[April 23 was] World Book Night, an international event wherein devoted volunteers pick a favorite out of 30 books, selected by an independent panel of librarians and booksellers, and hand copies out in their communities, encouraging those who don’t normally read or have access to books to experience something new. In case you missed the boat on volunteering, but are inspired to gift a book to someone who doesn’t read very often, we’ve put together a list of foolproof gift books that (almost) everyone will love. Some of these have been selected as World Book Night books in the past, and some have not, but we think they all will encourage a brand new or rediscovered reading habit — and your reputation as an excellent gift-giver.
[ ] The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain
[√] One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez
[√] Nine Stories, J.D. Salinger
[ ] Dune, Frank Herbert
[ ] Tenth of December, George Saunders
[ ] The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster
[ ] Me Talk Pretty One Day, David Sedaris
[√] The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Díaz
[ ] The Secret History, Donna Tartt
[√] The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
I’ve read and enjoyed the books indicated by a checkmark [√] .