Stumped on what to give your book-ish friends? At first, it seems simple to choose books for that special someone, but when it comes down to it, knowing what they want to read can be fraught with peril. Exactly how well do you know their reading tastes? Should you give them something from the literary best books list such as Tommy Orange’s There, There or Tara Westover’s Educated (both mentioned in my last LibraryReads blog)? Or perhaps the new Michelle Obama memoir, Becoming, might be more to their literary taste, or maybe Tina Turner’s terrific and amazing memoir, My Love Story, or Roger Daltrey’s Thank You Mr. Kibblewhite, might be appreciated. But then maybe they would prefer some good thrillers, but as we know different genres and authors abound. Or do you throw up your hands and get a gift card for Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or even your local Indie bookshop? A gift card is an easy way out and probably the most practical but think about personalizing it by including a “suggested” list of purchases. Following are a few surefire ideas for gift giving or feel free to print this post and include it with the card.

Books About Books

The ultimate gift for any book lover is James Mustich’s 1000 Books To Read Before You Die. The author has compiled a varied collection of books with annotations, and as you can see from the photos, has also created an attractive and appealing layout. Any book group member or anyone looking to create a list of “must-read” titles, or even those participating in reading challenges, will want to make it a permanent part of their library.

More books to consider for book nerds include Anne Bogel’s short book of essays, I’d Rather Be Reading, which gave me a bit of a sprained neck from enthusiastically nodding in agreement to all of her thoughts on what us avid readers suffer through–sure, most of our angst could be considered first world problems but most will understand the struggle is real.

Another fun book is Book Love by Debbie Tung, a book of comics catering to every bookworm’s love of anything literary. It’s not due to be published until after Christmas but it’s worth the wait.

For those of us who are familiar with horror books starting in the late 60s and continuing through the 70s and 80s (Stephen King!), Paperbacks from Hell is absolutely absorbing and hilarious. Read my GoodReads review here for more.

 

Those who love libraries (and isn’t that most everyone we know?) will want to own a copy of The Library Book by Susan Orlean. Covering both the history of libraries and the 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Public Library, this is a book sure to not only entertain but it is also fun to admire the design. I got fooled when I tried to remove the signature card in the pocket inside the back cover. Remember those?

If the one receiving a gift is a traveler and has a hankering to visit the cats at Hemingway’s house on Key West or wants to visit everything Bronte in one trip, or is simply an armchair traveler, consider giving them the updated edition of Novel Destinations by Shannon McKenna Schmidt & Joni Rendon. To continue the fun, Writers Between the Covers, a compendium of stories from the lit world describing scandals, affairs, and just plain kinky goings-on between authors is a fun romp.

For Non-Reading Fans

Even if that special someone doesn’t care to sit and read an entire book cover-to-cover (I’m married to one), the following may be just the ticket as they are perfect to have on hand for occasional perusing or, dare I say, bathroom reading?

Am I Dying is a great book for the hypochondriac in your life, or perhaps keep it on the shelf to check as a reference if a pain doesn’t disappear.

Bear Grylls’ How to Stay Alive is chock-full of advice on how not to die if any of the outlined scenarios happen to you. Hopefully, one will never have to land a plane or try to escape from quicksand but it’s always a good idea to know where to get quick information if needed. Me, I’m keeping mine in the car, just in case I have a brake failure.

I’m not sure if having “coffee table” books is still a thing, but even if it isn’t, it would be fun to have Charles Phoenix’s Addicted to Americana on display. I don’t own this but I really would love to have a copy for my table (hint hint). It’s a hoot to peruse and part of the entertainment is thinking about a road trip to visit any of the architecture and signs still standing.

 

Non-Book Book Gifts

Or, you could just get your loved ones socks such as these sweet little numbers I bought for myself. You can find them (along with other book-ish clothing) at Out of Print.

For a more comprehensive list of literary non-book gifts, check out Anne Bogel’s gift guide.

Happy Holidays everyone! Next up is the much-anticipated list of my favorite books of the year.