Happy holidays to all! Since 1924, New Dominion Bookshop has been the place to find special holiday gifts. Here are some of the best books of the year, as well as perennial favorites. And don’t forget, mark your calendar for our Holiday Party on December 8, from 6–9 PM!
General Nonfiction
Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours
By Patrick Syme
Illustrated by Abraham Gottlob Werner
A taxonomic guide to the colors of the natural world, first published in 1814. A perfect stocking stuffer for artists, writers, and scientists alike.
Diving for Starfish
By Cherie Burns
Both a history of fine Parisian jewelry and a tour through the world of high-end jewelry, this is a true detective story centered around a one-of-a-kind design.
These Truths: A History of the United States
By Jill Lepore
From The New Yorker’s Jill Lepore, this one-volume American history will remind you of what you forgot from school and explain what brought our culture to this current moment.
The Library Book
By Susan Orlean
An investigation of the famous Los Angeles Public Library fire, this book is both a whodunnit and a celebration of libraries.
The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War
By Ben Macintyre
“The best true spy story I have ever read.” —John Le Carré
Animal: Exploring the Zoological World
By James Hanken
The most beautiful coffee table book on the animal world that you can imagine!
Flower Color Guide
By Darroch and Michael Putnam
Featured in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and W Magazine, Putnam & Putnam offer a radical guide to floral arrangements for all occasions.
Virginia Beer: A Guide from Colonial Days to Craft’s Golden Age
By Lee Graves
In this highly readable history of Virginia beer and its major players, Lee Graves shows his love of the commonwealth and of a good brew.
Life Along The Hudson: The Historic Country Estates of the Livingston Family
By Pieter Estersohn and John Winthrop Aldrich
This gorgeous coffee table book from Rizzoli features homes designed by Stanford White, A. J. Davis, Calvert Vaux, Warren and Wetmore, and other prominent architects.
Jazz
Photography by Arthur Elgort
Edited by Marianne Houtenbos
Renowned Vogue photographer Arthur Elgort captures Jazz greats such as Illinois Jacquet, Dexter Gordon, Dorothy Donegan, and more.
Mindfulness for Kids: 30 Fun Activities to Stay Calm, Happy, and in Control
By Carole Roman and J. Robin Albertson-Wren
Local teacher Robin Albertson-Wren and author Carole Roman deliver a practical manual to keeping your kids aware of their emotions.
Reading through the Night
By Jane Tompkins
This illuminating memoir about chronic illness and the power of reading is great for book clubs and lifelong bibliophiles.
Biography & Memoir
Fashion Climbing: A Memoir with Photographs
By Bill Cunningham
“This obscenely enjoyable romp fills in part of the Cunningham back story and provides tantalizing peeks in the psyche of the guarded and mysterious Bill.”
—The New York Times Book Review
The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created
By Jane Leavy
A fascinating look into the life and legacy of the first true sports superstar, Babe Ruth. Perfect for the baseball fan in your life.
Becoming
By Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama chronicles her life from childhood to the White House in her first memoir, sharing public and personal moments that have shaped her life.
Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret
By Craig Brown
“Rollicking, irresistible, un-put-downable…. For anyone…who swooned to Netflix’s The Crown, this book will be manna from heaven.”
—Hamish Bowles, Vogue
Ninth Street Women
By Mary Gabriel
A fascinating look at five painters—Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler—who helped change Modern Art.
Heavy: An American Memoir
By Kiese Laymon
The latest memoir from Mississippi-born Kiese Laymon is dedicated to his mother, a powerful force in his development.
Fiction
A Terrible Country
By Keith Gessen
When New Yorker Andrei moves to Moscow to take care of his grandmother, she asks him why he would return to such “a terrible country.” In funny, unsparing prose, this book chronicles life in modern Russia.
The Best American Short Stories 2018
By Roxane Gay
Among the many gems in this collection is Charlottesville writer Jocelyn Johnson’s short story originally published in Guernica magazine.
Penelope Lemon: Game On!
