There’s nothing like curling up on the sofa with the fantastic book you unwrapped on Christmas day. But for those of us who enjoy giving our loved ones a brilliant book for Christmas, choosing the perfect page turner can be a nightmare.

When presented with row upon row of bestsellers and must reads at the book shop in the lead up to Christmas, the temptation is to head to the counter and buy a voucher instead. And with rise in the popularity of e books, the festive season this year is set to be a big one for reading.

So to make the Christmas book selection process easier Foster Grant Reading Glasses has teamed up with book expert Jonathan Ruppin to give you this year’s top titles.

The selected books are sure to please mums, dads, singles, children and teenagers to make sure the whole family can curl up on the couch on boxing day with a great read. And whether you are planning to go for e books or traditional books, there will be something covered for everyone.

From Life, Keith Richards’ revealing new autobiography, to Minding Frankie, Maeve Binchy’s latest blockbuster, Foster Grant Reading Glasses and Jonathan have it all covered.

Watch our web TV show where we will reveal the must read books for the whole family with tips for coffee table books, secret Santa presents and stocking fillers.

Jonathan Ruppin from Foyles joins us live online at www.studiotalk.tv on Friday 12th November at show 2pm to reveal his top Christmas reads for 2010.

For more information visit www.fostergrant.co.uk

H: Lis Speight, host
A: Jonathan Ruppin, Foyles

H: Some of you will be putting together your Christmas shopping list so no doubt a new book or two might feature. But what are the must-read titles this season? Here’s our guide to choosing the perfect page turner

Titles

H: Hello I’m Lis Speight and welcome to Life & Style, brought to you today by Foster Grant Reading Glasses. Now choosing a book to give a loved one at Christmas is a popular present, but how do you choose when you are literally spoilt for choice by row upon row of best sellers? Do you chicken out, head for the counter and buy a book token instead? No you don’t because today we’re going to help your Christmas book selection process a little easier. But every family member from the youngest to the oldest is fully catered for. Well joining me today to point us in the right direction is Jonathan Ruppin from Foyles bookshop, welcome Jonathan; it’s really nice to see you today

A: Hi Lis

H: Jonathan’s bought along a selection of books as you can see, but before we get cracking, coming up on the show today - will granny like it? Choosing the right book. Books on a budget, ideas for stocking fillers, and all your questions answered live. And don’t forget that we are streaming live today so you can get your questions to us using the box on your screen, or if you are on Twitter use the #Studiotalk. So Jonathan a good place to start is probably to look at the bestsellers from this year. What’s been really flying off the shelves? Do you have any favourites?

A: Well as usual celebrity autobiographies are proving very popular. It looks like probably the most popular one may well be Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones

H: Oh right

A: His book is called “Life” and he does have a life story to tell. Like a lot of celebrities he’s lived one hell of a lifetime

H: And can he remember it I wonder?

A: He claims to remember it all clearly

H: So that’s quite a good one for the boys then, do you think?

A: Definitely

H: Men of a certain age

A: Absolutely yes

H: Now of course the first thing you think about when buying a book is what sort of book is it, is it like a cheap stocking filler, or maybe a nice, glossy photograph book for a coffee table, or maybe you’re thinking of more sort of personalising it, aiming it at a certain person that you’ve got in mind. We’ve got some books here Jonathan; talk us through a few of them. Well some of – there’s some great fiction coming out, in fact just come out this year. A lot of big names are out, I mean Bernard Cornwell a lot of people will know from his “Sharp” series

H: Yes

A: His latest one is set in the American Civil War so anybody with an interest in military history or history generally will love Bernard Cornwell. Jilly Cooper is a writer for women of any age, actually quite a few men too

H: She’s been around for years, it’s amazing isn’t it –

A: She has

H: How many books she must have sold over the years, but they’re still so popular aren’t they?

A: They are. She is the ultimate escape author I think

H: Yes

A: If you want a book to just curl up with and just have fun with, Jilly Cooper’s the one to read

H: Yes

A: But there are plenty of other big names, like Patricia Cornwell’s got a new one out, John Grisham’s got a new one out, Maeve Binchy’s got a new one out, John Le Carre, so if – if the person you’re buying for has a big name author who’s a favourite then you’ll probably find something new in the shops this Christmas

H: And do the authors aim to have their books out at Christmas? It’s obviously a very busy time for the booksellers isn’t it?

