One of my passions is giving new hardcover books to people I care for as gifts. Most people I know do not have much money to buy new hardcover books. I am uncomfortable with paperpacks or used books; I have this thing about matching good people up with good and new books that nobody had read before.

Here are my two latest gifts for Maria and the growing members of my unofficial and free book club: One by Diana Athill and one by Elizabeth Hand.

Maria was instantly hooked  On Haunting On The Hill. I think she’ll also love the Diana Athill book Don’t Look At Me Like That. Athill is one of my favorite authors; she died recently at the age of 101; she was a wonderful novelist.

This all has some history.

When I first met Maria, she had no money and could not afford new hardcover books. She hardly ever buys anything at retail, so books are a sweet gift to give since she is a voracious reader.  I can’t imagine her buying a new hardcover book or anything else brand new, but I can feed her appetite for reading even though I get yelled at every time I get her a book. Oh, well… This time, I’ll disregard her preferences. Books are very important in both of our lives.

From the first,  I took it upon myself to buy books for her, and it has become a lovely habit – I am very good at picking books for people and matching them well.  One of our favorite things is to sit in front of a fire and read good or interesting books.

This is now a ritual of mine with Maria; she doesn’t like buying new books but loves reading them if they suit her. She lit up when she saw Hand’s new book, “I love books like this!” And then told me to stop buying her things.

I’m almost at 100 percent. When I see a “Maria” book in my travels online, I feel it’s the right book.

This week, I bought her two new books I am pretty sure she will love.  Elizabeth Hand lives in the U.S. And London and has written a hit book sparked by Shirley Jackson’s famous Haunting On Hill House.

The book was an instant hit in London, and I can see why, glancing through the first few pages. I don’t think I’ll read  Hand’s when Maria is done, but I will definitely read the Athill book. Her writing about post-war England, especially London,  is brilliant.