By Inman Majors
The adventures of recent divorcée Penelope Lemon as she navigates a crazy job and motherhood. Perfect for those with a good sense of humor.
Your Duck Is My Duck: Stories
By Deborah Eisenberg
“If our culture can produce a writer this wonderful, there must be something beautiful about us yet.”
—George Saunders
Horse
By Talley English
Charlottesville writer Talley English’s debut novel about coming of age, family, and the discipline of training a horse.
Washington Black
By Esi Edugyan
This historical novel traces the adventures of George Washington Black across the globe at the beginning of the modern age. A finalist for the Man Booker Prize.
Divided We Fall
By Proal Heartwell
Based on the 1989–90 strike by the United Mine Workers against the Pittston Coal Group. A tale of civil disobedience important for our times.
A Well-Behaved Woman
By Therese Anne Fowler
A novel of Alva Vanderbilt and Gilded Age New York, by the author of Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald.
Mysteries & Thrillers
Transcription
By Kate Atkinson
An espionage novel of WWII and Britain’s MI5 counter-intelligence agency, from the bestselling author of Life After Life.
November Road
By Lou Berney
Edgar-winner Berney (The Long and Faraway Gone) sets this fast-paced novel against the background of the Kennedy assassination.
The Witch Elm
By Tana French
“Tana French’s best and most intricately nuanced novel yet…. Get ready for the whiplash brought on by its final twists and turns.” —The New York Times
The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
By Stuart Turton
A totally unique debut thriller inhabiting the perspectives of each dinner guest on a day that leads to murder. One of Harper’s Bazaar’s 10 Must-Read Books of 2018.
Poetry
The Flame: Poems Notebooks Lyrics Drawings
By Leonard Cohen
The secret chord never sounded so good. A great gift for musicians, artists, and poetry fans alike.
What It Doesn’t Have to Do With
By Lindsay Bernal
Bernal, a UVa graduate, debuts in this collection of poems both erotic and intellectual, selected by Paul Guest for the National Poetry Series.
Wade in the Water
By Tracy K. Smith
The newest collection from the United States’ 52nd Poet Laureate, this book traces the voices and events in the formation of modern America.
The Best American Poetry 2018
Edited by David Lehman
A collection of some of the most beautiful and powerful poetry published within the past year.
Cookbooks
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking
By Samin Nosrat
Illustrated by Wendy MacNaughton
“This beautiful, approachable book not only teaches you how to cook, but captures how it should feel to cook: full of exploration, spontaneity, and joy.”
—Alice Waters
Red Truck Bakery Cookbook: Gold-Standard Recipes from America’s Favorite Rural Bakery
By Brian Noyes and Nevin Martell
The classic Virginia bakery shares its favorite recipes. President Barack Obama was quoted as saying, “I like pie. That’s not a state secret…. I can confirm that the Red Truck Bakery makes some darn good pie.”
Solo: A Modern Cookbook for a Party of One
By Anita Lo
No more microwave dinners: Treat yourself with this easy-to-follow cookbook portioned for a party of one.
Cook’s Illustrated Revolutionary Recipes
By America’s Test Kitchen
For the 25th anniversary of Cook’s Illustrated, this special edition highlights the elegant illustrations and unique recipes for which they have become known.
Signed & One-of-a-Kind
The Reckoning
Signed by John Grisham
Led Zeppelin with Collectible Poster
By Led Zeppelin
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (Collectors’ Edition)
Signed by Tom Wolfe
Bathed in Prayer: Father Tim’s Prayers, Sermons, and Reflections from the Mitford Series
Signed by Jan Karon
Children’s
Grumpy Monkey
By Suzanne Lang
Illustrated by Max Lang
Who among us has not been a Grumpy Monkey from time to time? An important lesson for children (and adults) about allowing ourselves to feel sad or upset while being thoughtful of other people’s feelings. (Ages 2–6.)
