START TICKING OFF THOSE WISH LISTS WITH THE EXCLUSIVE BOOKS FESTIVE COLLECTION

It’s that time of the year; the last stretch until feet are up, braais are wheeled out and “let’s circle back to this in the new year” emails wait in drafts. What’s more, if you listen closely — past Bokke chants and rustling matric papers — you’ll hear Christmas whispering, so start ticking off those wish lists with the festive collection from Exclusive Books.

“The Only Present You Can Open Twice” is the retailer’s festive campaign tagline. Books are personable presents; thoughtful pairings of book to person which capture the indelible meaning of “perfect gifting ”— first peeling back glittering gift-wrap to reveal the book cover, then greeting the magic between pages and lines again and again.

HANDPICKED

Exclusive Books has hand-picked 130 titles, which range from engrossing fictional works to historical narratives, on-the-nose humour to sumptuous cookery, sensational sports stories to cheerful children’s picks, and so much more — at least 130 reasons to choose books as the ideal gifts this festive season.

ON THE SHELVES

On the fiction shelves, South African literary heavyweight Deon Meyer marks his return with the much-awaited Leo, while other unputdownable authors with new offerings include John Grisham, Ken Follett, Richard Osman and Terry Hayes (after 10 years!). A special mention goes to The Covenant of

Water by Abraham Verghese, who has swept the world with his lyrical meditation on spirituality and lineage.

TICK THE BOXES

If you’re looking for historic storytelling by feminist icons, Philippa Gregory’s Normal Women and Mary Beard’s Emperor of Rome tick the boxes. Your festive table is set with recipes from Nostalgie by Herman Lensing and Khanyisa —A Culinary Storyteller by Khanyisa Malabi.

Then, discover more about rugby maverick Rassie Erasmus in Rassie: Stories of Life and Rugby, and go beyond the track with Caster Semenya’s The Race To Be Myself.

TECH & POP CULTURE

If tech and pop culture are your go-tos,

Walter Isaacson explores the true nature of Elon Musk in a revelatory memoir and K-Pop giants BTS are celebrated in a 10-year anniversary biography.

FOR THE LITTLE ONES

For the little readers and independent thinkers, the children’s collection is a treasure trove of imagination. In the local corner there’s Refiloe Moahloli’s A Friend for all Seasons and Shudu Musida’s I am Shudu, while the ever-loving Jaco Jacobs delivers with As Long As It’s Not A Dog! Household favourite series The Gruffalo, Mr Men and Little Miss, Dork Diaries, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and the new David Walliams, The Blunders, also make a gleeful appearance.

YOUNG ADULTS

For young adults, “romantasy” (a swoony mix of romance and fantasy) is all the rage in The Stolen Heir by Holly Black, while love in all its forms is embraced in Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper Volume 5 and David Arnold’s I Loved You In Another Life.

BUMPER CATALOGUE

The Exclusive Books bumper catalogue, available in-store and online, is packed with content, author interviews, the ever-popular word search, unmissable competitions and stocking-filler ideas. So what are you waiting for? Jingle all the way through the Exclusive Books festive collection and book your spot under the Christmas tree with the only present you can open twice!

From November 1 to December 31, Fanatics earn future discounts on all Christmas titles.