book recommendations for every type of person (the ultimate book gift guide)

[@dhianouioui]

let's be honest we all watching this to shop for ourselves

[@carolinv9792]

Guilty

[@nicolee3436]

I couldn’t have said it better

[@snehasarkar5186]

So true! 😄

[@MicahCwen]

you caught me

[@mcqueenXO]

Busted.🤣

[@nymphaea96]

My to-read list has grown immensely since I found Jack's channel. I don't know where to start....

[@alyssia7239]

A random wheel pick

[@snehasarkar5186]

Seriously, everytime I watch a booktube video, my tbr list just keeps growing! 🤭

[@theliopleurodon]

Literally same

[@ChibiPanda2]

I had the same problem. I did a reading jar. Basically, I wrote the title of the books on my TBR on small papers, put them in a jar, mixed them and I picked one at random to read something you. If you're a bit artistic, you can customize the jar a bit or just let it plain. I finished a really nice book which had been on my TBR for 2 years this week thanks to this method and I have another waiting. I hope this will work for you!

[@nymphaea96]

@@ChibiPanda2 I quite like this idea! Adds an element of surprise :) I might just try it out, thanks for the suggestion!

[@nupzgotcaffeine09]

Jack: *uploads the video* Me: *opens notes app and is ready to increase my already little too long TBR*

[@Agape_1_MVMT]

I did the same thing 😭😭

[@ananyasharma2834]

relatable

[@jackthemlits]

me but with goodreads 😭 i have like 600+ books on my TBR now because of his videos haha

[@alicjaszumal-falkowska4833]

hahaha me every time too

[@quarter-lifecrisis5127]

same

[@qwertato101]

The Green Ideas Collection - Penguin Small Pleasures - Clare Chambers Play It As It Lays - Joan Didion Love is a Mix Tape - Rob Sheffield Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky The Master & Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov Malibu Rising - Taylor Jenkins Reid No One is Talking About This - Patricia Lockwood Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut Night Sky with Exit Wounds - Ocean Vuong The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid The Vanishing Half - Brit Bennett The Beekeeper of Aleppo - Christy Lefteri And Then the End Will Come! - Brandon Andress Hamnet - Maggie O’Farrell The Windrush Betrayal - Amelia Gentleman A Single Man - Vintage Isherwood The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller The Memory Police - Yoko Ogawa On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous - Ocean Vuong Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke - Eric LaRocca The Dangers of Smoking in Bed - Mariana Enríquez Before the Coffee Gets Cold - Toshikazu Kawaguchi Convenience Store Woman - Sayaka Murata We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves - Karen Joy Fowler Lonely Castle in the Mirror - Mizuki Tsujimura Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro The Housekeeper and the Professor - Ogawa Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 - Cho Nam-Joo Emma - Jane Austen The Hungry Tide - Amitav Ghosh Moby Dick - Herman Melville The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway Queenie - Candice Carty-Williams Clap When You Land - Elizabeth Acevedo Siddhartha - Hermann Hessean Lost Girls and Love Hotels - Catherine Hanrahan Exciting Times - Naoise Dolan Luster - Raven Leilani Shuggie Bain - Douglas Stuart Call Me By Your Name - André Aciman Funny Boy - Shyam Selvadurai The Good Soldier - Ford Madox Ford Brighton Rock - Graham Greene What We Talk About When We Talk About Love - Vintage Carver The Houseguest & Others Stories - Amparo Dávila No One Belongs Here More Than You - Miranda July The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams Misery - Stephen King My Policeman - Bethan Roberts Norwegian Wood - Murakami Red, White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara The Hungover Games - Sophie Heawood What I Talk About When I Talk About Running - Murakami Changes - Ama Ata Aidoo 84 Charing Cross Road - Helene Hanff My Year of Rest and Relaxation - Ottessa Moshfegh If I Had Your Face - Frances Cha Demian - Hermann Hesse The Unreal & The Real - Ursula K. Le Guin Such a Fun Age - Kiley Reid Normal People - Sally Rooney Loveless - Alice Oseman The Uni-Verse - Jack Edwards Ariadne - Jennifer Saint Love in Colour - Bolu Babalola Klara and the Sun - Kazuo Ishiguro Girl, Woman, Other - Bernadrine Evaristo

[@melimilka5666]

Thank you, you are my hero

[@coceamaria7965]

Great job! Thx a lot!

