Perfect book pairings to give loved ones this holiday season.
Book lovers will always appreciate receiving a book for Christmas. But what could be better than one book, you might ask? Well, two books, of course!
If you want to give a gift that’s a touch more special this year, you can’t go wrong with a book duo. Not only will your loved one adore reading each of the two books, but the combination of the two will provoke deeper thoughts and understanding.
If you’re at a loss for which books would make a perfect pair, fear not. We’ve compiled a list of duos that make for delightful gift-giving (and receiving).
Best book duos to gift for Christmas
The Year of the Locust and I Am Pilgrim
Terry Hayes’ gripping thriller, I Am Pilgrim, took the world by storm ten years ago. After much anticipation, the follow-up, The Year of the Locust, is here! Any crime and thriller reader would be overjoyed to receive these page-turners by the internationally bestselling author. Cinematic, complex and undeniably exciting, these two books offer the perfect escape.
Read a snippet of The Year of the Locust >
Ghosts and Good Material
If you know someone who loves contemporary fiction, this pair by Dolly Alderton belongs on your shopping list. With her signature wit and humour, Alderton explores the complexity of modern relationships in both books while telling two very different stories. Ghosts follows a food writer in her early thirties as she navigates love in this new stage of life. Good Material, on the other hand, follows Andy, who finds himself unexpectedly single, only to feel lost and confused about where exactly everything went wrong.
Read a snippet of Good Material >
Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays The Rent and Hamlet
Theatre nerds, rejoice! Fans of Dame Judi Dench will be filled with joy as they unwrap this combo of Dench’s new book about her career as a Shakespearean actor alongside one of the playwright's iconic plays: Hamlet.
In Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, Dench reveals the secrets of some of her most notable performances. Her theatrical debut was playing Ophelia in Hamlet at the Old Vic, so it only makes sense to pair the two books together.
Read a snippet of Shakespeare: The Man who Pays The Rent >
Question 7 and Wifedom
Gift some of the best Australian literature of 2023 with this duo of books by Anna Funder and Richard Flanagan. Both works are unlike anything you’ve ever read – unique in subject matter and genre. While both books are non-fiction, the mesmerising prose in each will transport you to different worlds – whether to a river in Tasmania or into the home of George Orwell and his first wife, Eileen O’Shaughnessy. Aesthetically, the books’ similar colour palettes and eye-catching covers will look fantastic on any book lover’s shelf.
Read a snippet of Wifedom > & Read a snippet of Question 7 >
Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect and Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone
Bring a bit of fun to Christmas with these unputdownable murder mysteries by Australian author and comedian Benjamin Stevenson. Both books find Ernest Cunningham in impossible situations, becoming accidentally involved in whacky whodunnits. Unfortunately for Ernest, he seems to be surrounded by suspect characters who could all feasibly get away with committing crimes. Described as ‘Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle meet Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club’, Stevenson's books are the perfect blend of classical mystery and modern humour.
Read a snippet of Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect >
Baking Yesteryear and The Sugar Palace
If you know someone with a sweet tooth, these are the books for them. The Sugar Palace is a historical fiction novel set in 1920s Sydney. The protagonist, Grace, dreams of opening a sweetshop – but will her romance with a roguish Londoner jeopardise her business plans?
Readers will find their mouths watering at Fiona McIntosh’s descriptions of candy apples and homemade lollies, so what better follow-up than Baking Yesteryear? Featuring whacky recipes from decades past, this fun cookbook by B. Dylan Hollis will inspire readers to channel their inner Grace and try their hand at a few vintage treats – just like she would!
Read a snippet of The Sugar Palace > & Try a recipe from Baking Yesteryear >
Want more? Click here to see more great books to gift this holiday season.
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