Here are some books I've given as gifts recently:
* The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Civilization in the Aftermath of a Cataclysm, Lewis Dartnell[1]
* The Black Swan, Nassim Taleb[2]
* Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse[3]
* The Happiness Trap, Russ Harris and Steven Hayes[4]
* Code, Charles Petzold[5]
[1] https://www.amazon.com/Knowledge-Rebuild-Civilization-Afterm...
[2] https://www.amazon.com/Black-Swan-Improbable-Robustness-Frag...
[3] https://www.amazon.com/Siddhartha-Hermann-Hesse/dp/161382378...
[4] https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Trap-Struggling-Start-Livin...
[5] https://www.amazon.com/Code-Language-Computer-Hardware-Softw...
Siddhartha by Herman Hesse [2] for contributing to helping me come out of excessive questioning of everything (philosophy) to science that helps towards actually answering the questions answerable.
Feynman Lectures in Physics [3] and Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman [4], with no need to explain "how". :-)
The Ghost in the Atom [5] for explaining varied views on the nature of science, especially Quantum Mechanics, and what goes in the minds of the top-notch scientists working on these problems.
Parsing Techniques by Dick Grune [6] for teaching me the fundamentals of computer science and helping me proceed with my deep interest in Artificial Intelligence.
[1] https://www.amazon.com/Minds-Brains-Machines-Mind-Matters/dp...
[2] https://www.amazon.com/Siddhartha-Hermann-Hesse/dp/161382378...
[3] http://www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/
[4] https://www.amazon.com/Surely-Feynman-Adventures-Curious-Cha...
[5] https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Atom-Discussion-Mysteries-Quant...
[6] https://www.amazon.com/Parsing-Techniques-Practical-Monograp...