[@Jojo-rl8qm]

You r an angel. Thnku

[@pigeonsarefake1645]

you are doing god's work thanks bestie

[@archimistry4454]

LEGEND

[@AB-kj1yb]

It must take you AGES TO PUT IN THESE TITLES AND MAKE THESE VIDEOS I just am so appreciative of your hard work jack

[@kerlygerl]

Agree! Amazing content!

[@sarahfitzpatrick148]

For coming of age, sapphic and weird, you could also try This Is How You Lose The Time War. A sapphic romance told through letters between two agents of warring time travel agencies. Super weird, super beautiful and romantic.

[@chacepaulson1309]

I also think Carmilla could be a good one for that!

[@HAngeli]

I need this

[@muskaan3711]

I love that book! Such beautiful prose.

[@cephi]

ohh it's sapphic? i thought it was mlm cool !

[@sarahfitzpatrick148]

@@chacepaulson1309 haven't read that one yet! Added it to the list :)

[@usedtobehere02]

also for someone who’s nosy - “That Time I Loved You” by Carrianne Leung! It follows the people in a neighborhood and kind of goes through their very personal lives vs the image other people in the neighborhood have of them. You can’t really hate any of the characters (except one or two) but each chapter leaves you wanting to know more about the person aHHHH

[@juliarosetwamley]

Added to my StoryGraph TBR

[@ReadWithSona]

Hey from other Sonali 🤭 Keep trying your best! 😁

[@ellie0922]

LOVED that book

[@monica2399]

uhh coool

[@delmicortave]

This seems so charming and interesting, great recommendation

[@silkederksen5330]

I love how you recommend such a diverse range of literature! Since I watch your videos I've come in contact with novels from many different cultures and the LGBTQ+ community. You shine the spotlight on literature that normaly wouldn't be recommended as often, but that really deserve the cloud. Keep up the good work Jack :)

[@jack_edwards]

This means the world to me, thank you!

[@sayu3555]

Me: how do people buy books for people? Like, how do I even know what they’d like? Me seeing this video: I get it.

[@bijinaann4230]

Petition to have jack edwards as my secret santa..... because this guy does not DISAPPOINT.

[@valenciariley]

i just don't understand how can you remember so much info about all the books you've read, i get that you probably write some stuff down.. but still, you're really good

[@muskaan3711]

Same I don't even remember the books I've read this month lol

[@amelia4358]

For real

[@redwineandagingerale]

It's very impressive! Although I will say that it probably helps that Jack has talked about most of these in other videos so he's thought and talked about these books way more than other readers would.

[@maetamonxg7718]

if the recommender remembers the books you can rest assured that the books were good 😄

[@Emily_23_]

Admittedly a lot of my recommendations have come from Jack but I laughed as *every single book* I’ve bought my mum for Xmas was mentioned 😂😂

[@hollyrose4578]

petition for Jack to make an 'attempting to solve an Agatha Christie mystery' video:

[@isabellerobey]

I would love that I think emmie did that kind of video recently for the the murder of roger ackroyd (wrong choice but you know) it was a long video but so worth it

[@hollyrose4578]

@@isabellerobey yes I absolutely loved that video!! I’ve seen a few other people doing it too, inspired by her 💖

[@sin3358]

Oh definitely. Agathas books, though, are pretty predictable after reading a few. You can just tell what the plot twist is after a while, especially with the detective Poirot

[@Marijkeeee]

“We want them to cry, not to be traumatized” is exactly why I’m always afraid to recommend A little life but it’s sooo gorgeous as well. The struggle.

