Everyone knows booksellers make the BEST book suggestions – so we asked our local indies what they thought was gift-worthy this year
Who better to help you pick a brilliant book than someone who lives and breathes them? Dorset’s independent bookshops are treasure troves, run by people who love nothing more than matching the right story to the right reader. We’re lucky to have a clutch of excellent indie bookshops in the county, each one full of passion, personality and proper recommendations – no algorithms required.
We asked five of them – from Shaftesbury to Sherborne to Wimborne – to choose a title they’d personally recommend for a gift this Christmas. Whether you’re shopping for a curious child, a history buff, a fiction fiend or just a really hard-to-buy-for uncle, there’s something in here for everyone.
And it’s a truth universally acknowledged that a person in possession of a free hour must be in want of a bookshop … but if you really can’t get there in person, many of these shops have websites, and are also part of Bookshop.org – the online store that supports local bookshops with every order.
It’s an easy way to shop online but remain secure in the knowledge that your money’s in the hands of real local booksellers, not billionaires.
FOLDE IN SHAFTESBURY – foldedorset.com
Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton
Suggested by Amber: A special edition of this book has been released for indie bookshops, and has been one of the most talked about books this year. Raising Hare charts Chloe as she finds and cares for a leveret. Along the way she discovers more about hares, their role in folklore, and what special animals they are.
What We Can Know by Ian McEwan
Suggested by Karen: Described as A literary thriller and a love story, What We Can Know spans the past, present and future to ask some profound questions. It tells of a time where rising tides have reduced England to a series of archipelagos, while historians search for a poem created and read 100 years prior, and thought lost to history.
(FOLDE has some signed indie edition copies)
WINSTONE’S IN SHERBORNE – winstonebooks.co.uk
Precipice by Robert Harris
Suggested by Wayne: Britain is lurching towards WW1 and the Prime Minister is distracted by an affair with a 26-year-old aristocrat with whom he shares national intelligence. Based on historical fact and the Prime Minister’s letters this is an immaculately researched novel about an event that changed political history.
The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson
Suggested by Hazel: This is a lovely novel that takes you by surprise as characters develop and the history kicks in. With a real Sunday night drama feel about it we get into the difficulties of life after the First World War ends: life isn’t necessarily automatically better for everyone. It’s witty, moving … and you may feel the need to get on a vintage motorbike!
CHAPTER HOUSE BOOKS IN SHERBORNE – chapterhouse-books.co.uk
Orlando the Marmalade Cat by Kathleen Hal
Suggested by Claire: This is a not-so-well-known children’s classic – Kathleen Hale started writing the series of Orlando the Marmalade Cat stories in 1938. Apart from the charming storylines, her books are renowned for her bright and colourful lithographs. A great gift for all ages!
BLACK PUG BOOKS IN WIMBORNE – facebook.com/blackpugbooks
*anything* by Barbara Pym
Suggested by Victoria: I’m in exalted company – in 1977 the TLS asked celebrated writers to name their most under-rated author, and both Philip Larkin and Lord David Cecil chose a 63-year-old spinster living in an Oxford village, leading to Barnara Pym’s rediscovery more than 20 years after her first published novel. Each of her nine books is a perfect blend of wit, gentle humour and bittersweet insight.
Pym does resonate more readily with women readers, so to redress the balance: Dear Lupin, Letters to a Wayward Son, by Roger and Charlie Mortimer. Sharing with Pym an affectionate portrait of a time gone by, it’s a hilarious but moving delight.
THE KITCHEN TABLE IN SHAFTESBURY – thekitchentabledorset.co.uk
My Family and Other Rock Stars by Tiffany Murray
Suggested by Sarah: This has been my absolute standout favourite in the culinary memoir category this year: if you know someone who loves to read about food as much as they like to cook it, then this is the perfect stocking filler. Tiff grew up in the 70s and 80s at iconic recording studio Rockfield, where her mum was the chef. On any given day she might meet Freddie Mercury at the breakfast table, or Ozzy Osbourne in the garden. Buy this for anyone who grew up in that era – it’s a joyous, funny and touching tale of a very different childhood, surrounded by rockstars and culinary crises.
GULLIVERS IN WIMBORNE – Gullivers on Bookshop.org
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
Suggested by Beth: A classic enemies to lovers read by one of the best authors of this genre: one of my 2025 favourites!
When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzen
Suggested by Jane: A word-of-mouth bestseller that still isn’t as huge as I think it deserves to be. It will rip your heart out and gently put it back again. One of the most moving books I’ve ever read.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Suggested by Malcolm: I read it every year, without fail. Who wouldn’t love to receive it?
Winter by Val McDermid
Suggested by Anne: An evocative cosy read – it made me nostalgic for Christmases of the past. Can I also make a special mention for The Jolly Christmas Postman? It needs to be on the shelf of every child.
