Your gift guide for every type of reader

So many books, so little column space! Here’s a speed round of SoCal literary holiday gifts for everyone on your list.

THE AMATEUR DETECTIVE

Two Kinds of Truth: By Michael Connelly. The writer’s fans must have been nice this year. Santa brought us a new Harry Bosch crime novel from the New York Times bestselling author and honorary Angeleno.

Black Dahlia, Red Rose — The Crime, Corruption, and Cover-Up of America’s Greatest Unsolved

Murder: By Piu Eatwell. Hollywood’s most famous cold case gets revisited with new clues and new evidence.

THE HISTORY BUFF

The Revolution

of Marina M: By Janet Fitch. Los Angeles author Fitch (“White Oleander,” “Paint it Black”) has written a beautiful, cinematic novel about a woman coming of age in extraordinary times during the Russian Revolution. Hollywood, take note. Grant: By Ron Chernow. Even with his Pulitzer Prize, Chernow may be best known as the biographer who inspired the Broadway musical and Pantages phenomenon, “Hamilton.” He’s back with this brilliantly researched portrait of another compelling American historical figure.

THE SCIENCE GEEK

Artemis: By Andy Weir. Californian Weir’s first book, “The Martian,” became a bestselling novel and a 2015 feature film starring Matt Damon. Not bad for a book that was originally self-published. His new novel is smart, funny, fast-paced science fiction set in a lunar colony.

THE ARTIST SOUL

Building Art —TheLife& Work of Frank

Gehry: By Paul Goldberger. Los Angeles has this world-renowned architect to thank for the Binoculars Building on the Westside and downtown’s Walt Disney Concert Hall. Pulitzer Prize-wining architectural critic Goldberger delivers the quintessential biography of the man known for transforming architecture into art. Ed Ruscha — Extremes and In-Betweens: By YveAlain Bois and Ben Eastham. Legendary Los Angeles artist Ed Ruscha is a man of many words when it comes to his art, and this new collection of recent works focuses on typographical and cinematic codes, with context offered by art historian Bois and art critic Eastham.

THE FOODIE

Coming to My Senses — The Making of a Counterculture

Cook: By Alice Waters. She may be the essence of Northern California but this advocate of organic and pioneer of California cuisine belongs to us all. This is her fascinating story.

Guerrilla Tacos — Recipes from the Streets of L.A.:

By Wes Avila and Richard Parks III. This cookbook by the creator of Los Angeles’ best taco truck (according to L.A. Weekly) is rich in its Mexican/East L.A. roots and in its blending of tradition and innovation.

THE YOUNG AT HEART

Far from the

Tree: By Robin Benway. Former Book Soup publicity director Benway just won the 2017 National Book Award for this moving, young adult novel that weaves three teenagers’ stories into a fabric of the meaning of family. Warcross: By Marie Lu. The bestselling Los Angeles author offers a young adult sci-fi thriller with spies, hackers and a bounty hunter — need I say more?

THE INSPIRED

Barking to the Choir — The Power of Radical Kinship: By Father Gregory Boyle. He’s known for founding Homeboy Industries, a Los Angeles-based youth program that offers everything from jobs to tattoo removal to high-risk youth and former gang members. Boyle shares his mission of compassion, faith and kinship in this extraordinary new book.

Borrowed Bones — New Poems from the Poet Laureate of Los Angeles:

By Luis Rodriguez. Recently inducted into the Vroman’s Bookstore Author Walk of Fame in Pasadena (joining Lisa See and Michael Connelly), the former Los Angeles poet laureate and community activist inspires readers with his writing and his life.

ONE OF THE GIRLS

You Play the Girl — On Playboy Bunnies, Stepford Wives, Train Wrecks, & Other Mixed

Messages: By Carina Chocano. This collection of essays is smart, on point, timely (unfortunately), empowering, and, somehow, still funny.

THE CINEPHILE

Cinemaps — An Atlas of 35 Great Movies: By artist Andrew DeGraff with essays by film critic A.D. Jameson. I heart this weird, wonderful book of hand-painted maps of favorite films such as “The Princess Bride,” “North by Northwest,” “Fargo” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

These books bring out my holiday spirit — the joy of giving the perfect gift for someone you love, or finding the perfect read for the holidays.

Allison K. Hill is president and CEO of two bookstores in Southern Califorina, and a frequent contributor to The Huffington Post book section. You can reach Hill at www.AllisonKHill.com or readingalovestory.tumblr.com.