Amongst my friends, I am known for my eclectic tastes, which is hopefully reflected in this gift guide. I’m an avid fiction reader that enjoys the speculative elements in Cursed Bunny and intimate character portraits in Dust Child. I also cannot put down books that explore finding the courage to be who you are, like in Thicker than Water and Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. On a less serious note, I’m also an avid tequila enthusiast and what better way to spread the love through a comprehensive guide like A Field Guide to Tequila. This list reflects a variety of interests and hopefully one (or more) will capture your eye!
If you love short story collections that blend speculative fiction, horror, sci-fi, and fairytales, this is right up your alley. This wildly original debut features a range of stories that take on themes of patriarchy, capitalism, and big tech with absurdist humor. No stories are alike and will be great for fans of Carmen Maria Machado and Aoko Matsuda.
Trang and Quỳnh leave their rural village to work at a bar in Sài Gòn to help their parents pay off debts. The sisters learn to speak English, dress seductively, and how to drink and flirt with American GIs in return for money. War moves closer to the city and Trang gets swept up in a romance with a handsome and kind American helicopter pilot. Decades later, Dan, an American veteran, returns to Việt Nam with his wife, Linda. In their journey, secrets surface that threaten his marriage. Phong, son of a Black American soldier and a Vietnamese woman, goes on a mission to find both his parents. These characters from past and present confront decisions made during a time of war.
Kerry Washington, award-winning actor, director, producer, and activist, takes us through her journey of life and discovering her truth. On a seemingly average day in Los Angeles, one text message tears everything she through she knew about herself. In this profoundly moving memoir, we get an intimate glimpse of Washington’s private and public life and all the challenges and setbacks that came along the way.
Eating the same thing twice or even three times a week can become a snooze, but leftovers can be so much more with Here We Go Again. The recipes in this collection shine the well-deserved spotlight your leftovers deserve and are perfect for ingredients that would otherwise be bound to go in the trash. Especially around the holidays, you can utilize your thanksgiving feast in meals that will taste like new.
One of my favorite spirits is tequila and I’m always trying to get my friends interested in the spirit as much as me. This book is perfect for curious folks and tequila connoisseurs alike. This guide includes how to read labels, set up tastings, and recipes to take to your friend and family. It’s an easy-to-read guide with striking visuals to help you gain a more in-depth knowledge of this popular spirit.
Filmmaker and activist Curtis Chin brings us into his world in this part memoir, part invitation: how Chung’s Cantonese cuisine plays a huge role in his life, where he learned to embrace his identity as a gay ABC, and where he realized just how much he had to offer the world, his family, and himself. Readers will feel like they’ve got a glimpse of what it’d be like to grow up with him and maybe even share something off the secret menu.
Emily Hoang is a writer and editor, who is obsessed with haunted houses, ghosts, and dreams. More info can be found on her website.
