Christmas Gift ideas: BOOKS FOR MUM & DAD

Shopping Guides

Books

Published on Saturday, 29 November 2014 11:30

Last Updated on 14 November 2014

Monica Costa

0 Comments

Books always make good presents for everybody. For those who don’t like reading, picture books or reference titles are ideal too. Here are suggestions for BOOKS FOR MUM & DAD or friends and family.

Guinness World Records

On 10th September 2014, Guinness World Records celebrates its 60th Anniversary, with the launch of the Guinness World Records 2015 Edition. Honestly this is personally the most entertaining book I have read this year after the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy 🙂

Guinness World Records is the global authority on record-breaking achievement. First published in 1955, over 132 million copies – and 3 million e-books – have been sold in 20 languages, in more than 100 countries. Since then, the internationally renowned brand is also available on all platforms; GWR global television shows are watched by over 750 million viewers annually, over half a million subscribe to the GWR YouTube channel, the global website receives 14 million viewers annually and has over 6 million fans on Facebook. GWR adjudicates over 1,000 events across the world each year.

My personal favourite record breakers are:

Marawa the Amazing – Fastest 100m In High Heeled Roller

the Yannick Reed (smallest caravan)

the best-selling single (“Bing Crosby’s White Christmas) has remain unbeaten since the book began

Lucy Neath - Largest Collection Of Moshi Monsters-180614-081

Lucy Neith has the largest collection of Moshi Monster items

Martin Fornleitner - Longest Videogame Marathon On Minecraft-0321

Martin Fornleitner has the record for the longest Videogame Marathon on Minecraft

Jiff – Fastest time to complete 10m on hind legs by a dog

Check out our blogger Carolina Kon’s experience at the Guinness World Records book celebrations here.

Let’s Bake! by Cat Dresser

Cat Dresser has done an amazing job with this child-friendly baking book filled with 52 easy recipes – one for every week of the year!

It’s perfect for parents and children baking together especially for school cake sales.

Cat is the star of the 2012 series of the BBC’s THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF and busy mum of two, Cathryn Dresser. RRP £12.99

Read London Mums’ interview with Cat in the latest London Mums Magazine.

The Churchill Factor – How one man made history by Boris Johnson

This year’s WW1 and WW2 celebrations culminating with the Tower of London extraordinary poppy display made us all think of all soldiers and people who sacrificed their lives to secure our freedom and peaceful world. One of the key people who contributed to preserve and guarantee our freedom was undoubtedly Winston Churchill. His legacy has been brought back to life by Boris Johnson to mark the 50th anniversary of his death. I have read a few history books written by our Mayor and have to admit that he has a great talent to portray illustrious personalities with good humour but always accurate. His writing style is never boring, always accessible and pleasant that even an 8 year old child could grasp. This is a gift that not all famous writers have. The language that he sometimes uses can seem simplistic but it is done on purpose to allow us to understand history in a modern perspective.

Boris Johnson explores what makes up the ‘Churchill Factor’ – the singular brilliance of one of the most important leaders of the twentieth century. Taking on the myths and misconceptions along with the outsized reality, he portrays – with characteristic wit and passion-a man of multiple contradictions, contagious bravery, breath-taking eloquence, matchless strategizing, and deep humanity.

Fearless on the battlefield, Churchill had to be ordered by the King to stay out of action on D-Day; he embraced large-scale strategic bombing, yet hated the destruction of war and scorned politicians who had not experienced its horrors. He was a celebrated journalist, a great orator and won the Nobel Prize for Literature. He was famous for his ability to combine wining and dining with many late nights of crucial wartime decision-making. His open-mindedness made him a pioneer in health care, education, and social welfare, though he remained incorrigibly politically incorrect.

Most of all, as Boris Johnson says, ‘Churchill is the resounding human rebuttal to all who think history is the story of vast and impersonal economic forces’.

THE CHURCHILL FACTOR is a book to be enjoyed not only by anyone interested in history: it is essential reading for anyone who wants to know what makes a great leader.

This book made me want to find out more about the Battle of Britain and Churchill’s famous speeches ‘We’ll fight them on the beaches, we will never surrender’. I totally recommend these videos alongside the Churchill Factor book if you have an interest in WW2.

Read London Mums’ exclusive interview with Mayor of London Boris Johnson here.

Monica Costa

Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums