of the Vanderbilt family, Anderson Cooper and historian Katherine Howe delve into his famous family’s storied history. (Harper)

Going There
By Katie Couric
“Jam-packed with honesty, humor, and helpful advice for every woman blazing her own path.” —Glennon Doyle (Little, Brown)

Pastoral Song: A Farmer’s Journey
By James Rebanks
A memoir as bucolic and awe-inspiring as its subject matter: the Rebanks family farm in England’s Lake District. (Custom House)

The Gambler Wife: A True Story of Love, Risk, and the Woman Who Saved Dostoyevsky
By Andrew D. Kaufman
Andrew D. Kaufman’s portrait of Anna Snitkina brings to life the stenographer who changed the course of Russian literature and publishing. (Riverhead )

The Secret to Superhuman Strength
By Alison Bechdel
In this new graphic memoir from the author of Fun Home, Alison Bechdel pokes fun at the multitude of exercise fads that she has tried. (Mariner)

Broken Horses
By Brandi Carlile
“If anyone ever has a doubt in their mind that the wildest of dreams can be realized from complicated circumstances, they should read Brandi’s story….I absolutely loved it.” —Elton John (Crown)

Fiction

Cloud Cuckoo Land
By Anthony Doerr
Epic and gorgeously wrought, Cloud Cuckoo Land spans continents, centuries, and genres, braiding together a tale that celebrates the magic of reading. (Scribner)

Poison for Breakfast
By Lemony Snicket
Described as “a wisdom-book disguised as a murder mystery,” Lemony Snicket’s quirky new fable will delight both older and younger readers. (Liveright)

The Book of Form and Emptiness
By Ruth Ozeki
Beloved novelist Ruth Ozeki’s new book follows the emotional meanderings of a young narrator as he begins to hear the voices of inanimate objects. (Viking)

Oh William!
By Elizabeth Strout
“Elizabeth Strout is one of my very favorite writers, so the fact that Oh William! may well be my favorite of her books is a mathematical equation for joy.” —Ann Patchett (Random House )

Bewilderment
By Richard Powers
Bewilderment tells the powerful story of an astrobiologist and his son navigating the grief and wonder of life. (Norton)

Beautiful World, Where Are You
By Sally Rooney
No one write relationships like Sally Rooney. Her latest book is addictive and smart, full of relatable characters who are just trying to understand what love can mean in these modern times. (FSG )

The Wrong End of the Telescope
By Rabih Alameddine
UVA’s current Kapnick Writer-In-Residence, Rabih Alameddine, crafts a powerful tale of refugees and refugee aid workers in his newest novel. (Grove)

Several People Are Typing
By Calvin Kasulke
“Rife with office humor, Internet speak, and sharp criticisms of capitalism, Kasulke’s extremely online debut novel is composed entirely of Slack messages.” —The Millions (Doubleday)

Mysteries & Thrillers

Apples Never Fall
By Liane Moriarty
In this psychological thriller, a family of tennis pros have something to hide. A family drama both on and off the court! (Henry Holt)

The Madness of Crowds
By Louise Penny
When Chief Inspector Gamache’s holiday is interrupted by a strange request, he stumbles into a mystery involving intellectual freedom. (Minotaur)

Razorblade Tears
By S. A. Cosby
Virginia author S. A. Cosby spins a tale of crime and revenge as two fathers become unlikely allies in the search for their queer sons’ murderer. (Flatiron)

Silverview
By John le Carré
In this new (posthumous) novel, John le Carré descends back into the world of books and espionage. (Viking)

Poetry

I Hope This Finds You Well
By Kate Baer
Kate Baer, the New York Times–bestselling author of the poetry collection What Kind of Woman, responds to her critics with witty and beautiful erasure poems. (Harper Perennial )

Playlist for the Apocalypse
By Rita Dove
Rita Dove’s newest collection is a rollicking playlist of sonnets, moments, omens, and odes. Limited signed copies available. (Norton)

Madrigalia: New & Selected Poems
By Lisa Russ Spaar
Madrigalia hums with the multitudes of Spaar’s poetic obsessions. This is the perfect gift for lovers of language. (Persea)

Books and Libraries: Poems
Edited by Andrew Scrimgeour
From Ecclesiastes to Pablo Neruda, this collection brings together poems about books and reading in a lovely Everyman’s Library Pocket Poet edition. An ideal stocking stuffer! (Everyman’s Library)