Seeing Stars: A Complete Guide to the 88 Constellations
By Sara Gillingham
This beautiful book teaches tweens and teens the stories of the constellations. Complete with star maps and a glossary. (Ages 7–14.)
The Big Bed
By Bunmi Laditan
Illustrated by Tom Knight
A toddler comes up with a clever solution so she can sleep in the big bed with her parents. A sweet, relatable tale for any family with young children. (Ages 2–6.)
Dreamers
By Yuyi Morales
Available in English and Spanish, this gorgeously illustrated picture book tells an uplifting story about the power of the public library for an immigrant family. (Ages 4–8.)
But Not the Armadillo
By Sandra Boynton
A board book about a quiet, quirky day in the life of a sensitive armadillo. Read this one aloud before bedtime. (Ages 1–4.)
Women in Sports: 50 Fearless Athletes Who Played to Win
By Rachel Ignotofsky
Short tales of women who succeeded in both famous and unusual sporting adventures. Full-color, dynamic illustrations. (Ages 10–16.)
A Is for Artichoke: A Foodie Alphabet from Artichoke to Zest
By America’s Test Kitchen Kids and Maddie Frost
This ABC board book teaches essential cooking words such as W is for whisk and G is for ganache. For toddlers and gourmets. (Ages 1–4.)
Carol Troxell Reader
From the Virginia Festival of the Book:
“The Virginia Festival of the Book is pleased to honor Carol’s legacy by naming an annual Carol Troxell Reader, who will be featured in a solo reading at New Dominion in addition to their regular program. To celebrate the breadth of Carol’s reading, the genre of the selected author will vary each year, building a wide-ranging list of Carol Troxell titles over time.”
Hey, Kiddo
By Jarrett J. Krosoczka
The second Carol Troxell Reader will be Jarrett J. Krosoczka, author of the young adult graphic memoir Hey, Kiddo. A finalist for the 2018 National Book Award, Hey, Kiddo shares a profoundly important story about growing up in a family grappling with addiction and finding the art that helps you survive.
Classics
Stuart Little
By E. B. White
Illustrated by Garth Williams
Leaves of Grass
By Walt Whitman
The Oxford Illustrated Book of American Children’s Poems
Edited by Donald Hall
Gift from the Sea
By Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Winnie-the-Pooh: Classic Gift Edition
By A. A. Milne
Singing in the Rain
Based on the song by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown
Illustrated by Tim Hopgood
Little Women
By Louisa May Alcott
If Beale Street Could Talk
By James Baldwin
Ultimate Journeys for Two: Extraordinary Destinations on Every Continent
By Mike and Anne Howard
The Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution
Edited by Richard Beeman
Lincoln Perry’s Charlottesville
Paintings by Lincoln Perry
With an essay and interview by Ann Beattie
Holiday-Themed
The Nutcracker (Little Golden Book)
By Rita Balducci
Illustrated by Sheilah Beckett
Inspired by the classic ballet, this beloved Little Golden Book is back in print with brand-new illustrations. (Ages 2–6.)
Mickey’s Christmas Carol Read-Along Storybook
By Disney
Join Mickey and the gang as they learn the meaning of Christmas in this entertaining retelling of the Charles Dickens tale. (Ages 2–7.)
The Polar Express
By Chris Van Allsburg
Chris Van Allsburg’s exquisite illustrations bring this treasured holiday story about a train’s journey to the North Pole to life. (Ages 3–10.)
A Charlie Brown Christmas
By Charles M. Schulz
This special edition of the Peanuts classic will make the perfect gift for both children and the young at heart. (All ages.)
Beautiful Yetta’s Hanukkah Kitten
By Daniel Pinkwater
Illustrated by Jill Pinkwater
“The Pinkwaters have crafted a tale of friendship and caring, this time with a festive holiday touch…. A Hanukkah gift for readers and eaters.” —Kirkus Reviews (Ages 2–7.)
Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution
By Pat Miller
Illustrated by Kathi Ember
Join Squirrel as she travels around the forest, learning about the value of New Year’s resolutions. (Ages 2–7.)