My favorite books to give for Christmas

The ideal book to offer to foodies

La Confrérie du Pâté-Croûte – Organizers of the Pâté-Croute world championship (Hachette Cuisine)

We start with this appetizer which will make more than one salivate, with this very beautiful book on pâté en croute. The king of hors d'oeuvres and festive menus is presented to us here by the Confrérie du Pâté-Croûte, no less, which brings together great chefs offering their best recipes. The brotherhood meets every year and competes in the world pie championship. This competition celebrates its fifteenth anniversary this year. A great opportunity to publish this album of the Brotherhood of Pâté-Crouteintroduced by a history of this monument of French gastronomy. All you have to do is start making these recipes, each more original than the last. An unmissable on end-of-year holiday tables and under the tree.

Reference books to offer to those who want to understand the world

Historical atlas of the sky – Christian Grataloup, Pierre Léna (Les Arênes)

We gain height with this awesome Historical Sky Atlas which presents no less than 6000 years of history of human representations of the Universe. One of the first assets of this work is the clarity of its cartography, but also the quality of the state of knowledge on the subject. After the world, France, the Earth, here is a history of the sky that is clear and accessible to the greatest number of people, proposed by Christian Grataloup, and those who are familiar with his atlas collection will not be surprised if I say that this book is fantastic. It addresses, from the first mathematicians or philosophers, through watchmakers and navigators, humanity which has never ceased to question the cosmos. Today, it is thanks to all those who came before us that we send rockets into space, fly satellites, explore the Moon and perhaps one day other planets before, who knows, encountering a extraterrestrial life form. The rest of the story remains to be written…

Exceptional maps – Jerry Brotton (Geo History)

We come back down to Earth, well not quite since we still remain a little in the celestial atmosphere with this very beautiful story of terrestrial cartography. Coordinated by Jerry Brotton, Exceptional cards presents the maps that have marked the representation of the world, which has continued to evolve. This story is often synonymous with adventures, discoveries, political or scientific disputes and technological progress. Richly illustrated, this very beautiful album reproduces in detail no less than sixty of the most important maps: from the Latin mappa to modern cartography, including the Arabic surah and Fra Mauro's world map, while explaining their historical context. and their specificities. It also tells the story of the great explorers and cartographers who wrote the history of cartography. An essential for your library and an essential theme of beautiful books.

World history through maps (Larousse)

Ah! Passion for cards when you hold us… In this work we come a little closer to the story of humanity. Ambitious, World history through maps brings together nearly 150 maps explained and commented on, covering more than 10,000 years of world history. From the formation of civilizations to the digital revolution and current conflicts, including the Crusades, the great discoveries or the two World Wars, each event is placed in a precise geopolitical context. A real success whose success has not been denied since its publication in 2019, especially when offering gifts to people who are curious or thirsty for knowledge. A very beautiful book which allows us to understand our present a little better and the upheavals of our History. In short, a must-have.

The essential books to be amazed from a young age

The great encyclopedia to know everything about everything (Gallimard)

A little more lightness, although… With The great encyclopedia to know everything about everything intended for younger generations, we remain in the field of serious but fun books. This work, with its exhaustive intention, brings the love of the encyclopedia up to date. It is also published in the Les Yeux de la Découverte collection, specializing in the sharing of knowledge for young people and accessible to children aged 6 and over. According to the expression, it would be possible to say that it is intended for young and old from 7 to 77 years old. Above all visual, this encyclopedia is illustrated with more than 1500 photographs. All subjects are covered, divided into seven major chapters: space, Earth, living world, human body, sciences, history and culture. Each question is studied on a clear and precise double page. A book that could quickly become a reference in your library.

Louvre pop up – Dominique Ehrhard and Anne-Florence Lemasson (Grandes Personnes)

The back cover announces “the Louvre in your hands” and this is correct with the book Louvre pop up and its compact format as well as its superb illustrations, which truly give the impression of being in the heart of the museum, surrounded by artistic creations. An original way to visit this mythical place through some of its most emblematic works, wonderfully presented in volume. On the program: the winged bull from the palace of Khorsabad, the coffin of Lady Madja and a model of a funerary boat, the Victory of Samothrace, the Sarcophagus of the spouses, Psyche revived by Love's kiss, the Mona Lisa and The Raft of the Medusa… This beautiful, intelligent work created by Dominique Ehrhard and Anne-Florence Lemasson is an essential idea to place under the tree, for the little ones, as well as for the whole family.

