Mother's Day books and gifts list for last-minute shoppers

Hello, busy people and last minute shoppers. Yes, procrastinators, I'm talking to you. Mother's Day is this Sunday, and you don't have a clue what to give your mom other than flowers, right? If your mother or the mother figure in your life likes to read a good book, then giver her a book. Actually, I even have a few books on the list that are short on words but long on pictures.

If you like to shop online, then I have bad news. You may have only a slim chance of your gift arriving on time even if you order today, unless you're willing to pay for rush shipping. If you do so, check the confirmation email wording carefully to make sure you'll have the book by Saturday.

Look! Here's a thought. Try your local bookstore first. I have books below about New Orleans or Louisiana, local authors mostly, and I also have books that are plain old mom-friendly. First, here are some titles you can find at area bookstores such as Octavia Books or The Maple Street Bookshop.

New Orleans is a food town, so I begin with cookbooks.

1. Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from the Times-Picayune of New Orleans by Bienvenu, Marcelle.
   

   After the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, "The Times-Picayune" of New Orleans became a post-hurricane swapping place for old recipes that were washed away in the storm. This compilation features 250 of these delicious authentic recipes along with the stories about how they came to be.

2. The Louisiana Seafood Bible by Horst, Jerald, "more than a cookbook"
3. The Crescent City Farmers Market Coookbook
4. The Dooky Chase Cookbook by Leah Chase. Call around for this or for And Still I Cook
5. Also by Leah Chase, Octavia may have Down Home Healthy: Family Recipes of Black American Chefs

And now for non-cookbooks that should be available at either Octavia Books, Maple Street Books, the local Borders or Barnes and Noble. 

1. Historic Photos of New Orleans by Smith, Melissa Lee, "celebrates that spirit in nearly 200 striking, black-and-white photographs selected from local and national archives."
2. The House on First Street by Julia Reed, "A journalist and long-time resident of New Orleans describes her relocation to the city and work as a reporter, recounting her purchase of a Garden District home just prior to the hurricane Katrina disaster and her shared efforts alongside a host of eccentric locals to recover and rebuild."
3. If your mother's into jazz, blues, zydeco, Latin, or any other music associated with the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, then I recommend a book I own, The Incomplete, Year-by-Year Selectively Quirky, Prime Facts Edition of the History of The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival by Kevin McCaffrey. Preview. I can't guarantee you'll find it in a local bookstore since we just finished jazzfest, but it's worth it to call and find out.
4. Another mother-friendly book that I like because of the pictures of gorgeous houses is Plantations & Historic Homes of New Orleans by Jan Arrigo and Laura McElroy.
5. Finally in New Orleans books, In the Spirit: The Photography of Michael P. Smith from the Historic New Orleans Collection by Historic New Orleans Collection.

Make the book more special. Check with your local bookstore to see if they have autographed copies from local authors, and if you have trouble deciding on a book for mom, then ask about gift cards.

Not local-oriented but probably available in any local bookstore, below is an assortment of books that I think mothers from different walks of life will enjoy.

Books for Mom from anyone who loves her

1. Michelle Style: "Celebrating the First Lady of Fashion" by Mandi Norwood. Yes, it's about Michelle Obama's fashion statement.
2. The Lives Our Mothers Leave Us: "Prominent Women Discuss the Complex, Humorous, and Ultimately Loving Relationships They Have with Their Mothers" by Patti Davis, President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan's daughter. Read a review here.
3. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd and I recommend a visit to her website for notes on the book as well. Many people have seen the movie. The DVD would also make a good gift, but the book is for the person who enjoys reading. The feminine spirit surges throughout this novel.
4. Mama: Latina Daughters Celebrate Their Mothers by Maria Perez-brown
5. Grand Mothers, "poems, reminiscences, and short stories about the keepers of our traditions" by Nikki Giovanni
6. If your mother or the mother figure in your life is a strong advocate for social justice and the issues that impact women with children in particular, then she may enjoy Joan Blades's book The Motherhood Manifesto. You may read about it at MomsRising.org, and check your local bookstores. It generally takes more than one week to get this book if you order online.

   Speaking of Mom's Rising, see something cool from the nonprofit that you can send your mother right now! The group's produced a "news" video that you can customize to include her name as Mother of the Year. Click here to insert your mom's name and send video that includes President Barack Obama.

7. Is your mom into greening the planet? Here's a new book of easy tips to go green, The Green Year: 365 Small Things You Can Do to Make a Big Difference by Jodi Helmer.

