Hans Weyandt of St. Paul’s Micawber’s Books has firmly established his credentials as a go-to guy for reading recommendations: In 2012, he edited Read This! Handpicked Favorites from America’s Indie Bookstores. Here are his book picks for holiday gifts or keeping for yourself to curl up with on a long winter night.
The Thoughtbook of F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Secret Boyhood Diary, edited by Dave Page ($12.95, University of Minnesota Press)
“For all the lovers of F. Scott, this is a nice, almost pocket-sized compilation of his journal entries from his teenage years.”
The New Midwestern Table: 200 Heartland Recipes by Amy Thielen ($35, Clarkson Potter)
“Whatever your assumptions are about cooking from the ‘Heartland,’ this book will both shatter and reaffirm them.”
Ola by Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire ($16.95, University of Minnesota Press)
“First printed in 1932, this children’s book is a gorgeous winter tale. It also works as a perfect gift for any adult interested in art and design.”
Dark Lies The Island by Kevin Barry ($24, Graywolf Press)
“These stories are dark and deeply troubling in many regards. Yet they always offer a slice of humor and beauty. I finished this book and started over again.”
The Land Of Dreams by Vidar Sundstøl (First of three in the Minnesota Trilogy, $24.95, University of Minnesota Press)
“Sundstøl is an acclaimed Norwegian novelist who lived near the North Shore for several years and fell in love with the landscape and people.”