A: It is, it’s a bit of a juggling act for the publishers because they want to get them into the shops at the right time of year so that people will buy lots of them, but they can’t put everything there because – well for a start there wouldn’t be anything the rest of the year and the bookshops would just get swamped, so it’s a matter of the publishers trying to pick books that they think lots of people will buy as presents, rather than perhaps for themselves come Christmas time I think

H: So maybe autobiographies do you think? Those are the ones that come out maybe at Christmas?

A: Yes there are lots of those at Christmas, not so much the rest of the year round, and there are plenty of celebs – everybody from Nelson Mandela to Danni Minogue and everywhere in between has got one out

H: So there’s something for everybody

A: Absolutely yes

H: I thought that might be a safe bet then to go for. Now more than in previous year’s people will be buying e-books and downloadable books for the IPod – Ipad – we’ve got the Ipad here. I mean I can’t actually imagine reading a book on this, but they are really popular aren’t they? Are there any special considerations to consider when sort of buying a book for an e-reader?

A: It’s – it’s still slightly complicated and something that the publishing industry hasn’t quite got to grips with, is buying e-books for other people.

H: Right

A: Because you’ll need to set-up an account on their computer for them to be able to do it

H: Oh ok

A: So that’s not to say an e-book is a bad present at all, especially if somebody already has an e-reader, but you might find it easier, especially if you’re not so technologically inclined to stick with the paper books just for now

H: Right ok. So all this reading though, it might make you think you need reading glasses, I know that if I read for a long time it does make your eyes really tired doesn’t it, and if you’re around Christmas and you’re doing a lot of reading then maybe you could go to the Foster Grant website because they’ve got a little eye test that you can do, so if you do need reading glasses you can do the little eye test and then order your glasses online which is actually really handy isn’t it, particularly over Christmas. Because with the e-readers and what have you as well you might be straining your eyes a little bit. Ok well stay watching because in a few moments we’ll reveal some must-read books for the whole family. See you in a minute

Break

H: Well if you’ve just joined us welcome to Life & Style brought to you today by Foster Grant Reading Glasses, I’m Lis Speight and joining me today is book expert Jonathan Ruppin. And we’ve got a few ideas for your top Christmas reads. Quite a few here on our bookshelf – any one in particular for the dads?

A: Well military titles do tend to go down rather well, there’s an awful lot of them about these days. Ewen Southby-Tailyour is probably one of the better examples out there. It’s talking about the air missions in Afghanistan recently

H: My husband’s got this one actually – it’s not quite my cup of tea, but he likes all this sort of stuff and there is a huge market out there isn’t there?

A: Yes if they want to know what - a front line account, if they want to know what it’s really like out there then someone like Ewen Southby-Tailyour’s book is probably just the sort of thing

H: Okey doke. And what about children then, there’s always so many beautiful books for children out there aren’t there?

A: Yes

H: And a book for a Christmas present for a child is actually quite nice because they get so many toys don’t they?

A: Definitely

H: A book particularly from a relative I think is really thoughtful

A: I think it is and I think there’s also something rather magical about books as a child

H: Absolutely

A: That perhaps you lose a little bit as an adult, you don’t fall in love with a book the way you do as a child, as an adult perhaps so I certainly remember the first time I read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

H: Yes

A: I’ll never forget something like that. And so yes, giving the child an opportunity to have a memory like that is really rather special

H: And children read books again and again don’t they

A: They do

H: I remember – I was a was a real Enid Lytton fan as people of my age were, and I just read the same book again and again, even though I knew what happened, I just loved it, so it is actually a very good value gift isn’t it?

A: Definitely yes

H: So anything out there for children particularly?

A: Well I mean starting with the younger age group, there are – I mean there are lots of lovely, lovely picture books out there. I have to admit I occasionally buy children’s picture books for myself just because I love the illustrations

H: Yes

A: But if you’re buying for a child, rather than for an overgrown child, one of my favourites is Emily Gravett, she did a wonderful book called “Wolvers” a little while ago which was all about a rabbit going to a library to find out about how dangerous wolves really were

H: Oh right

A: And this is her latest one. She does her illustrations herself

H: Does she, that’s lovely isn’t it?

