Expert Buyers at Borders(R) Recommend 20 Last-Minute Holiday Gifts Under $20

Expert Buyers at Borders(R) Recommend 20 Last-Minute Holiday Gifts Under $20

Affordable Picks Include 'The Complete Cartoons of the New Yorker,' 'The Last Lecture' and 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard'

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- With only seven shopping days left until Christmas, the expert buyers at Borders have once again come to the rescue of weary holiday shoppers with their well informed gift recommendations. This time, the buyers have zeroed in on 20 last-minute gift suggestions that are all priced under $20.

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For Adults
1. "This Christmas Aretha," by Aretha Franklin, $14.99 ($4 off the list
price of $18.99 through Dec. 24): The Queen of Soul brings her
inimitable style to 11 favorite Christmas tracks, including "Silent
Night," "Angels We Have Heard on High" and "Hark! The Herald Angels
Sing," on her first-ever Christmas collection. Available only at
Borders and Waldenbooks, this CD is destined to become a holiday
classic fans will enjoy each year for many decades to come.
2. "Andrea Robinson's 2009 Wine Buying Guide for Everyone," $14.95:
Choosing the perfect wine can be intimidating. Luckily, noted
sommelier Andrea Robinson demystifies the process for even the most
novice wine enthusiast in this handy pocket-sized guide.
3. "The Appeal," by John Grisham, $14.00: A fast-paced legal and
political thriller by the undisputed master of the genre, "The Appeal"
follows one billionaire businessman's campaign to replace a
potentially unfriendly Supreme Court judge with a more sympathetic one
in advance of a controversial case. Powerful, timely and shocking,
this book is an ideal gift for 24-hour news junkies who are fascinated
by politics.
4. "The Complete Cartoons of The New Yorker," edited by Robert Mankoff,
$19.99: The largest-ever collection of New Yorker cartoons, this
substantial, hardcover coffee-table book showcases the witty,
sophisticated humor for which the magazine is known. The two
accompanying CDs catalog every cartoon published -- over 68,000 of
them -- for easy browsing by artist, subject and date.
5. "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World," by Vicki
Myron, $13.99 (30% off the list price of $19.99 through Dec. 24):
Dewey, a tiny, frostbitten kitten who was adopted by a librarian,
charmed the people of Spencer, Iowa for 19 years with his enthusiasm
and warmth. Animal lovers will embrace this charming, heartwarming
story of love, loyalty and compassion.
6. "iPod: The Missing Manual," by Jude Biersdorfer, $19.99: Now available
in an updated edition that includes information about the latest
version of iTunes and the new crop of iPods, this comprehensive manual
is an indispensable resource for new iPod owners. Its
easy-to-understand directions and numerous illustrations will guide
beginners through the steps needed to set up multiple iTunes libraries
on a single computer or use the Genius playlist feature, making this
manual a must-have stocking stuffer for anyone receiving an iPod this
holiday season.
7. "The Last Lecture," by Randy Pausch, $15.37 (30% off the list price of
$21.95 through Dec. 24): Based on Pausch's famous "last lecture," this
inspiring book shares his thoughts about the importance of overcoming
obstacles, enabling others to achieve their dreams and seizing every
moment. With timeless lessons that ring true with readers of all ages,
this book will be shared for generations to come.
8. "The Pagan Stone," by Nora Roberts, $7.99: In the stunning conclusion
to the electrifying "Sign of the Seven" trilogy, three men and three
women join forces -- and hearts -- to battle the ultimate evil. This
book showcases Roberts' trademark mix of fantasy, mystery and romance
that keeps her many fans coming back for more.
9. "The Reader," by Bernhard Schlink, $13.95: This acclaimed novel is
enjoying a resurgence, thanks to a new feature film starring Ralph
Fiennes and Kate Winslet that will be released in January. The
compelling book explores the rift between generations in postwar
Germany through the story of a 15-year-old boy who becomes
romantically entangled with an older woman.
10. "The Seven Personalities of Golf: Discover Your Inner Golfer to Play
Your Best Game," by Darrin Gee, $17.95: Leading instructor Gee
identifies seven basic personality types that affect players' golf
games, illustrates the on-the-course strengths and weaknesses of each
group and shows golfers how to use their personality to their
advantage. Any golfer looking to improve their game will be thankful
for Gee's insightful advice.
11. "A Thousand Splendid Suns," by Khaled Hosseini, $16.00: Now available
in paperback, the follow-up to Hosseini's "The Kite Runner," his
unforgettable debut novel, is an ideal gift for fans of literary
fiction. Both heart-wrenching and suspenseful, it tells the haunting
story two Afghan women who coax a redemptive friendship from the
rubble of war-torn Kabul.
12. "Watchmen," by Alan Moore, with illustrations by Dave Gibbons, $19.99:
The ultimate gift for fans of comics and graphic novels, this
collection contains all 12 issues of the acclaimed series in one
paperback. Intelligent, sophisticated and packed with symbolism, this
groundbreaking comic is attracting a new generation of fans due to the
feature film based on "Watchmen," which will premiere in March.
13. When Coffee Met Chocolate, $15.95: Give them a gift they'll savor. The
ideal present for coffee lovers everywhere, this Seattle's Best Coffee
gift set includes 1.75-ounce bags of their three most popular coffee
blends and three varieties of chocolate grahams. When paired together
as suggested, the smooth, aromatic coffees perfectly complement the
delectable chocolate grahams.

