43 new books for everyone on your shopping list

43 great books for everyone on your holiday list — from the pop culture fanatics to the foodies to the stir-crazy travelers and more.

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For your TBR

Two book covers: The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee; How Proust Ruined My Life

15 Thriller Novels To Read If You Breezed Right Through "The Undoing"

22 Books To Get You In The Holiday Spirit

Longer reads

''Take your space'' written on teal background, ''Read This For Inspiration'' book cover

6 Inspirational Passages To Read When You're Feeling Hopeless

Here Are 20 Photo Books That Brought Us Joy In The Very Exhausting Year Of 2020

Texting with authors

Lost in the Never Woods book cover, photo of the author

YA Author Aiden Thomas Discusses How Their Identity Shaped "Cemetery Boys"

David Heska Wanbli Weiden On Exploring A Lakota Worldview Through Crime Fiction

Read this if:

You were definitely *not* one of the popular kids — but now you know that's not a bad thing.

Credit: Hannah Dobrogosz

I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are by Rachel Bloom

I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are is a turbulent, yet remarkably satisfying, journey through the hilarious, unapologetic mind of Rachel Bloom. From middle school bullies, to her critically acclaimed television show, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Bloom revisits the defining moments of her past, both the shiny and the shit-stained, while examining her lifelong desire for a sense of normalcy. In discussing her status as an outsider, Bloom inherently creates a sense of unity for readers who also identify as outsiders. Though Bloom may yearn for normalcy in her own life, she's achieved something much greater. From floating around on the outside, to landing inside the hearts of countless adoring fans, Bloom proves there's nothing richer than authenticity, creativity, and flipping off conventionality.

While this book is filled with many noteworthy nuggets of wisdom and genuine moments for reflection, it would be an absolute crime not to gush over Bloom's ferocious, empowered, and truly brilliant sense of humor. She puts her personality into every page, whether she's writing a short musical, or designing a brand new amusement park. Readers will undoubtedly laugh, cry, reconsider therapy, feel a little tingly, and burst into spontaneous musical numbers all before their journey with Bloom comes to a close. Bloom's bold, uncensored humor and incredible honesty make I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are feel like a cathartic conversation with a trusted friend. Forget "normal people" — I want to be wherever Rachel Bloom is. Get your copy. —Hannah Dobrogosz

This Week in Virtual Book Events:

Dec. 7–Dec. 12

TODAY: Dec. 6

Midwest Writers Holiday Potluck featuring Rachel Mans McKenny (The Butterfly Effect), Lyz Lenz (Belabored), Amber Sparks (And I Do Not Forgive You), Denise Williams (How to Fail at Flirting), Mia Mercado (Weird but Normal), and Riane Konc (Build Your Own Christmas Movie Romance) — hosted by Prairie Lights, 7:30 p.m. CT. More info.
Chelsea G. Summers discusses A Certain Hunger with Laurie Penny — hosted by Skylight Books, 4 p.m. PT. More info.

Monday, Dec. 7

Laini Taylor discusses Daughter of Smoke and Bone with Stephanie Perkins — hosted by Anderson's Bookshop, 7 p.m. CT. $10–$43. More info.
Sabaa Tahir discusses A Sky Beyond the Storm with Tochi Onyebuchi and Everdeen Mason — hosted by Politics & Prose, 7 p.m. ET. $5–$22.50. More info.

Tuesday, Dec. 8

Danielle Evans (The Office of Historical Corrections) and Laura van den Berg (I Hold a Wolf by the Ears) read from and discuss their latest works — hosted by Prairie Lights, 7 p.m. CT. More info.
Jen Atkin discusses Blowing My Way to the Top: How to Break the Rules, Find Your Purpose, and Create the Life and Career You Deserve — hosted by Harper Wave and various bookstores. Atkin chats with Stephanie Shepherd at 7 p.m. PT (more info) and with Marianna Hewitt at 8 p.m. ET (more info).

Wednesday, Dec. 9

Deesha Philyaw (The Secret Lives of Church Ladies) and Megha Majumdar (A Burning) discuss their books — hosted by the Silver Unicorn Bookstore, 7 p.m. ET. More info.
Christina Lauren discuss In a Holidaze and the romance genre with booksellers Amanda Quain and Anne Bright — hosted by One More Page Books, 7 p.m. ET. More info.

Thursday, Dec. 10

"Turn the Page, Release the Rage: Goodbye to 2020" with conversation and readings from Kaveh Akbar, Cortney Lamar Charleston, Danielle Evans, Melissa Febos, Christopher Gonzales, and Megan Stielstra (browse their books) — presented by Barrelhouse, the Rumpus, and Books Are Magic, 7 p.m. ET. More info.
Rachel Kramer Bussel, editor of Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 6, discusses the book with contributors Evie Bennet, Katrina Jackson, Naima Simone, Mia Hopkins, and Olivia Waite — hosted by Love's Sweet Arrow, 8 p.m. ET. More info.

Friday, Dec. 11

Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham discuss Black Futures with Taylor Renee Aldridge — hosted by Source Booksellers, 7 p.m. ET. $47.40. More info.
Kenya Hunt discusses Girl Gurl Grrrl: On Womanhood and Belonging in the Age of Black Girl Magic with Ebele Okobi — hosted by the Strand, 6:30 p.m. ET. More info.

Saturday, Dec. 12

Writers Against Trump present a panel in support of the Georgia runoff election, featuring Jericho Brown, Anjali Enjeti, Tayari Jones, and Laurel Snyder, moderated by Carolyn Forché — co- sponsored by Avid Bookshop and Books & Books, 2 p.m. ET. More info.
Jane Smiley discusses Perestroika in Paris with David Francis — hosted by Book Passage, 4 p.m. PT. More info.