[@kristenmorison7991]

can we just acknowledge the fact that he could think of that many books and recall the plot and characters🤯

[@lostinwonderart]

For environmentalist, my favorite is The Story of Stuff. It’s seriously a life changing book. How many others saw that wood box and thought it was a Harry Potter item cause of initials on top? 🤣

[@amelia.landry]

Had to read this book for my environmental studies degree and I thought it was interesting but I think you can also get essentially the same information in the videos they made for the website of the same name

[@th85489]

Just want to say I really see and appreciate the diversity here. Jack, I think your recommendations and reading habits are the most diverse I see on KZbin. Thank you!

[@elle5766]

THIS VIDEO IS ACTUALLY SO PERFECT. more books to add to my buying list 😭

[@penguin0460]

My exact thought! It's a gift idea video yet I'll be buying all these books for myself 😭

[@Lariii_sa]

I love how weirdly specific but relatable these categories were

[@PeachyKeeners]

your transition from study videos to being one of the best booktubers in the game will never not amaze me. AN ICON. this video was so fun to watch, thank you!!

[@summerskye9783]

Small pleasures does sound like the kind of book my mom would read! She constantly loves making up speculative stories and getting into detail about people’s lives as they’re walking down the road, what they’re thinking or what they’re about to do etc. It’s quite entertaining, she makes small little insignificant things into something significant

[@deardiaryakatheinternet]

1:25 oh my gosh i am in LOVE with this book

[@Adeodatus100]

Greek mythology - "The Silence of the Girls" by Pat Barker. It begins "Great Achilles. Brilliant Achilles, shining Achilles, godlike Achilles... How the epithets pile up. We never called him any of those things; we called him 'the butcher'."

[@TiliaHaggstrom]

Damn, that's a nice first line. I now need to pick that one up

[@elliefletcher2862]

I’ve just read this!! It’s so great 📚❤️

[@Sacrificallamba]

You know people are scared they'll suddenly be injected with drug and get addicted. Your comment is the book equivalent of that

[@andreacarroll4031]

I just finished this book yesterday and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever read

[@kathaSchmei]

Me taking notes for myself because I trust Jack's recommendations 👀

[@snigdhasanganeria7670]

Omg same. This whole video is going to be my 2022 reading list

[@alyssavocadoo]

@@snigdhasanganeria7670 same here! time to spend some money hahah

[@mayapeters1450]

This is the most comprehensive and helpful reading guide I have ever seen. Thank you! Christmas and Reyes shopping is going to be so easy this year :)

[@Elena-ig8hv]

Was literally just figuring out what books to buy for people this Christmas right before you posted. Your timing couldn't be better!

[@vidya5732]

loveless is literally amazing. alice oseman is my favorite author ever. i am literally obsessed with her work and binge read all her stuff in like 2 months (i was reading other books during it too). i’m so glad i finally had good aroace representation

[@luciedombrowski2631]

I just can't stop laughing at "we want them to cry, we don't want them to be traumatized"

[@PokhrajRoy.]

As a Bengali person, happy to see Amitav Ghosh featured in the list. It’s set in the Sunderbans, which is a rare setting for Indian literature.

[@giorgia.m]

Listen, seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo was literally the book that got me back into reading two years ago!!! Jack’s psychic abilities are outstanding 🖤

[@sanj2819_ykd6]

I’m silently taking screenshots of the books that sound lovely to me so I can get it for myself 😂😂

[@nunun672]

you're not alone

[@lsta8088]

So... all of them 🤣

[@nunun672]

"For the love of God don't buy them the Secret" I strongly agree 😂😂😂

[@桜加減]

imma buy all these books as gifts…for myself ❤️

[@phoebe1569]

Whenever Jack posts, I feel so happy 😊

[@vmateo2842]

How can a single human have SO MANY book recs for every single weird individual out there? Gotta love him.