For the new mom

1. Mothering the New Mother by by Sally Placksin.
2. Mojo Mom by Amy Tiemann.
3. True Mom Confessions by Romi Lassally.

Books by mommy bloggers

Is the woman on your Mother's Day list interested in blogging? Here are three books from mommy bloggers.

1. Naptime is the New Happy Hour by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor. Read a review here.
2. Sleep is for the Weak by assorted mommy bloggers, edited by Rita Arens.
3. It Sucked and Then I Cried: How I Had a Baby, a Breakdown, and a Much Needed Margarita by Heather Armstrong aka Dooce. This book is recommended for mothers who are not having the ideal motherhood experience so they'll know they're not alone.

Books for husbands to give wives who are also mothers 

1. A Household Word by Carol Band
   

   In the case of umpteen award-winning parenting columnist Carol Band, if I were a woman writer, I would want to be her. Before anyone goes so far as to imagine me in a skirt, let me point you in the direction of Carol’s work so you can see for yourself. ... from Family Man Online

2. I'd Trade My Husband for a Housekeeper: Loving Your Marriage after the Baby Carriage by Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile.
3. Queen for a Day: All Mothers are Royalty by Terra Chalsin
   

   Now, every mom can know what it's like to be queen for a day, with this fun pack of gifts and goodies that will let her know just how special she really is. The adorable kit includes a sparkly tiara to make her coronation memorable, a scented tea candle, an envelope of bath salts so she can finally relax, an "Official Declaration of Appreciation" that the kids can personalize and Mom can keep as a cherished memento, and ten valuable Mother's Day decrees and royal seals that can be exchanged for chores, hugs, and favors. The accompanying 64-page book celebrates motherhood throughout history with touching stories and quotations, as well as innovative suggestions for how Mom can enjoy her special day. ... publisher's description.

   I Strongly suggest you see if any are left in stock. Check your local bookstore.

4. You're a Good Mom (and Your Kids Aren't So Bad Either) by Jen Singer

Books for teens and adult children to give to moms or parents to give daughters

1. Someday I'll Ask You by P.J. Cloud
   

   Mothers and Daughters. Is there something you wish you knew about your mother, but for some reason hesitate to ask? Author P.J. Cloud makes the it easy to open a mother and daughter dialogue. Ms. Cloud has written a lovely book that will become a mother's personal journal for her daughter and granddaughter as well. If you are curious about your mother's past but uncertain how to broach the subject, or if she does not like to talk about her childhood, Someday, I'll Ask You, can help you get past the hurdle of uncertainty. Ms. Cloud has chosen an apt title for her book. (Bella Online review)

2. Maya Angelou's Letter to My Daughter. Read review at BookLady.
3. We are Our Mothers' Daughters by Cokie Roberts, a native New Orleanian

A little fiction

Is your mom accepts that she's in midlife, generally a woman older than 45, and you and your siblings have moved away or are in college, then this first suggestion should amuse her.

1. The Hot Flash Club book series by Nancy Thayer has characters who range from late 40s to early 60s, and they talk about everything under the sun--menopause and sex to letting go of their adult offspring or how it feels to have never had a child. Many of the characters are older mothers or grandmothers. It's a great collection to hand mom in midlife as you send her off to the beach or spa or to her room while the rest of the family gives here peace and quiet.
2. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tam. Often when suggesting books for holidays, we forget older titles. This one's a classic:
   

   Four mothers, four daughters, four families whose histories shift with the four winds depending on who's "saying" the stories. In 1949 four Chinese women, recent immigrants to San Francisco, begin meeting to eat dim sum, play mahjong, and talk. United in shared unspeakable loss and hope, they call themselves the Joy Luck Club. Rather than sink into tragedy, they choose to gather to raise their spirits and money. ... publisher's description.

   Look for a hardcover edition or the audiobook.

3. Life on the Refrigerator Door: Notes Between a Mother and Daughter, a novel by Alice Kuipers.

Lagniappe:

Here are books about Mother's Day or that are mother-related for children.

1. I Like Noisy, Mom Likes Quiet: A Mother's Day Story by Eileen Spinelli, illusrated by Lydia Halverson
2. Little Critter: Happy Mother's Day! by Mercer Mayer
3. Happy Mother's Day, Mami! by Leslie Valdes and Robert Roper (a Dora the Explorer book).
4. Berenstain Bears, Mama's Day Surprise
5. Girls in the Circle by Nikki Giovanni

In addition, check out book picks at Little Ones and choices for adults at AOL's BlackVoices

Nordette Adams is also a contributing editor at BlogHer.com. Click this link for a free subscription to her New Orleans Literature Examiner stories.