Hi Everyone-

Well, Thanksgiving is tomorrow, so the season is officially upon us. We look forward to seeing all of you in the stores for the holiday shopping season!

The other book buyers and I spent much of our lead-up time to the season preparing out annual Holiday Gift Guide, which is hitting the stores this week. We sorted carefully through all the publishers' lists to make sure we'd picked out what we truly think are the most worthy titles of the season. We firmly believe this is the only basis on which to choose books in which our customers can trust, and it's why we work so hard on the guide every year. After we choose the titles, we send them out to the staff at all the stores, so that the blurbs that describe the books (as well as music and gifts) in the guide are written by actual people who are real fans of what they describe.

The buyers and I stand strongly behind every title in the guide as a worthy gift. But of course we all have our own favorites. Here are just a few of my personal highlights from this year's Holiday Gift Guide:

Galatoire's Cookbook by Melvin Rodrigue: The famed New Orleans institution finally gets its due in this lavishly produced and illustrated cookbook featuring food that is almost as gorgeous on the page as it is in real life.

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion: As I've previously mentioned in this space, this is one of the most powerful and profound examples of the personal memoir I've ever read, as Didion recounts her process of coping with the death of her husband and the illness of her daughter.

Mencken by Marion Elizabeth Rodgers: The life of the wildly iconoclastic and brilliantly sardonic Baltimore native is told in all its fascinating, incredibly well-researched detail.

The Elements of Style Illustrated by Strunk and White/Maria Kalman: I have to admit: when I first looked at this book in the catalogue last spring, my initial reaction was, "Why?" It wasn't until I held this extremely handsome book in my hands that I realized what a perfect bit of synergy it is to combine Maria Kalman's gorgeous illustrations with this definitive treatise on writing.

The Bowl Is Already Broken by Mary Kay Zuraleff: One of my favorites from earlier in the year, this novel is chock full of local appeal. While the museum's name is never mentioned, the book is clearly set at the Freer Gallery of Art, right on the National Mall. And the plot is such fun: the "Castle" plans to turn the museum into a food court, and things get worse when a curator accidently smashes a priceless bowl at a high-profile ceremony. But was it the accident it seemed? The ideal gift for those who follow the local art scene.

On Beauty and Shalimar the Clown by Zadie Smith and Salman Rushdie: As I mentioned a few weeks ago, these were two of the highlights of one of the most amazing fall fiction seasons in years. Both are absolute must-reads.

The Smaller Majority by Piotr Nasrecki: This book was the talk of the Independent Bookseller Consortium's meeting back in May, and after it arrived, I could really see why: it features some of the most lovely, detailed, hyper-close-up photos of insects and other small creatures that I've ever seen, anywhere.

The Root of Wild Madder by Brian Murphy: The sleeper hit of the summer, which just keeps selling and selling, is a fascinating look at the history and production of Persian carpets.

Matisse the Master by Hilary Spurling: Again, this is a book whose praises I have already sung in this space. Suffice it to say that this great second volume of Spurling's definitive life of Matisse is one of the most significant, necessary, and beautfully written art biographies of all time. A masterpiece worthy of the master himself.

New Art City by Jed Perl: As I've said, I love art biographies in general, and particularly those that focus on a nexus of genius, in this case, Manhattan in the 1950's. This incredibly in-depth study/history/biography features such grand artists and characters as Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, Joseph Cornell, and Andy Warhol.

Finally, the guide is filled with dozens of great stocking stuffers, but I had to point out: Philip Marlowe's Guide to Life by Raymond Chandler, ed. by Martin Asher. This nifty little quote book features the wit and wisdom of the world's quippiest detective, Philip Marlowe, whose observations on every conceivable topic are as true as they are droll and hardboiled. Great for fans, but will also make converts.

...that's only a small handful of the great titles in the guide. The Guide itself landed in my lap as I was writing this, and I can say that thanks to the production and marketing departments, it's the most gorgeous one we've ever produced. Please stop by and grab a copy, so you can see for yourself what we think are the season's hottest titles—and why!

-Joe Murphy, Head Book Buyer