[@hazelm4655]

clap when you land KILLED me. it was SO GOOD. the rest of Elizabeth Acevedo's work is amazing as well!

[@kristenlocus292]

Jack has such a beautiful way of talking about books that makes me want to read each one lol such a gift he has, thanks for the recommendations! Also thank you for all the work of sectioning off the video by recommendation, I know it took a long time and its appreciated!🥰

[@Shady_Nox]

Jack: book recommendation for your friends and family. Me: Ohhh my good! A whole video of book recommendations for my many many personalities! This'll be the best Christmas ever!✨

[@kristinaedwards3822]

I would love to see these recommendation Q&A videos be a regular thing!

[@am13007]

I just wanted to write a little message. Christmas over the last two years has not been the same for us. We have all lost loved ones, even maybe parts of ourselves, to the pandemic. So you're not alone if this Christmas you spend grieving. If you spend this Christmas alone intentionally. If this Christmas you couldn't go home to family. If this Christmas you didn't have anyone to give you gifts. If this Christmas you are missing someone. If this Christmas gives you bad memories about the year. It's okay. You're not alone. It's absolutely okay if all you did this year was just survive. It's absolutely okay if all you do this christmas is gift yourself books and watch a Christmas movie by yourself. Do whatever you need to do to feel better. Please don't compare your Christmas to the perfect ones you see on Social Media. You're going to be okay. We love you. Have yourselves a merry little christmas loves

[@aisling8092]

You’re an angel, that’s such a nice message. Hope you have a great Christmas!

[@breadboi420]

i dont know what to say... this guy has read more books than the best sorted library can hold. You always impress me Jack 👀

[@elora4205]

I haven’t even gone halfway through my 2021 TBR and jack just added like hundreds more to it. Thank you,thank you very much.

[@mally6101]

I LOVE how Jack always recommends lots of less popular books that I've not heard of. He is responsible for my book buying addiction! Lol

[@nyamjunie]

you always sound so energetic and passionate which makes me want to read all of these ahhh

[@Emily_23_]

Well this is absolutely perfect timing, Jack you’re a hero!! Thanks 😍

[@dartapriedniece6936]

You know that you've watched this channel a LOT this year when you can sometimes guess what Jack is going to recommend even if you haven't read that book.

[@mimic.d7018]

I really recommend pretty much any book by a Japanese author. My personal favourite is ‘Kokoro’ by Soseki Natsume, which is gut-wrenching and written in a beautiful yet devastating way. I love Japanese authors because every word is crafted so elegantly and chosen carefully.

[@amyrush5747]

this is the best book gift guide i think i've ever watched - you were funny but also succinct and didn't give a 3 minute synopsis on every book which means i actually watched the whole thing instead of skipping past once the book name was mentioned

[@mjdunn4315]

WHY JACK- I'm about to go into debt cuz you make every book sound so lovely and now I have to read 'em.

[@ThaoNguyen-il5ct]

WE NEED PART 2 PLEASE!!

[@imangelbrowne]

Jack!!! I was scrolling through my phone after a breakdown and I was thinking "I hope Jake posts a video today im so mentally unstable, I need some good bestie vibes" AND THEN I GET A NOTIFICATION FROM KZbin THAT YOU POSTED. I won today 🕺

[@manonvo8615]

So fun rewatching these now that I'm more into reading, finding out what kind of books I like but also now that I'm trying to branch out

[@madeleine6749]

I’m really curious, did you have the list prepared or did you really recommend books off the cuff after reading the prompt? It seemed so convenient and candid it made me laugh when you’d be like “oh! Here’s a perfectly specific book that popped into my mind all of the sudden to fit your niche!” Either way, great video and I added a bunch to my gift-list for friends/family and my own tbr!

