Straying a little of the beaten track is therefore often desirable, in addition to adding a pleasant little element of surprise and novelty to your gift. So that’s why I’d recommend getting Karel Capek’s War with the Newts.

Nominally it is a piece of science fiction from 1936, written by the man best known for introducing the word ‘robot’ to our language.

However this is not a book of Death Stars and phasers. It is set in (then) contemporary times and is a satire on politics, society and humanity in general. Colonialism, racism, capitalism, Fascism, appeasement and more all get the satirical going over in a book that combines these serious themes with a fast moving and very readable plot. The book shows how you can be worthy without being dull, erudite without being turgid.

So if you know someone interested in politics, chances are they’ll enjoy the book whether or not they are a science fiction fan themselves. You can buy Karel Capek’s War with the Newts from Amazon.