You know the saying 'a book is a gift you can open again and again'? It's cheesy but so true. Whenever I'm in doubt about what to give someone, a book is the answer. For a book is more than just its contents and the sum of its pages; it's a gateway to imagination, an object to treasure, and a shared promise between you and your recipient. A cookbook means time together in the kitchen, a picture book represents countless bedtime stories, a journal whispers 'tell me your secrets'.
For several years, Chronicle Books has marked the holiday season with a campaign that encourages people to give books as gifts. For every person who pledges to #GiveBooks by tweeting, pinning, or sharing, Chronicle donates a book to a child in need through the nonprofit First Book. Not that we need the extra incentive to gift books, but if we can do some good in the process than why the heck shouldn't we? It's an initiative that's especially close to my heart since my own book will be available through Chronicle next fall. I'm couldn't be more proud to be a member of the Chronicle family!
To help spread the word, Chronicle asked me to select ten of my favorite books from their catalog—and one lucky reader will win them all! There were so many good ones to choose from, but eventually I settled on a handful of cookbooks, a few photo and lifestyle volumes, and some effing irresistible notecards. Use the widget below to enter and be sure to include the hashtag #GiveBooks when you mention either this giveaway or any gift of books this season. Together we can spread the love of reading during the holiday season and beyond!
Win all ten of these books! 1. Huckleberry 2. Fan Fucking Tastic Notecards 3. Flourless 4. Plenty 5. Tartine Book No. 3 6. Roots 7. Decorate with Flowers 8. Photographing Your Children 9. Comic Genius 10. Brown Sugar Kitchen
I love this! The most memorable book I ever received was a first edition copy of Birds of Britain on my 25th bday- it was the most personal, special gift I can think of.
The Tartine book alone would make me happy. Yum!
I received Nigel Slater’s The Kitchen Diaries from my cousin last year. I love Nigel so much and I’ve been desperate to get his books from the UK until they were finally reprinted here in the States.
all of the cookbooks look amazing!
My most memorable book that I received as a gift has to be Hector and the Search for Happiness.
My favorite book I’ve ever received was a George and Martha complete collection. Great childhood memories!
Most memorable book: Bettina’s Best Desserts. A vintage book that started me on the road to my cookbook collection.
I would love any one of these, let alone all!
best book gift: Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet.
I always love to give (and receive) books! You have a great selection of picks. Most memorable book gift would be a copy of Little House In The Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder, passed down to me from my grandma. 🙂
I was given Matilda as a child and it still lingers with me as an adult.
I love chronicle books! Great Giveaway!
Just as an FYI the current widget has an incorrect Chronicle Books Instagram account.
I love this giveaway! Books are the best gifts
I’m pretty stoked about the new Andrew Wyeth thrift score I gave myself 🙂
Kit was a doll that wiggled and giggled as she drove in her car. Sooooo many years ago but I recall how surprised and happy I was. Great giveaway!!!
The spirit catches you and you fall down- so moving and inspiring.
I received about 3 copies of the Postsecret book when it came out. I was so excited but only kept 2@
I loved receiving “Oh the places you will go” when I graduated college! A fun momentum of the occasion 🙂
eek! all the books! what a great selection
What an amazing giveaway!
Great selections!
I love books and I love giveaways!
Books and more books! Wonderful!
Books make girls happy! The 4 Hour Chef was a great gift to cozy up with last Christmas. A huge book full of random advice and recipes.
What a giveaway…books are my very favorite gift to give. Fingers crossed!
I received all of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series in a boxed set. I still love that set.
The most memorable book gift I ever received was a 1970s edition of Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Love it!
I always try to give books for the holidays and other occasions. What a great giveaway!
In 3rd grade, my class did a merry-go-round random gift swap. I ended up with one of those Disney books with audio. It was so awesome, as I never had one of those ‘fancy’ books, and I LOVED books. I gave so much thanks to my little classmate who was all ‘Sorry about getting a book. You really actually like it?’ Haha, yes dude, I do.
Two years ago my parents got me a hand illustrated copy of The Hobbit. I cried.
I actually gave myself the Tom Ford book. When it was first published, I told myself I was only going to get it when I really deserved it, and I bought it right after I got my bachelor’s degree 🙂
I would be thrilled to have any one of those books!
I’ve wanted Plenty for quite some time! They are all so beautiful. The most memorable book gift I’ve received was a hardcover book called Libraries. It was my first christmas gift from my boyfriend, we had just started dating after years of beig friends and working together at a University of Toronto library. Besides the stunning images, the book opens with a forward by Umberto Eco, one of my favourite authors. I think books make the best gifts.
i was given a book of quotes about motherhood that was filled with pictures of my kids and me.