A: And this is all about a chameleon who goes all different colours just because he wants to find a way to fit in and find friends, and this is beautiful

H: A good moral there!

A: My other favourite one which is perhaps not one you’ll find in every book shop, you certainly will at Foyles and I hope a few other places, but this one “Brrrr” by Il Sung Na – it’s all about what animals do during the winter time

H: Right

A: And the illustrations are absolutely wonderful. I mean the pictures of the sheep here with their woolly coats

H: Amazing aren’t they

A: To get them through – to get them through the winter. So it teaches them a little bit about the animals and it is a genuinely beautiful book so that’s one I hope lots of people will be discovering this Christmas

H: That’s lovely. I’ve never heard of that author before

A: No, as far as I’m aware it’s that authors’ first book, I’ve certainly not come across a previous book but it’s one I hope will be a new discovery for lots of young kids this Christmas

H: Ok. And what about the girls then, what can we line up for them?

A: Well a lot of them will have been reading Stephanie Meyer, inevitably, and the Twilight series is very popular but it doesn’t look like she’s going to be writing any more of those, so we don’t want them to give up reading now that they’ve read all the Stephanie Meyer, we want them to try something else. There’s all sorts out there. I’m rather keen on this – “Angel” by L.A. Weatherly. It’s – again it’s supernatural romance of the sort that Stephanie Meyer writes, this is more angels based than vampires based, but it’s got its moments of excitement and dread. This I think would work well with anybody who’s loved the Stephanie Meyer books which does seem to be most teenage girls in the country

H: Right

A: But there’s plenty more out there, I mean Becca Fitzpatrick is another favourite, she’s written another book called Crescendo which – it’s a beautiful silver glossy hardback which might go down rather well as a present too

H: Okey doke. And what about your wives then – your mums and your wives. They don’t just want a cookery book do they?

A: No. There’s plenty of cookery books out there if they want one

H: Yes

A: Jamie and Nigella and all those people have got books out this Christmas, but yes if you want to go for something a bit different, obviously there’s some great fiction out there – Jilly and her book, Maeve Binchy has a new one out, and there’s lots of good fiction. If you’re looking for something on the non-fiction front, the book that I really want to recommend is this book, the Life of Coco Chanel, the sort of legendary figure of the fashion world. It’s a beautiful book, it’s one of those books that really benefits from the care that’s been taken putting it together – the quality of the paper’s lovely, the pictures are lovely and Coco Chanel is a fascinating figure. I mean as well as bringing us the little black dress and the bobbed haircut, she – as a private figure she was really quite complex and difficult

H: Yes

A: And so she’s a fascinating subject for a biography because the personal and the private and the personal and the public are so different. So that I would recommend. It’s beautifully illustrated, it’s a – a woman with a fascinating story, it’s wonderfully written. I’d recommend that with anybody with a passing interest in fashion certainly

H: Ok. So autobiography and kind of true life stories are quite a good choice do you think? I mean maybe if you had a secret Santa or something at work and you were buying either for a male or a female and you knew that – I suppose a celebrity autobiography would be quite a good one to go for?

A: Yes definitely, I mean we all like to know a bit more about the figures that we see on our TV screens all the time. Some of them are rather better than others, inevitably, I mean especially some of the younger celebrities don’t actually have much of a life story to tell yet, so it is a bit padded out

H: Yes

A: But some of them do, I mean some of them have worked their way up from difficult backgrounds and they have a genuinely interesting story to tell, but I mean one that’s proving really popular so far is Susan Boyle

H: Yes

A: Who of course the nation has really take into their hearts, she is a story of somebody who came from a background that was entirely unglamorous and now she’s become a global singing sensation, so her life story is something, something that’s really quite uplifting

H: Yes and if you’re a bit stuck, can you ask advice in the bookshops? Because I know people are a little bit anxious about it, you tend to walk in, there’s the stand, you buy the first thing that you use and kind of scuttle out again

A: Absolutely

H: But people like you are very valuable aren’t they?

