Under Our Tree

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is - you guessed it - Top Ten Books We Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing Us. First up, Jenny's wish list!

1. Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World by Alison Weir. The lives of historical figures always interests me. It helps me to remember that they were three dimensional people, not simply a collection of flat, static facts from a textbook.

2. Skyscrapers by Judith Duprè. She has an updated version of this book to include new buildings that have been built since 1996. I hate heights but love the intricacies of skyscrapers. Now I can enjoy this with my feet firmly on the ground!

3. Cinder by Melissa Meyer. Actually, since Santa is buying, he can bring me the whole series (or rather, the whole series thus far). This book keeps popping up and I am very intrigued by the storyline.

4. Hild by Nicola Griffith. For those of you who do not know, the people of the British Isles during the 7th - 11th centuries are my people. It is a most fascinating and little known time period. This book seems- I haven't read it yet- to highlight the best parts of this period and its people.

5. One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp. The ability to stop and just be aware of your blessings is something I long to cultivate. Rather than living for the future, I want to live in the present. 

6. Grendel by John Gardner. Grendel is one of the monsters from the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf. Gardner flips the story around and tells it with Grendel as the narrator. I could go on and on about the intricacies of a character such as Grendel, but I will not subject you, our dear Reader, to that. 

7. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. I am more than a little embarrassed that this is on my list. It's even more embarrassing that I'm a medievalist whose area of interest includes Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse. 

8. Innocence by Dean Koontz. I have never read a Koontz book before, but the cover of this one caused me to click on it to see what it is about. You should check it out as well, if you haven't already. I think it will intrigue you also.

9. Christ and the Media by Malcolm Muggeridge. Ravi Zacherias quotes him all the time and the quotes are always so profound. I need this book in paperback so I can write all in it. 

10. The Sebastian St. Cyr series by C.S. Harris. These books are murder mysteries set during the Regency period. I have been eyeing them for quite sometime, as they come recommended on Goodreads based on Ariana Franklin, whom I adore.

1. The Southerner's Handbook. Coming from the editors of Garden & Gun magazine, this book promises to be a slice of Southern heaven. I love reading about the place I've called home my entire life, even if I will probably never "bet on the Kentucky Derby and whip up a proper Sazerac," haha!

2. Celebrating Pride and Prejudice: 200 Years of Jane Austen's Masterpiece. One of my reading goals for the new year is to finish all of Jane Austen's novels, including, of course, the one and only Pride and Prejudice. I know after reading the classic novel I will be ready to get my hands on all things P&P, especially this gorgeous non-fiction piece.

3. 36 Hours: 150 Weekends in the USA & Canada. There are so many places I want to visit in the world, but there are also so many things to do and see right here in the United States. I know after flipping through this tome I will be seriously ready to buy some plane tickets!

4. The Lord of the Rings. Whatever Jenny says, do not be embarrassed if you find one of Tolkien's books on your list. You have amazing taste and are awesome if you do. Haha! ;) For me, I would like to have a prettier (and more comprehensive) copy of The Lord of the Rings than my current worn-out mass market paperbacks, so this 50th Anniversary edition would be the perfect addition to my shelves.

5. The Hobbit. Likewise, I think the navy blue and green anniversary edition of The Hobbit is soooo pretty. I just love this cover. I want to read it and also find a way to incorporate it into my home decor.

6. Longbourne. Jo Baker is one smart gal. Writing a book that will appeal to both Jane Austen and Downton Abbey fans? Sounds like a winner to me!

7. Mr. Boddington's Classics. If we're being honest, I think these are some of the prettiest book covers I have ever seen. The bright and colorful style is right up my alley. Granted, the covers for Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights don't match the mood of the stories inside, but when I first saw the collection on a display table in Anthropologie, I literally had to keep myself from drooling. I would love to have all six of these books on my shelves!

8. The Kinfolk Table. I'm not a regular reader of Kinfolk magazine, but from browsing around their website, I can tell they place a lot of importance on simple and clean photography and design, which I looovvveee in my cookbooks. I also like that The Kinfolk Table places emphasis on the relationships that surround eating, rather than fancy recipes and table decorations. What a concept!

9. Rags & Bones: New Twists on Timeless Tales. I am a complete sucker for retellings, so an entire volume that includes new twists on stories like Sleeping Beauty, Rumpelstiltskin, and The Awakening?  Sign me up!

10. How to Hepburn. If you were to visit my office at work, the first thing you would notice is my huge canvas of Audrey Hepburn on the wall. I love Audrey's classic style, but I would like to know more about her Hepburn counterpart, Kate the Great. Books like this don't have much practical advice, but hey, they are so much fun to read!

What books are you hoping Santa will bring you tomorrow?! No matter what's under the tree, we hope you all have a GREAT Christmas!