Alverno Professor and Author Carole Barrowman has her yearly gift giving guide. She will suggest 5 books and a neat gift to pair with the book. "Perfect Pairings" is Carole's list of favorite ideas for the reader in your family.
1. “Pop Trash” by Jason Mecier and a Pop Art Doll by Lucie Kass
Mecier makes portraits from trash and recyclable objects that represent the famous person he’s depicting. You and I will likely never be able to afford the real thing, but the pop culture or art lover on your list will swoon over this book. Pair it with a piece of art you can afford. I’ve paired it with Japanese artist Luci Kass’s David Bowie/Ziggy Stardust doll that’s available at most art museum stores and via Amazon. She also makes an Audrey Hepburn one that’s fabulous too.
2. Pride & Prejudice REBOUND Journal & “The Jane Austen Treasury” by Janet Todd
Every book lover loves to get a new journal to keep track of what they’re reading or to just write down cool passages or words from books. REBOUND JOURNALS are made from the actual pages of famous books so you can read and be inspired while you write. I’ve paired a Pride and Prejudice journal with one of my favorite books about Austen, one that you can dip in and out of, packed with juicy details about her life and her work.
3. DELICIOSO framed first stamps & “We Fed an Island” by Jose Andres
Stamp collecting may not be as popular as it used to be, but I love to give framed stamps as presents. This year I’m giving these wonderful Spanish food stamps to a friend who is an amazing cook and I’m pairing it with Jose Andres latest book about how he and other chefs fed Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. All the profits for this book go to the Chef Relief Network.
4. A Family Memory Book & “Santa Bruce” by Ryan Higgins
This is my pairing for my grandchildren. I collected all the pictures from Finn and Adeline’s summer trip to Milwaukee and I made a memory book for them. It’s easy to do online and the results are always a big hit. I’m pairing their book with my favorite children’s Christmas book this year, SANTA BRUCE.
5. A Mini Tree of Christmas Mysteries and A Book Light
I’ve been collecting all my Christmas books this fall to give away to a lucky viewer. I’ve paired the book tree with a cool book light.