BLOGMAS #5: Favourite Book I've Received as a Christmas Present

Title: Letters of Note
Author: Shaun Usher

I have asked for many books for Christmas over the years but the one that always stands out in my memory is 'Letters of Note' by Shaun Usher. Plus, the story behind it is quite cute, if I say so myself...

(Unfortunately this photo isn't mine - it's from the Letters of Note website. I'm currently living away from home in Switzerland so I am sadly without my copy of the book. I'm sure it's sitting happily on my bookshelf above my bed as we speak.)

Back in my sixth form days, I remember making the trip to Waterstones everyday on my way home after school. I mainly went just to escape the wet and cold of the December weather, but always ended up browsing through the young adult and fantasy sections. 

I remember one day, Waterstones had a display table dedicated to 'Letters of Note'. It was this ginormous hardback that took up most of the table, with beautiful gold foil on the front cover. Up until this point I don't think I had ever picked up a non-fiction book out of choice, but I was particularly drawn to this one.

I flicked through it like I did with any other book, but I quickly realised that this appealed to my inner history nerd like never before. I was instantly fascinated by the way I could read these letters that history had forgotten about and yet were so important in many ways. Before I knew it, I had spent 15 minutes reading it without realising. I started to notice Waterstones staff looking at me, like 'is she gonna buy that or not?' So I closed the book and made a swift exit.

However, I came back to Waterstones everyday until the end of school term just to read more of 'Letters of Note'. Each day I would come in and read a couple more pages before leaving the shop as if nothing happened. It never, ever occurred to me to actually buy the book - it was something like £30, and for little, unemployed, 16-year-old me that was way too much.

But then Christmas came around. My eldest sister, Ellie, asked me what I wanted and I jumped at the chance to ask for the book that had me sneaking in and out of Waterstones everyday. I told her I understood if it was too expensive, and then I forgot about it.

Come Christmas morning, I was more than excited to open my presents. It gets to my sister's turn and - would you believe it! - she had managed to find a cheaper, paperback version of the book online. I was over the moon.

It's safe to say I spent the rest of Christmas day flicking through the book I had pretty much read cover-to-cover in the shop already, reading out the most interesting ones to the rest of my family every once in a while.

I'm not sure if my sister really knows how happy that present made me, so thanks again Ellie! You da best.

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What's your favourite bookish Christmas present you've received?