50 books for gifts: Biographies, Irish fiction, crime, sport, and more...
L-R: Claire Keegan, Booker Prize-winner Paul Lynch, and Pat Spillane: some of Denise O'Donoghue's outstanding authors of 2023.
1. Prophet Song, by Paul Lynch: The Booker Prize-winning novel is a portrait of a society on the brink as a mother in Dublin faces a terrible choice.
2. How To Build A Boat, by Elaine Feeney: A touching story of how one boy's mission transforms the lives of his teachers and brings together a community.
3. So Late In The Day, by Claire Keegan: A powerful short story that examines the unconscious expressions of misogyny by following a day in the life of Cathal.
4. Kala, by Colin Walsh: A thriller about the loss of a childhood friend and how it impacted a close group from a small town in Ireland.
5. The Bee Sting, by Paul Murray: The story of a well-to-do Irish family in financial, emotional and existential trouble.
1. Shy, by Max Porter: The story of a few strange hours in the life of a troubled teenage boy.
2. In Memoriam, by Alice Winn: A debut novel about two young men who fall in love during World War I.
3. The Fraud, by Zadie Smith: Set in 1873, this work of historical fiction centres on a legal trial that divided Victorian England.
4. Victory City, by Salman Rushdie: A magic realist epic about a woman who breathes a fantastical empire into existence, only to be consumed by it over the centuries.
5. The Seventh Son, by Sebastian Faulks: Set in the near future, this follows a daring scientific experiment that explores the evolution of consciousness.
1. Fourth Wing, by Rebecca Yarros: Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders. Its sequel, Iron Flame, was also published in October.
2. Wreck The Halls, by Tessa Bailey: The adult children of two former rock stars team up to convince their estranged mothers to play a Christmas Eve concert.
3. Hello Beautiful, by Ann Napolitano: Napolitano paints a vivid portrait of the unique bond and devastating betrayals of sisterhood.
4. Happy Place, by Emily Henry: A couple who broke up months ago pretends to still be in a relationship for their annual weeklong holiday with their best friends.
5. Yellowface, by RF Kuang: Investigates ambition, greed and white privilege, Yellowface sees author June steal a late rival’s unpublished manuscript and publish it as her own
1. The Last Devil to Die, by Richard Osman: The fourth book in the Thursday Murder Club series is another foray into the cosy crime genre.
2. The Trap, by Catherine Ryan Howard: An unsettling mystery inspired by a series of still-unsolved disappearances in Ireland in the nineties.
3. None Of This Is True, by Lisa Jewell: A psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true-crime podcast.
4. Strange Sally Diamond, by Liz Nugent: Reclusive Sally Diamond causes outrage by trying to incinerate her dead father in this complex tale of family and abuse.
5. Body of Truth, by Marie Cassidy: The debut thriller from Ireland’s former State pathologist sees the host of a popular true-crime podcast brutally murdered.
1. Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World, by Mary Beard: In the year that TikTok realised men think about the Roman Empire quite a lot, actually, Mary Beard shines her spotlight on the emperors who ruled the Roman Empire.
2. A History of Ireland in 100 Episodes, by Jonathan Bardon: Discover the entire history of the island from the Ice Age to the Peace Process in a thoughtful analysis of Irish society that integrates the significant cultural and literary history of Ireland with its political and social histories.
3. Old Ireland in Colour 3, by John Breslin and Sarah-Anne Buckley: The third instalment of the Old Ireland in Colour series uncovers more photographic gems and breathes new life into them in glorious colour.
4. Titanic Collections, Volume 1: Fragments of History, by Mike Beatty et al: Another talking point this year was the Titanic, following the tragic fate of the Titan submersible. This series showcases rare and important artefacts relating to the history of RMS Titanic
5. Killing Thatcher, by Rory Carroll: The gripping account of how the IRA came astonishingly close to killing Margaret Thatcher, this book spans three continents and blends true crime with political history.
