A book is always a thoughtful gift. But it's sometimes confusing to wander around a bookstore. The New York Times can help. They have compiled a Holiday Gift Guide of this year's notable fiction, poetry and nonfiction, selected by the editors of the New York Times Book Review. Still unsure what to buy? Librarians have great suggestions for you. Just ask... we're happy to help. Also check out Bookspace's What We're Reading for even more book ideas.

There's generally a 2-3 year lag between when a title gets published in Japan and when it gets published in the U.S. Not all titles get translated, which also makes collecting manga a challenge. There are a number of Japanese manga awards out there and here are some titles owned by the library that have won these awards.

Thermae Romae by Mari Yamazaki won the Cartoon Grand Prize (a/k/a Manga Taisho) in 2010 for this story about a Roman architect who moves forward and back in time in his pursuit of the perfect bathhouse design.

One Piece: Romance Dawn for the New World by Eiichiro Oda won a Best Japan Cartoonist Award this May,

Cross Game by Mitsuru Adachi won a Shogakukan Manga Award for the shojo division in 2008.

Ooku by Fumi Yoshinaga won a Shogakukan Manga Award for the shonen division in 2010.

Sign up to be alerted when new books by your favorite author are added to the library with the Author Alert tool.

Geoff Dyer is part of the Talk of the Stacks program on November 17. We've got his books in print and electronic.

Doctor Who has been on my mind lately. I found some great resources in the collection that might be interest to other Whovians or people not yet introduced to the Doctor.

Who is the doctor: the unoffical guide to Doctor Who, the new series by Graeme Burk & Robert Smith
Doctor Who, the encyclopedia: the definitive guide to the hit BBC series by Gary Russell
The Doctors: the story behind every face of the iconic time lord by Craig Cabell (eBook)
The TARDIS handbook: the offical guide to the best ship in the universe by Steve Tribe.

Did you know the the Oxford online dictionary has an entry for Whovian? Who knew?

Check out our Romantic Suspense list for books that combine adventure and thrills with a love story.

As of this writing, Gillian Flynn's runaway bestseller Gone Girl has 1800 requests in the Hennepin County Library catalog! Maybe you're waiting for the book or you're facing withdrawal after finishing it and are desperate for similar reads. Fortunately for you, the library has put together just such a list: If You Liked...Gone Girl.

From popular recent titles such as In the Woods to lesser-known thrill rides like Eye Contact, explore the twisted minds of today's most respected mystery writers and enjoy new worlds of the sharp, suspenseful candor you loved (or soon will love) in Gone Girl.

On the waiting list for Wild: from lost to found on the Pacific Crest Trail ? While you wait try A Walk in the woods: rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson or Lost in the wild: danger and survival in the North woods by Cary J. Griffith or maybe a title from HCL's Outdoor Survival and Adventure list