MUST-READ BOOKS

Park Road Books owners Frazer Dobson and Sally Brewster shared their favorite new books during a Holiday Books event at Queens University of Charlotte. 

Here are the best of this season's must-reads according to Park Road Books owners Sally Brewster and Frazer Dobson. They revealed this list of their favorite new books during a Holiday Books event presented by Friends of the Library at Queens University of Charlotte. Have fun picking out a few that either you, or someone on your gift list, would enjoy. All are available at Park Road Books, 4139 Park Road at Park Road Shopping Center. Details: 704-525-9239; www.parkroadbooks.com. 

Artemis: A Novel, Andy Weir, $27. "From the author of The Martian, this takes place in the first colony on the moon," Sally says. "The people in the colony are chosen to be there because of either their job skills, they have enough to pay to be there, or they won a spot in the lottery. The main character has a plan to make money and ends up coming up with a plan to save the planet."

Bolt & Keel: The Wild Adventures of Two Rescued Cats, Kayleen BanderRee. $14.95. "These two cats are breaking stereotypes one adventure at a time," Frazer says. "The like to get out into the great outdoors and go camping and hiking." 

Charlotte: The Signs of the Times, Christopher Lawing, $34.99. "It's filled with photos of famous Charlotte signs including the JFG coffee sign, Park Road Shopping Center, the Penguin, the Athens restaurant and Thompson's Bootery and Bloomery."

David Tanis, Market Cooking, David Tanis, $40. "It's very focused on fresh ingredients and a lot of the recipes are vegetarian," Frazer says. 

Dogist: Puppies, Elias Weiss Friedman, $24.95. "Extraordinary dog photos for the dog lover," Frazer says. 

First Major: The Inside Story of the 2016 Ryder Cup, John Feinstein, $28.95. "There's a lot of tension but it's beautifully written," Frazer says. 

Grant, Ron Chernow, $40. "This fascinating biography of the celebrated general and two-term president is written by the author of the Alexander Hamilton book," Sally says.

How to Instant Pot, Daniel Shumski, $16.95. "A very good reference for how to use and get the most out of your Instant Pot," Frazer says. 

The Indigo Girl, Natasha Boyd, $26.99. "Historical fiction about a young woman in the 1730s who tries to save her family's rice plantation from ruin by growing indigo," Sally says. "Everyone wants her to fail."

The Last Ballad, Wiley Cash, $26.99. "It's inspired by the 1929 labor strike in Gastonia," Frazer says. "Some of it is hard to take because during the depression people were starving. It shows how we need to take care of each other."

Last Castle, Denise Kiernan, $28. "Edith Vanderbilt wasn't prepared for her husband's dream of building the Biltmore Estate, but she rose to the occasion," Sally says. 

Leonardo Da Vinci, Walter Isaacson, $35. "It's written by the author of the Steve Jobs biography," Frazer says. "He can do no wrong. It's perfect for history buffs." 

Manhattan Beach, Jennifer Egan, $28. "A fascinating book about a woman named Anna, her father and gangster in Depression era Manhattan and during World War II when Anna gets a job in a shipyard," Sally says. 

Redemption, Adam Lucas, $35. "For Carolina basketball fans, it's about how Carolina bounced back after the devastating loss of the 2016 championship," Frazer says. 

Smitten Kitchen: Every Day, Deb Perlman, $35. "A cookbook that makes you think outside the box," Sally says. 

What Can I Bring?, Elizabeth Heiskell, $30. "It's by a food writer from Mississippi," Frazer says. "It's great for fledgling cooks." 

What Unites Us, Dan Rather, $22.95. "Essays by Dan Rather on patriotism and what we have in common," Frazer says. 

When the English Fall, David Williams, $24.95. "An Amish apocalyptic novel," Frazer says. "If you're a pacifist, what do you do to protect your family when the world falls apart." 

Wild, Dan Kainen, $25.95. "A photicular with beautiful moving pictures of endangered animals," Frazer says. "It's perfect for youngsters who are animal nerds." 

The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Marta McDowell, $27.95. "The landscapes, gardening and agriculture that inspired the series," Frazer says.

A World of Cookies for Santa, M.E. Forman, $16.99. "Tales of the cookies children around the world leave for Santa," Sally says. "It's a really fun book with recipes."