A: We do try and help, I mean book shops are set up at Christmas to try and make it easier for you to find a gift, but nevertheless I can quite understand somebody coming in and finding it a bit overwhelming

H: Yes

A: So what you need to do is come in, find one of us in a bookshop, tell us a little bit about the person that you’re buying for, tell us what they’re interested in. If you get the chance have a look at their bookshelves and see what authors they seem to like

H: Oh that’s a good idea, yes

A: So you know if they say they like Patricia Cornwell and Mo Hayder then we can come up with a couple more crime writers that they might really like to get their teeth into

H: Yes

A: People do like to try something new

H: Absolutely

A: But sometimes it’s a little bit daunting to make that choice. That’s what booksellers are there for, and we love recommending books. We love sending people home with books that they’re going to love, or the person they’re going to give it to is going to love

H: And I think a book is a really nice gift as well, because quite often with the hardbacks as well, you don’t buy them because you think oh you know it’s a bit of a treat or whatever, and it’s so lovely to receive a book for Christmas because you know it’s something you’re going to be able to use for a long time

A: It is, yes. I mean and you do need to put a bit of thought into it on those grounds, because if you do give somebody a book, especially if it’s, you know mostly text rather than pictures, you’re asking them to spend a few hours appreciating

H: Yes

A: The gift so make sure it’s something they’re going to enjoy

H: That they like. Okey doke. Well coming up in the final part of the show, all your questions answered live. Stay with us

Break

H: Well if you’ve just joined us we’re talking about Christmas reads. I have Jonathan Ruppin with me from Foyles book shop. Let’s move onto some of your questions now, we’ve had quite a few in. We’ve had one in from Stefano. He says “I want to get my lady a few books in her stocking, but what would she appreciate which I could then read myself?” Ah ha, an ulterior motive! Typical man! Is there anything for both of them really?

A: Actually there is one book I’m going to recommend because this is the book that, it’s certainly suitable for men and women, this is the book that I want everybody to buy at least one copy for somebody for Christmas

H: This is your absolute favourite is it? Listen up folks?

A: This is wonderful, it’s a first novel from a wonderful writer called Rebecca Hunt, Mr Chartwell is the name of it. Now a lot of people know that Winston Churchill had problems with depression, he talked about the black dog of depression

H: Right, yes

A: In this book the black dog of depression is a real dog

H: Ok

A: Called Black Pat, and he comes to stay as a lodger with a young woman called Esther. She’s going through some difficulties in her life, she doesn’t realise that this dog that has just turned up is just there to make her life difficult. And it’s not until she gets to meet Winston Churchill and finds out that they have this black dog in common that they find that they can overcome him together. It’s a funny story, it’s a moving story, it’s a beautifully written story, and genuinely I would find it very difficult to think of somebody I wouldn’t recommend that book to

H: That’s such a clever idea as well, isn’t it?

A: It is, ingenious

H: Such a clever idea, lovely. And a lovely cover as well

A: It is

H: That’s really nice isn’t it? So Mr Chartwell, because of course that’s where Churchill lived wasn’t it?

A: Yes

H: Down in Chartwell. Clever. So that’s a good one isn’t it, and it’s not too big so it would just about fit in your stocking. Ok well I hope that’s of help. Another question in from Carole, “I want to get my son interested in reading” – boys are notoriously difficult to get to read aren’t they – “he’s 11 years old and loves action films. Is there anything you can recommend?”

A: That’s a great question, particularly given one of the books that we have on here which is Charlie Higson

H: Yes we’ve all heard of him

A: Yes Charlie Higson who many people know from the Fast Show, but since then he’s made his name as the author of the young Bond novels

H: Oh yes

A: And there are several of those available and they would certainly make a great gift. But this is his new one, the Dead which is wonderfully terrifying story about a disease that ravages everybody over the age of 14, so all the young teenagers have to work out how to survive themselves and try and overcome this sort of virtual adult zombie population. So if our viewer’s son likes action films, this is the sort of thing they’d absolutely love, definitely

H: Yes, yes. As long as it’s not too scary because he is only 11. We don’t want him not being able to get to sleep at night. But they love zombies and things don’t they, the 11 year old boys so –

A: They do

H: That should be right up his street. I hope that’s of help Carole. Ok question from Thomas Charles Whitman – “I’m watching Ken Follett’s dramatised 12th century epic on TV” – I’ve been watching that as well, bit bloodthirsty – “I kind of wish I’d read the book first. Are there any similar books I might like?” So that’s Pillars of the Earth isn’t it, I think?