[@jack_edwards]

the jump cuts make this look very fast paced but actually I sit and think about what I’m going to say in between shots, haha! I just cut that bit out :)

[@tamikras9927]

@@jack_edwards haha that explains it

[@evabailey6068]

I've just finished Queenie and I was so captivated by it! The first book I've read that's not related to my degree since the summer and it was SO worth it

[@houssamaitarejdal5101]

When you’re in university and Jack recommends your two favorite books, so you realize you have immaculate taste… 😊

[@bareenaj1992]

This was literally the best recommendation video ever:) I love how you recommend books by so many comparatively "unknown" authors. Also, I didnt know you knew about Blood sweat and tears and spring day, in that detail.

[@jasdeepkaur452]

Everyone: Apreciates the fact that how easy has it become to buy books to their pals Whilst me: I appreciate that you made this video near my b'day... At last some good books to relish!

[@riaa9468]

comfort channel af

[@sanjhsolanki2419]

Tf ..... These books are literally some of the best books in their respective genres

[@mosz1410]

there is something about the way a lot of japanese authors write that just draws me into the story a lot more and I just really love the writing style of japanese authors and somehow can't find that spark in other books tbh

[@hetvikhetia4354]

I read *Before the coffee gets cold* and I'm so happy because it so fulfilling so thank you Jack

[@lilyhong1220]

Can you do a video to recommend books to experience different cities and countries? I remember you read a book based in paris before going to paris and I wanna try reading books based in places I'll visit!

[@Caro-e6h]

This is the best video ever. It was so helpful and I honestly want to buy all these books no matter if I’m interested in the topic or not. You made them all seem soo worth reading 😍

[@louisegreen8339]

Not me adding literally all of these books to my to read list because I know your taste is immaculate

[@musicalgenius1235]

Finally he posted!!!!! I love your videos and you have recently become my favorite comfort KZbinr💕💕love your videos

[@andre_p]

I started binge reading a specific type of literature some time ago, now I see options starting to kind of dry out, so I need to branch out because the thirst for reading is not quenched. What a wonderful source of quality references this is. Million thanks, Jack !

[@muskaan3711]

I loved seven husbands of evelyn hugo! One of my favorite books. Still think about it every now and then.

[@brisweeting2872]

Two seconds in and what I’m really invested in is the dinosaur poster in the background

[@fabiaugust1387]

Everytime I hear "a little life" i wan't to start crying all over again That book wrecked me, but i loved it

[@cvbattum]

I'm so scared... I put it on my to read list with the note (maybe save this for when i'm * somewhat* emotionally stable)

[@darkbrumecaldin1902]

I'm amazed at all these advice you have and how passionate you are. My reading game got lost in my med studies, but I hope I can truly renew with this passion of mine when my competitive exam is over. Thank you for all of your videos, they're great. I love your energy and your humour!!

[@beatrizbruscalin9535]

right on time for my everyday ritual (having lunch while watching jack or carley’s videos)

[@sdtngo]

1:25 i rlly need this lol. frm the moment jack talked abt it in a past video, it has been in my ‘want to read’ list ever since.

[@sisii._rose]

I love how the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Malibu rising are intertwined its incredible.

[@jasminedragon9030]

I appreciate this video and you so much! My older brother says he doesn’t need anything for Christmas but I still want to get him something, and some of these book recommendations were perfect for him!

[@winternight1420]

For a good plot twist I’d recommend “We were liars” by E. Lockhart. When I learnt the truth of what was happening I just closed it and had to process for minutes. My friends and I were reading it and we all were shocked.

[@theshylockholmes]

i spend more time looking for book recs than i do actually reading

[@saanvisoni5976]

I feel like reading each and every book😭❤️ just love the amazing recommendations!!

[@rileyeatsrox]

the amount of excitement i get when you say a book i’ve read is unmatched seriously

[@rileyeatsrox]

also i will say i tend to avoid men’s recommendations in general because i find that they lean more toward male narrated books or just not a very diverse set of books. but you have such a diverse taste and it’s very enduring!! thank you for your channel!

