If I can’t have Tom Hanks himself for Christmas, I’ll gladly settle for his new collection of short stories, which I’ve been eyeing for months. These 17 stories feature a wide cast of characters—from a gentle Eastern European immigrant to a man who loves to bowl to an eccentric billionaire—but all incorporate a typewriter in some fashion. An NPR critic said the book “offers heartfelt charm along with nostalgia for sweeter, simpler times.” What more could I want for the holidays? —Taylor

My favorite holiday gift, hands down, is a gorgeous, hefty coffee-table book. It’s so exciting to open. Andy Warhol, in addition to his art, was well known for documenting everything, and this complete collection of his diaries features notes on everything he experienced, from the mid-1970s to a few days before his death. It’s the perfect present to read in one sitting, or over time. —Julianna

Over the summer, I came across a signed copy of Sherman Alexie’s new memoir. Unfortunately, I had already spent my allocated book budget for the trip, but I know for a fact that a certain someone went back and purchased it anyway. (Shhh, don’t tell anyone I know.) Now I’m anxiously awaiting the moment I find it under the tree. This memoir, from the bestselling author of THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN, tells the story of Alexie’s complex relationship with his mother, a beautiful, abusive, intelligent, and complicated woman. —Erin

A turbulent coming-of-age tale? Exploring the intricacies of adolescent female friendship? Written in expert and elegant prose? I’m mad at myself I still haven’t read this book yet. —Nikki

I pulled Yotam Ottolenghi’s gorgeous vegetarian cookbook off my friend’s bookshelf recently. While I’m not a vegetarian, I am someone who believes almost everything is better with spinach in it. Sadly, my boyfriend disagrees. Needless to say, I’m always looking for new and compelling ways to make vegetables shine. And everyone I know who’s cooked from Ottolenghi’s recipes swears by them. My idea of a great night in is me on my couch surrounded by stunning cookbooks. I’d be overjoyed to have PLENTY to look at! —Wendy

I’ve been on a historical fiction kick recently, and the Washington Post claims this is “a novel to cure your Downtown Abbey withdrawal.” I’m sold. From the bestselling author of MAJOR PETTIGREW’S LAST STAND, THE SUMMER BEFORE THE WAR is a breathtaking novel of love on the eve of World War I that reaches far beyond the small English town in which it is set. —Taylor

A few years ago my sister gifted me HOUSE by Diane Keaton—an inspirational and aesthetically pleasing addition to my coffee table. I’m hoping this year she’ll continue the tradition with THE HOUSE THAT PINTEREST BUILT. I have always loved interior design, and this would be a welcome style guide, motivator and creative reference. I love flipping through the pages of a beautifully designed book and finding inventive ways to reimagine a space. It’s the sort of luxurious book that I wouldn’t buy for myself, thus making it the perfect gift to unwrap. —Meagan

In 1945 Cipe Pineles, a graphic designer and the first female art director at Condé Nast, illustrated her mother’s Old World Jewish recipes in a sketchbook. It was never published, but many decades later the authors saw it displayed at an antiquarian book fair. They became obsessed with both the charming illustrations and with the visionary Pineles herself. They’ve restored and annotated her imaginative work, and the end result is this delightful taste of Pineles’s creativity, life, and legacy. I love food and art, and these recipes remind me of my own Jewish grandmother’s table, so I’ve got this one high on my wish list. —Allison

Before we had ever heard of Miranda Priestly or associated Anna Wintour with her signature bob, there was Tina Brown. Brown kept meticulous diaries from her days at the helm of one of the world’s leading cultural taste making publications. The second that tree is down and the ornaments set away with care, I am grabbing a fur throw, pouring a stiff drink, and buckling down for what is sure to be a thrill-a-minute read on everything 80s media. —Stu

Louise Erdrich is a magical writer. Her novel THE PLAGUE OF DOVES was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, she won the National Book Award for THE ROUND HOUSE, and her debut novel, LOVE MEDICINE, won the National Book Critics Circle Award. The first book I read of hers was a collection of poems, BAPTISM OF DESIRE, and I have not stopped reading her ever since. With comparisons to Margaret Atwood’s THE HANDMAID’S TALE, I’m hoping FUTURE HOME OF THE LIVING GOD will be waiting under the tree for me Christmas morning, unless I buy it sooner. —Aimee