For Kids
14. "The Tales of Beedle the Bard," by J.K. Rowling, $12.99: Just about
every holiday shopper knows someone who loves Harry Potter, and this
book of five fairy tales from the wizarding world makes a perfect gift
for die-hard fans of the blockbuster series. Capturing all the magic
of the Harry Potter books, "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" reveals
valuable life lessons that underscore love, trust, friendship and
goodness.
15. "Chaucer's First Winter," by Stephen Krensky, $16.99: Based on
Chaucer, the Borders-exclusive plush bear from Ty(R), this warm tale
gets to the heart of childlike curiosity and wonder, making it the
perfect gift book for Christmas. Make the gift come to life by adding
on an adorable, snuggly Chaucer bear, available for only $8.99 with a
purchase of $30 or more.
16. Craft Fun Colossal Book & Kit, $19.99: Perfect for a rainy afternoon
or slumber party, this comprehensive kit will keep crafters busy for
hours as they create sock puppets, paint glass stones and rocks, make
friendship bracelets and learn how to sculpt and create clay models.
The kit contains everything needed to get started on the projects, so
time is spent crafting, rather than tracking down necessary supplies.
17. "How to Talk to Girls," by Alec Greven, $9.99: Leave it to a
fourth-grader to make one of life's complexities look like child's
play. Based on his sharp observations and his own personal experience,
Greven's endearing, innocent take on matters of the heart will win
over boys of all ages -- and the girls they like.
18. "Swing!: A Scanimation Picture Book," by Rufus Butler Seder, $12.95:
Using Scanimation, a revolutionary animation technology, each page in
this remarkable book comes to life with art that looks like it's
moving. Accompanied by a cheerful, rhyming text, the illustrations are
bursting with activity and leave kids -- and adults -- astonished and
curious about the animation process.
19. "The Lump of Coal," by Lemony Snicket, $12.99: The bestselling team
behind the "Series of Unfortunate Events" saga presents an uproarious,
irreverent picture book that introduces the next great holiday hero --
a small, dark and flammable lump of coal. This unique picture book is
perfect for older children, who will laugh out loud at its sharp,
biting humor.
20. "Wreck This Journal: To Create Is to Destroy," by Keri Smith, $12.95:
For anyone who's ever had trouble starting, keeping or finishing a
journal comes "Wreck This Journal," a refreshing, interactive book
that encourages "destructive" acts -- like poking holes through pages,
cracking the book's spine and painting with coffee -- in order to
break through the fear of the blank page and experience the true
creative process.

For shoppers looking for more gift ideas, Borders and its expert buyers have created the "Wonderland of Perfect Gifts" shop at www.borders.com/gifts that identifies 80 different interest areas and provides specific gift ideas in every price range, covering everyone on any shopper's holiday list with a total of more than 3,000 gift ideas and a completely unique shopping experience.

About Borders Group, Inc.

Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE:BGP) is a leading retailer of books, music and movies with more than 28,000 employees. Through its subsidiaries, the company operates more than 1,100 stores worldwide primarily under the Borders(R) and Waldenbooks(R) brand names. For online shopping, visit Borders.com. For more information about the company, visit www.borders.com/aboutus.

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Source: Borders

CONTACT: Bonnie Schmick of Borders, +1-734-477-1224,
bschmick@bordersgroupinc.com

Web site: http://www.borders.com/
http://www.borders.com/aboutus

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/106169.html

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