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Smelling Salts Journal

December 2, 2017

Family Book Exchange Picks 2017 + A Device for Streaming Adaptations


A few years ago, we started a Family Book Exchange during Advent. Secret-Santa-style, we draw names and grab a book for a family member. Sometimes, we go to the bookstore and grab a fresh new title. Other times, we head to our fave thrift or used shops to find something random and surprising.

Here are our top picks for this year’s Family Book Exchange as well as the device that’s going to make it easy for us to stream our favourite adaptations again.

Bea

Young Adult 

A clean copy of a book she already loves, or the first book in a new-to-her series?

Cassandra Clare, Lady Midnight


Maggie Stiefvater, The Raven Boys, Book I

If she didn’t already have a copy, we’d give her:

Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give


Toby

Early Teen

After a birthday focused on ant-keeping, one of these sci-fi ant books (the second one’s in French) will make a perfect addition to his library.


The Empire of the Ants, in H.G. Wells: The Complete Short Story Collection


Bernard Werber, Les Fourmis  Harder to find, but available as an ebook.

If he didn’t already have a copy, we’d give him:


Isaac Asimov, Foundation


Blaise

Parent

For the artist with a fantastic sense of humour whose work-place doodles need safer keeping.


Uta & Thilo Von Debschitz, Fritz Kahn, Infographics Pioneer


P.G.Wodehouse, The World of Jeeves, A Jeeves and Wooster Omnibus

Rocketbook, Everlast Smart Notebook, scannable/erasable 

If he didn’t already have a copy, we’d give him

Nathaniel Hepburn, Barbara Hepworth: The Hospital Drawings

Roseanne

Parent

Because the one New Year’s resolution I haven’t kept up with yet is to practice my French, or, because my eyes are connected to my stomach.
Guillaume Apollinaire, Calligrammes

Fred Vargas, Coule La Seine, Policier


Yotam Ottolenghi & Helen Goh, Sweet

If I didn’t already have a copy, I’d grab:


Tamar Adler, An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Grace and Economy

Bonus De(vice)

Ye olde AppleTV died more than a year ago, and we need a way to watch all of our books adapted into film on our not-so-smart TV…

So, while it’s not a book, we are adding this Amazon FireTV Stick to our Book Exchange Most-Wanted List. It is supposed to connect to your tv via HDMI port and allow you to access tons of streaming services like Prime Video, Netflix, and Spotify. If it flies, we will be downloading two apps to amp up our viewing power: FireTVRemote enables you to use your phone (including your voice) in place of the remote and  Air Receiver lets you to stream from your ios devices (i.e. all of our saved videos).

Filed Under: Advent Calendar, Books, Christmas, Crushes, Holiday, Living Tagged With: book exchange, Books

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Welcome to Smelling Salts! I'm Roseanne, and this is where I record my best recipes, take notes on arts, culture, and style, and write essays about what keeps me going.
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