Cookbooks

The Alice B. Toklas Cook Book
By Alice B. Toklas
It is said that while Gertrude Stein was writing, Alice B. Toklas was cooking. Enjoy her recipes and anecdotes in this new edition of the French avant-garde classic. (Harper Perennial )

Black Food: Stories, Art, and Recipes from Across the African Diaspora
By Bryant Terry
Vegetable Kingdom’s Bryant Terry returns with an exploration of Black foodways. Brimming with history and delicious recipes, such as “Jerk Chicken Ramen” and “Sweet Potato Grits.” (4 Color Books)

That Sounds So Good: 100 Real-Life Recipes for Every Day of the Week
By Carla Lalli Music
In this essential addition to every cook’s countertop, Where Cooking Begins author Carla Lalli Music shares recipes for every mood imaginable, from easy weekday meals to Sunday suppers. (Clarkson Potter)

Foodheim: A Culinary Adventure
By Eric Wareheim
Multitalented comedian Eric Wareheim creates recipes especially for “food freaks” in this modern cookbook. For fans of food trivia and Tim and Eric. (Ten Speed Press)

Children’s

Woodland Dance!
By Sandra Boynton
For fans of Barnyard Dance! Sandra Boynton’s latest board book takes readers waltzing into the woods. Ages 0   – 3. (Workman)

Home Is…
By Hannah Barnaby
Illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon
In perfect rhyming couplets, beloved local author Hannah Barnaby shares the variety of places where critters can make a home. Ages 0   – 8. (Beach Lane Books)

Pete the Cat’s Groovy Imagination
By Kimberly and James Dean
When a rainy day keeps Pete the Cat cooped up inside, he uses his inner resources to turn a cardboard box into an excellent adventure. Ages 4  –8. (HarperCollins)

Monster Clothes
By Daisy Hirst
What do monsters put on in the morning? This delightful board book is full of fun vocabulary and cute monsters choosing what they want to wear! Ages 0   – 3. (Candlewick)

Your Name Is a Song
By Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
In this whimsically illustrated picture book, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow composes an empowering celebration of the origins and importance of names. Ages 5  –10. (The Innovation Press)

Dishwasher’s Big Job
By Steven Weinberg
Ever wondered what goes on inside your dishwasher? In this board book, Steven Weinberg gives thanks for the ubiquitous machine. Ages 0   – 3. (Roaring Brook Press)

Willodeen
By Katherine Applegate
Our hero Willodeen must protect the delicate landscape and unlovable varmints of her hometown in this middle-grade adventure with deeper themes of climate stewardship. Ages 8   – 12. (Feiwel & Friends)

Signed Copies

The Judge’s List
By John Grisham

My Monticello
By Jocelyn Nicole Johnson

A Spindle Splintered
By Alix E. Harrow

In All Good Faith
By Liza Nash Taylor

In addition to the titles listed above, New Dominion Bookshop will also be receiving a limited supply of signed copies of other new titles this holiday season. Stop by the shop or give us a call at 434-295-2552 to inquire about our current stock of signed books.

Classics

Animals Animals
By Eric Carle

Moomin Winter
By Tove Jansson

The Trumpet of the Swan
By E. B White
Illustrated by Fred Marcellino

If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler
By Italo Calvino

The Price of the Ticket: Collected Nonfiction: 1948–1985
By James Baldwin

The Log from the Sea of Cortez
By John Steinbeck

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants
By Robin Wall Kimmerer

The Poetics of Space
By Gaston Bachelard

The Left Hand of Darkness
By Ursula K. Le Guin

The Essential Neruda: Selected Poems (Bilingual Edition)
By Pablo Neruda

The Conference of the Birds
By Farid ud-Din Attar

I Am a Cat
By Soseki Natsume

Holiday-Themed

The Birds of Bethlehem
By Tomie dePaola
Celebrate the story of the birth of Jesus, as told by the birds of Bethlehem. A modern classic with dePaola’s full-page illustrations. Ages 3–5. (Nancy Paulsen Books)

The Shortest Day
By Susan Cooper
Illustrated by Carson Ellis
As daylight lessens, welcome the winter solstice with this beautifully illustrated poem from Susan Cooper and Carson Ellis. Ages 5  –9. (Candlewick)

Red and Green and Blue and White
By Lee Wind
Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinksy
Isaac’s neighbors gather to support him when his family is threatened for celebrating Hanukkah. Ages 4 –7. (Levine Querido)

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas
By Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie’s famous mustachioed detective, Hercule Poirot, returns to solve a Christmas Eve murder mystery. A suspenseful classic for teens and adults. (William Morrow)