Why does your migration literature review blog have a gift guide? Because I can.
Because many people do buy gifts at the end of the year, and I care about getting gifts right. I wrote last year about this, but gift-giving is one of the ways that I show I care and I really love getting a gift just right. Also Statecraft has one, so that makes it normal.
Last year’s gift guide focused largely on physical items. This year, I have spent less time worrying about things and more about experiences. Some of that has been because I have been busier than I have ever been. In 2025, I have spent a lot more time Googling how to optimize my sleep and hydration than ever before, largely because I feel like I can’t afford off days anymore.1
The good news is that even if you care more about experiences than things, there are things you can buy. It’s capitalism; if it is possible to sell you something, someone will provide this opportunity.
Things To Read
In general, I think there are two kinds of thing one should read. You should read the things that everyone you know is reading, so you can have coherent discussions; you should also read the things that no one you know reads, so you can have new ideas.
In the first category, I highly recommend some of the small press magazines that are popular in progress studies / effective altruism. I’m not unbiased here, because I’ve written for some of them, but I am also a subscriber.
So: the new print subscription to Works in Progress ($100/year) is beautiful (and I have subscribed). I also subscribe to Asterisk ($50/year, though they only ship to the US). I own the Asimov Press collection printed in DNA (and I have a signed copy of their first issue, $10).
What about things that your friends aren’t reading? This is harder, because the recommendations don’t come to you. I’ve been impressed with Backstory’s recommendations in the past, so I subscribe to their Read the World non-fiction subscription. I usually read much of the Baillie Gifford Prize and Orwell Prize longlists. None of the books are exactly obscure, but they often have a very different perspective than progress-oriented books and essays.2
You can also combine things to read with things to do with book-related events. Backstory also often has good events (in London). The Politics and Prose event list regularly makes me regret not living in DC.
Things To Do And Experience
I’ve gotten into structured fun this year. It is hard to motivate yourself to just do a thing; it is easier if there is some kind of commitment.
For this reason, I’ve enjoyed Lupine Racing’s “you must race through a variety of European cities, also you can only take public transit” races (generally on the order of £200). Is there really a point to doing this? No, but it’s fun. I’ve also pre-ordered One More Sidequest, because we should all do more dumb things in our lives.
Food is also good. Take your loved one to the nearest Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant. If you are in the US, I recommend this cheese subscription ($35/month). I’ve tried a couple of UK cheese subscriptions, but haven’t found anything amazing - let me know if you have. I recommended Chukar Cherries’ chocolate covered cherries ($17) last year, and stand by the recommendation.
OK, here are some things.
But, yes, sometimes you do need to have things other than books to wrap. So a few suggestions:
Spreadsheet earrings ($10).
A “no money, no prospects, and I’m already a burden to my parents” sweatshirt ($55).
If the previous recommendations have resulted in overflowing bookshelves, perhaps a space-saving spine bookshelf (£99).
A robot vacuum (£93). Yes, yes, it’s boring, but honestly it’s so useful.
A cool vase (€15).
A shirt praising potatoes ($40).
The absolutely hideous DC metro holiday sweater ($50). (Yes, I bought it.)
A baffling David Shrigley poster (£65).
Happy gifting!
Sadly, it seems that “get enough sleep and drink enough water” is still the best possible advice.
For instance, I read Dan Wang’s Breakneck along with Barbara Demick’s Daughters of the Bamboo Grove. Neither is a complete portrait of modern China, and indeed Wang’s book is much better, but Demick still added some useful human interest.