A bookish gift guide

Looking for a last minute gift for someone on your list? Or just filling up your own bookshelf? Matt Keliher, the manager of Subtext Books in St. Paul, joined The Thread to discuss his favorites of the year, and some of the best books to give away.

If you still need a recommendation, ask us on Twitter @TheThreadMPR or on Facebook.

Fiction

"Mr. Splitfoot" by Samantha Hunt

A gothic, eerie tale of seances-gone-wrong gets mashed up with a classic road novel in this strange and wonderful book.

"The Natural Way of Things" by Charlotte Wood

"This is what you learn in the opening pages: Two women wake up, they've been drugged. They've been changed into prairie-style outfits, they don't know what's going on. The women don't know each other. A man walks into the room and says: Who's going to go first? One woman raises her hands and leaves the room. ... It's a harrowing, feminist parable for our times." -Stephanie Curtis

"The Transmigration of Bodies" by Yuri Herrera

Got someone who loves noir on your gift list? Someone who would love a dark, atmospheric crime tale? This slim novel unfolds in Mexico City, as everyone hides inside from a flu-like epidemic. One man gets called out into the streets to deal with a "Romeo and Juliet"-style mess that has exploded between two powerful families.

"Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead

Obama loved it. Oprah loved it. The National Book Awards loved it. Matt Keliher, the manager of Subtext, loved it. Whitehead reimagines the trail that runaway slaves took to escape to the north as an actual railroad that runs underground.

"Wintering" by Peter Geye

Local Minnesota author Geye crafts a story that Keliher called "sort of like if Cormac McCarthy took a canoe trip through the Boundary Waters."

"Swing Time" by Zadie Smith

"She is one of our very best writers, and this is a tremendous work of fiction." -Matt Keliher

"They May Not Mean To, But They Do" by Cathleen Schine

"It's about grown children who are frustrated that their parents are not doing what they think they should be doing. At this time of year, when various members of your family are trying to control one another, might be a good one." -Stephanie Curtis

"The Vegetarian" by Han Kang

This fever dream of a novel follows a woman who starts having terrible dreams. The dreams drive her to become a vegetarian, but that isn't far enough: She imagines she wants to become a plant. The book is told from the point of view of those closest to her, who watch her as she descends into a hallucinatory state. It's a beautifully written novel that will get under your skin.

"American Housewife" by Helen Ellis

This biting collection of short stories shows the very dark side of domestic perfection. It's a riot.

Nonfiction

"Judgmental Maps" by Trent Gillaspie

This book started as a joke between a comedian and his friends but became a snarky collection of maps that offer a side of U.S. cities you'd never find on your own.

"Evicted"

"You might think: Do I really want to buy someone a book about how people are evicted from their homes as a gift? I think you should." -Stephanie Curtis

Desmond's genius storytelling tells the can't-look-away-story of life as a renter in low-income neighborhoods.

"Against Everything" by Mark Greif

"If you're wondering what to get somebody who really likes to read, and you want something unusual, try an essay collection. ... Greif is one of our great essayists, and this is some of his work from the past decade. He's a smart guy looking at our culture right now. I highly recommend this." -Stephanie Curtis

"The Selfishness of Others" by Kristin Dombek

"A well-thought-out argument about how young people are not more selfish than previous generations." -Stephanie Curtis

"Ongoingness: The End of a Diary" by Sarah Manguso

Manguso "has been keeping a diary since she was a teenager. She writes about why she has kept a diary and how it affects her life. It's a thoughtful meditation on being a human." -Stephanie Curtis

Poetry

"How to Be Perfect" by Ron Padgett

This oh-so-charming illustrated edition of Padgett's poem offers life advice on every page.

"The Performance of Becoming Human" by Daniel Borzutzky

A National Book Award winner, this collection of poetry was one of Keliher's favorite books of the year.

For the kids

"Wake Up, Island" by Mary Casanova

"Beautiful woodcut illustrations that show young people the beauty we have in our state and importance of respecting nature." -Matt Keliher

"Mad About Monkeys" by Owen Davey

It's nice to mix it up with a nonfiction book for kids. This one combines fascinating facts about monkeys along with great illustrations. Keliher also recommends another book in the series: "Smart about Sharks."