As Christmas approaches and we wrack our brains to find something that suits everyone, there is no present quite like a book. Whether it’s an unputdownable novel, a heart-stopping crime series, a thought-provoking biography or a collection of beautiful poetry, a book provides an escape, the perfect antidote to the hurly-burly of everyday life and, above all, hours and hours of pleasure. Here are half a dozen of my favourites, previously recommended on my Queen’s Reading Room, which you might like to add to your Christmas present list… or (if preferred) keep for yourself!

The Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard

This is a series of books that I return to again and again, to reacquaint myself with the irresistibly charming Cazalet family. Elizabeth Jane Howard’s saga continues over five volumes and as the extended family grows, they are forced to conduct their........

© The Spectator