CRP's Blog

Mother’s Day is just around the corner (May 8!), which means it’s time to find the perfect gift for that special mother-figure in your life. Check out our suggestions below, and our complete Mother’s Day collection.

If your mom is into The Great Wide Open:

Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: “This biography of the first woman to hike the entire Appalachian Trail (at 67 years old) in one season will be a kick in the pants to get your own long-held dreams going.”  —National Geographic, Intelligent Travel blog

Heirloom Plants: “This encyclopedic delineation of ‘directories’ of vegetable, fruit, herbs, and flowers offers practical help to the gardener who’s interested in preserving heirloom cultivars and turning a green-thumb hobby into an all-out mission.” —Publishers Weekly

Eating Appalachia: “As a native West Virginian, this book transported me back to the amazing meals of my childhood, high in the Appalachians. Join Nordahl as he demystifies the mountains, taking a walking tour of America’s best-kept culinary secrets.” —Forrest Pritchard, professional farmer and author of Gaining Ground and The Farmer in Your Kitchen

If your mom has her finger on the pulse of pop culture:

Investigating Lois Lane: “Fans of Lois herself and books like Glen Weldon’s Superman: The Unauthorized Biography or Jill Lepore’s The Secret History Of Wonder Woman will enjoy Hanley’s engaging, affectionate telling of Lois’ story, but it’s worth picking up even if you’ve never read a comic book before.” —The A.V. Club (Read an excerpt over at The Atlantic.)

Junk: “Absorbing and enjoyably compelling research on the packrat conundrum in our society.” —Kirkus Reviews (Listen to Alison Stewart on NPR’s “Weekend Edition.”)

Bowie on Bowie: “A must for Bowie fans.” —Booklist

For the film-buff mom obsessed with Old Hollywood:

Judy Garland on Judy Garland: “Here we see her perhaps as she would want to be remembered: a eager, supremely talented woman who never stopped dreaming of a brighter future for herself.” —Booklist

The Ice Cream Blonde: “A biography sure to appeal to fans of Hollywood’s Golden Era rich in significant details about Todd’s life and aimed at ending speculation about the death of this versatile actress.” —Booklist

The First King of Hollywood: “One of the most delightful Hollywood biographies to slide down the mast in years.” —The New York Times Book Review (Listen to Tracey Goessel talk about heartthrob Fairbanks on KCRW’s “Which Way, LA?”)

For the mom who loves reading the life stories of strong women:

Lucie Aubrac: “A refreshing addition to World War II literature.” —Kirkus Reviews

Escape Points: “The book is so refreshing and true that I found myself choking back tears before I even finished the preface.” —Chicago Tribune

The Remarkable Rise of Eliza Jumel: “Art historian Oppenheimer…vibrantly recreates Eliza Jumel’s rise from poverty to affluence, skillfully peeling away generations of rumors about this intelligent and resourceful woman.” —Publishers Weekly