1. Bored of Lunch: The Healthy Air Fryer Book, by Nathan Anthony: This easy-to-follow cookbook would pair well with an air fryer under the Christmas tree.
2. Spice Box, by Sunil Ghai: Indian chef Sunil Ghai takes the mystery out of creating authentic Indian dishes at home.
3. The Gathered Table: A Taste of Home, by Kristin Jensen: A collection of 55 recipes from across Ireland’s food world, with all proceeds will be donated to the Peter McVerry Trust.
4. Irish Kitchen Cocktails, by Oisín Davis: Davis shows how easy it is to make cocktails with Irish spirits using everyday kitchen equipment.
5. Home Kitchen, by Donal Skehan: Inspiration, tips, and delicious recipes from the kitchen of Irish cook Donal Skehan.
1. My Name Is Barbra, by Barbra Streisand: The living legend tells her own story about her life and extraordinary career, from early struggles to become an actress to friendships with figures like Marlon Brando.
2. I’m Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette Mccurdy: The iCarly star on her career as a child actress and her difficult relationship with her abusive mother, who died in 2013.
3. Madhouse, by PJ Gallagher: Gallagher shares his life story and writes powerfully about his mental breakdown and what he learned from his spell in a psychiatric hospital.
4. Poor, by Katriona O'Sullivan: Poor is the extraordinary story of how award-winning lecturer O’Sullivan turned her life around to find success and happiness.
5. The Woman in Me, by Britney Spears: Spears reveals for the first time her incredible journey and illuminates the enduring power of music and love.
1. In The Blood, by Pat Spillane: Kerry footballing hero Spillane explores his father’s death, his dazzling football career, encounters with other GAA immortals, and more.
2. Kammy, by Chris Kamara: Kammy reveals all in a book about friendship, courage and why it's always important to have a good laugh.
3. The Grass Ceiling, by Eimear Ryan: Irish Examiner columnist Ryan shares a sharp, nuanced and heartfelt exploration of questions that affect every child in sport.
4. Unbreakable, by Ronnie O’Sullivan: Snooker player O’Sullivan details twelve lessons he has learned from his extraordinary career.
5. Surviving to Drive, by Guenther Steiner Haas: F1 boss and star of Netflix's Drive to Survive takes readers through a full F1 season, from hiring and firing drivers to the race calendar itself.
1. Welcome to Dead Town Raven McKay, by Eibhlís Carcione: After Raven McKay's parents disappear, she moves to Grave's Pass, a mysterious town where the living and the dead live side by side.
2. Gods Don’t Cry, by Ellen Ryan: Gods Don’t Cry reawakens Ireland’s ancient gods whose ancient tales redefine modern ideas of what it means to be a hero.
3. Peter & The Wolf, by Gavin Friday and Bono: An incredible retelling of the well-loved classic story Peter and the Wolf – with a twist.
4. What You Need To Be Warm, by Neil Gaiman: The beautiful longform poem in aid of refugees in the Middle East features references to such cosy comforts as “a baked potato of a winter’s night to wrap your hands around or burn your mouth”.
5. The Body in the Blitz, by Robin Stevens: A thrilling and unputdownable mystery starring a new generation of the Detective Society.
1. Heartstopper Volume 5, by Alice Oseman: The latest book in the bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel series about life, love, and everything that happens in between.
2. Black & Irish, by Leon Diop: A groundbreaking celebration of Black Irish life, featuring everyday heroes, including Ruth Negga, Emma Dabiri, and Phil Lynott.
3. How To Die Famous, by Benjamin Dean: Follow the lives of Gen Z's rich and famous through the lens of an undercover teen journalist.
4. Catfish Rolling, by Clara Kumagai: Magic realism blends with Japanese myth and legend in an original story about grief, memory, time and an earthquake that shook a nation.
5. Every Gift a Curse, by Caroline O’Donoghue: The final book in the All Our Hidden Gifts trilogy, a story of magic and friendship set in Ireland.
