Who would have ever imagined that geeks love books? Huge surprise, right? If you’re also a bibliophile, you will love this list put together by Anton Olsen, James Floyd Kelly, Brad Moon, Jonathan Liu, Z, Jenny Williams, and me. And don’t forget to check out our previous guide for toys!
The Sandman Omnibus Silver Edition, Autographed by Neil Gaiman
It’s been almost a quarter of a century since Neil Gaiman began weaving the epic tale of Dream in the Sandman comic. The critically acclaimed, bestselling story is a must-read for comics fans and, whether you’ve never seen a single panel or the series ranks among your all-time favorites, DC/Vertigo have something very special for you this holiday: The entire series has been reprinted as a limited edition omnibus. The Silver Edition includes an art page signed and numbered by Gaiman and will set you back a cool five bills. (Hey, a guy can dream!) (DB)
Lonely Planet Books for Kids
Lonely Planet has been known as an informal but awesome travel website for years, and more recently, they have put out some compelling travel books. From travel guides to coffee table books and now to Not-For-Parents books for kids, their products are high quality and very engrossing. Plan a trip, learn something new, or just dream about destinations still to visit. Buy them at Amazon! (JW)
Doctor Who: The Vault: Treasures from the First 50 Years by Marcus Hearn
Doctor Who: The Vault: Treasures from the First 50 Years is a massive hardbound collection that brings you “the full and official story of Doctor Who, from the show’s first pre-production memos in 1963 to behind-the-scenes material from the latest season.” Packed with notes from the creators and crew, unbelievable tales from the trenches and a staggering selection of featured memorabilia, it’s a veritable love letter to the BBC’s ever-evolving epic. Though obviously less geared toward the casual fan, Doctor Who: The Vault is a dense but satisfying read sure to please all the hardcore Whovians on your list. (Z)
Special Edition Harry Potter Paperback Box Set
To celebrate the 15th anniversary of Harry Potter’s publication, Scholastic commissioned artist Kazu Kibuishi to create a set of new covers for a paperback box set. You can see the whole set of new covers here; an image of Hogsmeade is on the box, and the spines form an image of Hogwarts. Your original set of Harry Potter books is getting pretty worn, right? Buy it from Amazon. (JL)
Feed (Newsflesh, Book 1)
After 3,000 pages of Civil War history — yeah, Canadians are interested in that too — I was looking for something a little punchier and futuristic. Preferably with zombies. Mira Grant’s Feed fit the bill perfectly. The book is written from the perspective of a blogger in a post-zombie apocalypse world. She and her undead-taunting twin brother land an assignment covering the campaign of a leading presidential candidate. Zombies attacks, CDC shenanigans and a far-reaching conspiracy all take place within a realistic world where an infectious virus re-animates the dead. It’s a good read. Buy it from Amazon. (BM)
Shakespeare’s Star Wars: Verily A New Hope
If you missed this one when it was released in July, hit up Santa for a copy and experience Star Wars if it might have been written by William Shakespeare. If you enjoy it, you’ll also be happy to know that Episodes V and VI are already in the works for release in 2014 (March and July, respectively). Shakespeare’s Star Wars is 175 pages with 20 scratchboard illustrations. (Review can be read here.) (JFK)
Zero to Maker
In Zero to Maker, David Lang treats us with a captivating naration of his journey from knowing nothing about product design to co-founding OpenROV and ultimately turning it into both a busines and a DIY community. He isn’t afraid to discuss his insecurities along the way, and how he ultimately overcame them by asking for help, often from unlikely assistants. The book is available on Amazon for the Kindle at $8.50: Zero to Maker. The paperback version is also available for a few dollars more. (AO)
LEGO Play Book: Ideas to Bring Your Bricks to Life
Sometimes books are as much about doing as they are learning or being entertained, as is the case with the LEGO Play Book. Packed with more than 500 models to jumpstart your creativity and help you think about what to build with your LEGO bricks, the book is broken into five themes, each wonderfully photographed and full of exciting ideas. Read the full review or buy it at Amazon. (DB)
Geek Mom: Projects, Tips, and Adventures for Moms and Their 21st-Century Families
The founders of GeekMom wrote a book filled with advice, projects, essays, and information about what it’s like to be a Geek Mom, and a variety of things that are likely to interest us. Learn about Ada Lovelace, bake a Tetris cake, make your own lava lamp, plan a star party, or learn how to recognize safe online communities for children. This book will inspire you and support you in your life as a geeky parent and/or as the parent of geeky kids. Look inside and buy it at Amazon! (JW)
Up Up Down Down Left WRITE: The Freelance Guide to Video Game Journalism by Nathan Meunier
Despite rival fanboys’ frequent cries to the contrary, video game journalism isn’t easy. It takes dedication, insight and a willingness to do your own leg work; nowhere is this clearer than in the ranks of the game journo freelancers. Nathan Meunier, whose work has appeared in print publications like Nintendo Power and Official Xbox Magazine as well as online at IGN and GameSpot, seeks to demystify the process of breaking into the industry with this helpful how-to. From working with editors and PR professionals to covering cons and managing your finances, UUDDLW provides best-practices from a seasoned veteran. (Z)
Boxers & Saints
This two-volume graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang takes readers into the world of the Boxer Rebellion. Boxers tells the story from the perspective of the young Chinese peasants fighting off these “foreign devils,” while Saints focuses on a young Chinese girl who converts to Christianity. A fascinating glimpse into a piece of Chinese history where the heroes and villains aren’t always so easy to identify. Read the interview with Yang here, or order the books from Amazon. (JL)
Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons and Dragons
If you grew up playing Dungeons & Dragons, then Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons by David Ewalt is a no-brainer. Not only does it make a great gift for your friends and loved ones who just don’t get it, but it’s also a great history of our hobby. The author is not only a long-time fan and player, but he’s also done his homework (literally) and provides one of the most entertaining explanations of the game’s evolution up to and including the upcoming new version, D&D Next. (Review can be read here.) (JFK)
I’m surprised you didn’t include “S.” by J.J. Abrams or the “Guillermo del Toro Cabinet of Curiosities: My Notebooks, Collections, and Other Obsessions”.