I see this thread has taken off a little on the comments wall. Perhaps better as a major discussion thread. Kerry and Sarah do you mind adding your suggestions here? Simple copy and paste. Could be a good time for members to recommend books that would make good presents for Christmas. For me, they don't have to be recent publications.
Suggested novels, any by author Kent Haruf. Superb.
The best book I've read all year is Tenth of December by George Saunders. It's a collection of short stories and they are utterly masterful. Not at all pretentious. Often funny, generous to human failings and very thought provoking.
The Judgement Game by Charalee Graydon for young adults thinking about becoming a lawyer. The book is made up of short cases studies, and the reader has to decide what the issues are, what should be done about the perpetrators and so on. It's a fascinating book for anyone interested in justice.
L'étrange défaite by Marc Bloch about why France capitulated so quickly in 1940.
you can read about it on good ol' Wikipedia