In her latest column Sue Williamson, head of library services in St Helens, suggests a selection of books that could make an ideal festive gift for blokes out there.

In the run up to Christmas everyone is panicking about what to buy for their nearest and dearest and so over the next few weeks, I thought you might like some suggestions of books that might be of interest to various family members.

Men are notoriously the most difficult to buy for, so let’s start with them.

For the sportsman there is the largest selection, but picking out a couple:

Off the Cuff: the Lee Briers Autobiography

Beefy’s Cricket Tales by Ian Botham

The Final Whistle: The Great war in Fifteen Pages by Stephen Cooper and the great Bill Beaumont

But also check out Andy Murray’s Autobiography and Alex Ferguson’s, sure to be top bestsellers this Christmas.

Add to that a couple of things that might surprise:

Becoming Jonny Vegas

An Astronaut’s Guide to life on Earth by Chris Hadfield

If fiction is his thing, try I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Ghostman by Roger Hobbs, two absolutely cracking thrillers.

But if the quirky or unusual would appeal, try:

Jeeves and the Wedding Bells by Sebastian Faulkes

The Hundred year old Man who climbed out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris

If you want to try before you buy, all of these are available through your local library and for more ideas, check out our Twitter feed, @STHLibraries, where we will have an Advent calendar with a book suggestion for every day for all the family.

http://www.whatsoninsthelens.com/ and click on the Libraries button.

Don’t forget that libraries are now collection points for the St Helens Food Bank and that until Christmas, bringing in a tin or packet of something could save you money on your fines!

Keep reading