A: Pillars of the Earth

H: Any other similar books?

A: Well fortunately there is a sequel to that book called World without End so if you want to carry on the story then that books is available. Ken Follett also has another book out this Christmas which is set in the Russian court in the 19th century, so another sort of two inches thick book and it’s the first part of a trilogy

H: Oh right

A: So if he’s an author you like then there’s a lot of entertainment to come. But if Ken Follett, if you want something different from Ken Follett – I struggle to think of somebody who’s come out this year with a book, but I’d really recommend an author called Edward Rutherford who writes these epic books with titles like “London” and “Dublin” and “New York”. They are histories of places like this, but told through a whole series of characters throughout history

H: That sounds interesting

A: They are absolutely epic, they are meticulously researched, and he manages to weave a great story and at the same time tell you an awful lot about the history of a place. So Edward Rutherford, a name I’d certainly tip

H: They’re absolutely prolific these authors aren’t they? I mean Ken Follett to have all that going on, it’s amazing isn’t it? They must work so hard mustn’t they?

A: It is extraordinary, and apparently he’s not only that he’s an accomplished Blues guitarist as well

H: Well there you are

A: So a man of multiple talents

H: Makes me feel a bit inadequate. There we go. Another question in from Beth, “are there any releases about the Royal Family which might appeal to my quirky uncle?”

A: The Royal Family themselves is slightly tricky. I mean Prince Charles has got a book out called “Harmony” which is all about his sort of blue print for a sustainable future. That’s not so much about the Royal Family. But for anybody interested in sort of more broadly speaking the nobility and the Duchess of Devonshire, who is now the owner of the wonderful Chatsworth stately home up in Derbyshire

H: Yes, yes

A: She’s bought out an autobiography called “Wait for me”

H: Oh ok

A: Which is all about her life as –

H: The Mitford sisters?

A: Part of the Mitford sisters, and also in making Chatsworth into a stately home open to the public. That is a fascinating story and certainly her contact with the Royal Family would make that an interesting – definitely a quirky read

H: I might get that actually because my family’s from that part of the world and they talk about Chatsworth quite a lot, and she’s an amazing character isn’t she, it’s a beautiful place

A: Yes

H: Interesting stuff. Ahh there we go, that’s one for me. Another question in, last one we’ve got time for actually, “my friend” – Rosie Black sent this in – “my friend loves cats, her favourite kitty is called Broccoli” – there we are, thank you for that information – “can you recommend any good book I could get her for Christmas?” Thank you.” Book about cats

A: Yes. There’s only one. Well there are lots but there’s only one I’m going to recommend, Simon’s Cat. Simon’s Cat is – it started just as a series of animations on the internet, and now it’s been made into – in fact it’s been made into two cartoon books, there’s Simon’s Cat and Simon’s Cat beyond her Fence. Anybody who has a cat will look at this book and say “that’s my cat, my cat behaves like that” – he’s kind of got the personality of cats, they’re wonderful, wonderful way of both being adoring and infuriating at the same time

H: Yes

A: The way that they’ll curl up and purr at you and the next moment they’ll be destroying the sofa with their claws. It’s wonderful, it’s one of the funniest cartoon books I’ve ever had, and anybody who has a cat will say “that’s my cat”

H: That’s perfect, we’re so glad you’ve come in to answer all these questions for us. That’s all we’ve got time for I’m afraid, so Jonathan thank you so much

A: Thank you

H :For more information about Foster Grant reading glasses you can go to the website which is fostergrant.co.uk but I think I’ve just about got my Christmas list sorted, and I know what I want for Christmas as well, we hope we’ve helped you with yours. Happy Christmas everybody, we’ll see you next time. Bye bye

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