The Beyond Both Sides Holiday Gift Guide

Michigan gifts that spark thought and community building. 

Each week on Beyond Both Sides, we try to step back from the noise and spend time on ideas that shape public life. The goal is not to chase the daily outrage cycle, but to understand the forces that sit underneath it. History. Institutions. People. Choices. 

During this week’s episode, I was joined by John Truscott, our fearless leader and  frequent contributor to the show, for our Deep Dive conversation. From the start, we set out with a specific question in mind. As the holiday season approaches, what are the gifts that actually deepen our connection to civic life, history, and the places we care about, especially here in Michigan? 

That conversation became the foundation for this guide. 

What follows is a very Michigan approach to holiday giving. Books that sharpen how we think. Journalism that keeps us informed and grounded. Memberships that support the institutions preserving Michigan’s story across the state. These are gifts meant to be opened slowly and enjoyed all year.

Books that help make sense of the moment

We began, naturally, with books. 

John pointed to the work of historian Erik Larson, whose writing consistently reminds readers that history is not abstract or distant. It is shaped by real people responding to uncertainty, pressure, and imperfect information. His books are a useful reminder that the challenges we face today are rarely as unprecedented as they feel. 

I suggested a few recent titles that feel particularly relevant right now. Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson’s Abundance examines how policy decisions and institutional constraints have created artificial scarcity in areas like housing, infrastructure, and public investment. It is a book that resonates strongly in Michigan, where debates about growth, capacity, and governance are front and center. 

I also recommended Jill Lepore’s We the People, which traces the evolution of American democracy in a way that is both accessible and unsentimental. It is not a nostalgic history, but a clear-eyed look at how democratic ideas are constantly contested, revised, and defended. 

Journalism as a meaningful holiday gift 

If books help explain the long arc, journalism keeps us rooted in the present. 

In Detroit and Southeast Michigan, becoming a member of Daily Detroit is one of the best ways to support deeply local reporting and conversation. It reflects the rhythms of the city and its neighborhoods, not just the headlines. Axios Detroit has also become essential reading for understanding how policy, business, and local government intersect, particularly for readers who want clarity without spin. 

For those who value a more traditional daily read, subscriptions to the Detroit Free Press or The Detroit News remain important. Both papers continue to provide statewide coverage, investigative reporting, and local accountability journalism that is easy to take for granted until it is gone. 

Statewide, Bridge Michigan and Crain’s play a critical role in covering business issues, Lansing, and state policy. Their reporting focuses less on political theater and more on outcomes, tradeoffs, and consequences. For anyone who wants to understand what state government is actually doing, these outlets are indispensable. 

For listeners, memberships to Michigan Public, WDET, and Interlochen Public Radio support trusted reporting that reaches from Detroit, the Capitol, and on to Northern Michigan. Public radio remains one of the few places where nuance and context still have room to breathe. 

Memberships that bring Michigan’s history to life 

Michigan’s story is not only something to read about. It is something to experience. 

In Detroit, memberships to the Detroit Historical Society, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and the Motown Museum connect people directly to the cultural, political, and social forces that shaped the city and state. These institutions serve as living classrooms and gathering places for difficult conversations and shared pride alike. 

In Grand Rapids, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum offers a uniquely Michigan lens on national leadership and public service. It is particularly meaningful for anyone interested in how the state has influenced the country beyond its borders. 

In Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, institutions like the Traverse Area Historical Society, the Marquette Regional History Center, and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point preserve stories that are foundational to Michigan’s identity. Water, industry, isolation, resilience, and community are not side notes here. They are the story. 

Memberships support exhibits, educational programming, and preservation efforts that would not exist without public investment and community support. 

Why this makes sense during the holidays 

The holidays invite us to slow down, reflect, and reconnect. The gifts in this guide do exactly that. They encourage curiosity. They create shared experiences. They keep people engaged with the places they live and the decisions that shape them. 

A journalism membership becomes a morning ritual. 
A book turns into a winter conversation. 
A museum membership creates an excuse to explore something familiar in a new way. 

As we head into the holiday season, these are gifts that do not just fill time or space. They help us better understand Michigan, each other, and the moment we are living in. And that feels like a pretty good way to enjoy the holidays.