Essential books for art lovers

Diego Rivera, All wall works – Juan Rafael Coronel Rivera, Luis-Martin Lozano (Taschen)

During his lifetime, his fame went far beyond the borders of Mexico. Today his wife's artistic figure surpasses him to the point of eclipsing him. It is therefore time to (re)discover the man who accompanied the life of the icon Frida Kahlo. This is Diego Rivera who, by painting monumental frescoes on the walls of institutions or monuments, became the tutelary artist of the Mexican muralist movement. Muralism aims to tell a story in images so that it is accessible to all: a meaningful practice at the beginning of the 20th century where illiteracy was very high. Rivera's commitment to communism brought him into controversy with the artistic elite while he became a hero to the working classes. The work All mural works by Diego Rivera has the advantage of telling us his story but above all of allowing us to benefit from his impressive work, thanks to large reproductions. Coordinated by two specialists, Juan Rafael Coronel Rivera and Luis-Martin Lozano, this exhaustive book is to be discovered and admired before going to see the artist's murals in real life, in Mexico City or Detroit.

Stories of love and death from Japanese theater illustrated by the masterpieces of ukiyo-e – Ornella Civardi (Nuinui)

With Stories of love and death from Japanese theaterhere is a great opportunity to discover two important parts of Japanese culture: theater and prints. The work itself is exceptional because it respects the canons of traditional binding, and offers reproductions that are simply magnificent. 15 traditional tales are transcribed and embellished with prints from ukiyo-e, a Japanese artistic movement which reached its peak during the period of peace and prosperity in the 18th century. Each story, contextualized and rich in detail, is an open window on Japanese culture. This beautiful and informative art book, edited by Ornella Civardi, specialist in Japan, is therefore to be offered to all lovers of the land of the rising Sun. But not only that, it is also a real treasure for lovers of history, art and literature.

Mattéo – Jean-Pierre Gibrat (Futuropolis)

If you're looking for a good comic book to give as a gift, I have what you need: the series Mattéo. Created by Jean-Pierre Gibrat in 2008, this comic strip explores the twists and turns of the tumultuous history of the 20th century: from the First to the Second World War, including the Russian Revolution, the Popular Front and the Spanish Civil War. Mattéo is a completed series which includes six volumes and which follows the destiny of a man passionate about love, searching for the loved one, and torn by his ideals, the most beautiful as well as the most terrifying. This disorder is found in the author's drawing, renowned for the finesse of his lines and the radiance of his colors. A literary and artistic comic book, therefore, to offer and (re)read.

Zaï zaï zaï zaï – Fabcaro (Six Feet Under)

It's the story of a comic book author who, while shopping at the supermarket, realizes that he has forgotten his loyalty card. This non-event is followed by a flood of gags and funny situations where the absurd only reveals the lack of meaning in our society. Fabcaro's talent is unstoppable and his humor devastating. Since it is fashionable to offer a little laughter and lightness, Zaï zaï zaï zaï is the perfect gift since it has the intelligence to bring the two together. It is even possible that you no longer want to give it at all, but instead jealously keep it to yourself.

Essential novels for fiction buffs

In the evening of Alexandria – Alaa El Aswany (Actes Sud)

After The Yacoubian Building, his most famous novel, Alaa El Aswany returns with a new story on the history of contemporary Egypt whose value proves to be universal. In the evening of Alexandria is a very beautiful new literary novel that we haven't heard enough about. In the heart of Alexandria, in the 1950s, a group of friends meets every evening at the Artinos bar, a haven of peace far from the political tumults. The heart of the cosmopolitan city beats for us in this historical fresco. In the midst of a revolution, ideals are shattered by betrayed hopes. Nasser established his authoritarian power in the 1960s in defiance of the values ​​he defended. But if dusk falls on the city, humanity does not lose hope.

The Little Prince, The Big Pop-up Book – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (Gallimard)

You all know the Little Prince, this dreamlike story whose timeless resonance never ceases to amaze us. You also necessarily know his illustrations which contribute to the poetic power of the novel. Imagine these drawings coming to life before your eyes. This is a bit the principle of this very beautiful book intended as much for young people as for the oldest among us. The Big Pop Up Book of the Little Prince is a work of 66 pages, where almost all the illustrations contained in the original work are put into volume. You can also read the full text of the novel there. The ideal gift for all lovers of the Little Prince as well as for those who don't yet know him. But also, a very beautiful achievement to keep in your own library.