Most people use their Christmas vacations as an opportunity to go see all the Oscar-bait movies of the year. Show those people how much you judge them by giving them the gift of the book upon which the movies are based, which are inherently better.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed -- Fucking duh, guys. This book is fantastic and the movie looks especially great. Reese Witherspoon is a definite favorite for the 'Best Actress' categories, plus, thanks to 'The Mindy Project,' a "Wreath' Witherspoon is a new holiday tradition

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand -- The Daddest Dad that ever Dadded. Your dad probably already keeps this book next to the toilet, but just in case he's unaware of books written by women, get him this one. It's this year's version of Team of Rivals (the book that inspired 'Lincoln').

Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon -- I'm not officially endorsing this because I hate Thomas Pynchon, but I love Paul Thomas Anderson more than I hate TP, so I will be seeing this movie, and skipping the book, like a true American.

"What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" by Raymond Carver -- A bit of a stretch, but the characters of 'Birdman' are working on a theatrical adaptation of this short story. The whole thing is very meta, and I have no idea if reading the story will enhance your understanding of an otherwise confusing but great film.

Honorable Mentions: 'The Hobbit' by JRR Tolkein and 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay' by Suzanne Collins -- It is extremely likely that everyone has already read these books, but just in case they haven't, this is the final opportunity before it is officially too late to get in on these cultural touchstones.

We should be thankful for all (most) books, so this list is really more like, "Books to Enjoy on Your Thanksgiving Holiday." For me, that means books that are well-suited to Michigan road trips, cozy lakeside cottages, and a constant barrage of interruptions from family members. For others, it probably means good airplane books, and for a tragic few, it means a good book to fall asleep reading after you recover from a long day spent in the kitchen. Plan your weekend reading material accordingly:

Little Women by Louis May Alcott-- It starts with a Christmas Eve scene of sisterly affection, so it's a nice way to kick off the holiday season, and there is no greater story of familial love and thankfulness in times of scarcity. Either film adaptation also makes for a good family movie.

John Saturnall's Feast by Lawrence Norfolk-- A very sumptuous, lovely pseudo-historical novel about a young orphaned kitchen boy who cooks his way to prestige and power in 17th century England. I really adored every second I spent with this book and I can't think of a better foodie novel.

The Wapshot Chronicle by John Cheever-- Another East Coast family novel, but this time without any scarlet fever. I found this book to be so cozy and funny when I read it, and it's the perfect novel if you're familial interactions include WASP-y repression.

The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper -- A rousing adventure story that includes pilgrims and Indians. A great choice if you forget to pack a book, because statistically it's very likely already on your dad's/grandpa's bookshelf.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein -- This will be a controversial viewpoint, but I enjoyed this significantly more than the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which I mostly hated. The Hobbit is like the good parts of Tolkein, boiled-down into a concise novel intended for a younger audience, so you don't have worry about getting bogged down in Middle Earth history and Elvish language. Even people who don't read fantasy will enjoy this, and there is nothing more Thanksgiving-y than hobbits, who live in cozy underground houses and eat constantly.