[@OrangelLuke2001]

Watching this with my Goodreads open and watching the "Want to read" list grow

[@usedtobehere02]

WAIT MY SISTER LOVES HUNTER KILLER AND I DO STILL NEED TO BUY A GIFT FOR HER - you’re a life saver omg 😭😭😭

[@jbmaghilom2899]

OH MY GOD YOU POSTED PERFECTLY! WE HAVE AN EXCHANGE GIFT EVENT IN OUR CLASSROOM! AND IM TRYING TO FIND A BOOK FOR MYSELF. MANNNN, THANK YOU SO MUCH

[@emilyroth4862]

I've been watching your channel for a while but I FINALLY actually read one of the books you recommended..."My Policeman" and it was SO GOOD. I finished it a few days ago and have been aggressively recommending it to all my friends and family

[@claudiaah6603]

Oohh I didn't like it at all and I've even lived in Brighton before :-D

[@emilyroth4862]

@@claudiaah6603 really??? I didn't love all the characters themselves, but I really enjoyed how the book was written and the story that unfolded. Especially the ending!

[@claudiaah6603]

@@emilyroth4862 That's true, the story was very well written and thought through. I just couldn't relate to the characters...

[@maryevans9382]

this has simultaneously helped me find a gift for my dad, added 12 books to my shopping cart/wishlist (with money i don't have) and made me want to start reading a bunch of books i already own but haven't gotten around to reading yet

[@evaogma8224]

Master and Margarita is an amazing book!! I loved it soooo much

[@anonymousanonymous1859]

I think this might be my favourite video of yours. So well thought through and they sound actually perfect

[@dimensia6942]

I would also recommend Daisy Jones and the Six for the music lover. It’s also written by Taylor Jenkins Reid

[@ameliesayshola8854]

It’s going to be an Amazon mini series with Riley Keough (Elvis Presley’s granddaughter)! Such a good book

[@crakandra9672]

*furiously adds books to TBR without pausing the video*

[@corlamoses1220]

Northanger abbey is a very good recommendation and in my experience has sparked some pretty interesting conversations about the nature of marriage and society in the 19th century as compared to now (+ I'm doing it for my a level coursework)

[@itschelseakay]

My priest did his entire homily on Shuggie Bain for the beginning of Advent and I’ve been wanting to read it since! He said that it writes about which trauma and horror with love and non-judgment towards others and used that as an analogy for how God loves us and how we should look at the world - especially during Advent.

[@1Anycoloryoulike1]

This is the best book gift guide I’ve ever seen! Buying them all…for myself

[@Epyphanies]

Also for the short stories: The world-ending fire by Wendell Berry -> a lot of environment vs capitalism material to argue about BUT filled with the most beautiful timeless quotes

[@emmaqua-enoo8161]

Everytime I watch a Jack Edwards video, my list of books to buy grows exponentially

[@nonelikekyu]

it's true!! i'm not that big of a reader but my favourite gifts are books that friends have gifted me based on what they knew i liked

[@phambamm]

For the Sally Rooney fan, I also recommend Fault Lines by Emily Itami! Haven't read it yet but it's been touted as a Rooney x Murakami!

[@andromeda2503]

thank you for making this, we all have that one friend who is the “reader” and buying them a book is so intimidating

[@ashtually]

Had to watch the video twice: once for recommendations for friends and family, and again for my own personal book haul 😂

[@emilyv07]

YES THE OCEAN VUONG COLLECTION my absolute favorite of all time ❤️

[@joliebunny88]

14:00 I really expected you’d be saying A Little Life here. That book was both lovely and heartbreaking for me

[@joliebunny88]

16:42 🙃

[@nas10iris]

Just ordered Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo just because you suggested it! I'm excited :) I have had a hard time returning to Vanishing Half though, but I am currently working my way through Song of Achilles. I used to only read sci-fi, but I guess I'm finally growing up lol

[@shelleycallus3998]

for the mythology lover, there's also one book which I absolutely adored named 'Piranesi'.

[@simranruparelia8176]

i just got recommended that (by Carrie Hope Fletchers video) today! i’m really intrigued by it