What to Buy for the Book Lover in Your Life
It’s that present-buying time of year and if you’ve got an eager reader to shop for, I’ve got you covered. Here are 5 gift ideas for bibliophiles from someone who is a life-long book lover, former bookseller, and current book reviewer.
1. Check their Goodreads Account for Books They Want
Many avid book readers love keeping track of their books: those we’ve read, those we want to read, those we want to buy so we can read them one day. I once worked on project digitizing a handwritten catalog from a nineteenth-century book collector who kept records of books he owned and in the back of the catalog was a list of his “Wants.” It’s definitely a thing for us book enthusiasts. So if you want to buy someone a book but you don’t know what’s already on their shelf, check their bookshelves on Goodreads to see if they have a “Books Wanted” shelf—but make sure their account is active with current posts so you know the shelves are up to date.
2. Books about Books
Despite having a pretty long list of books I want to read, I’m still always looking for more books I want to read. I love browsing through lists of recommended books like literary critic Michiko Kakutani’s Ex Libris: 100+ Books to Read and Reread. This beautifully illustrated book of recommended reading includes short personal essays for each recommendation. Another great collection of recommended books is Bibliophile: Diverse Spines by Jamise Harper and Jane Mount, which just came out earlier this month. This collection focuses on books by diverse and multicultural authors that will expand anyone’s reading list in more ways than one. These are great gift ideas for the reader who just can’t get enough.
3. Bookmarks
I’ve used a variety of objects as bookmarks including receipts, plane tickets, napkins, pens, coasters, and even my phone — whatever it takes to avoid committing that cardinal sin of dog-earring my book pages. But it’s much nicer to have an actual bookmark, and I don’t believe you can have too many. I occasionally lose bookmarks in books but I also read multiple books at a time, so I need lots of bookmarks. Some of my favorites are these little magnetic tab bookmarks because you can place them on the exact line where you left off reading. They are also great for marking a notes section in the back of a book so you can easily flip back and forth. This gift can also be really personal if you shop for bookmarks on Etsy. They have so many cute and customizable options, you’ll be sure to find something perfect for your favorite bibliophile.
4. A Custom Library Stamp or Embosser
Another great personalized gift for an ardent book collector is a customized book stamp or embosser (also available on Etsy) so they can properly mark their fine collection. That nineteenth-century book collector I mentioned earlier, he put a personalized bookplate inside his books. It’s a thing. So, if you know someone who likes to put their books on display, they’ll probably love being able to personally mark them too.
5. Book-themed Puzzles
If your book lover also loves puzzles (which is highly likely), then they’ll definitely love a book-themed puzzle they can piece together while listening to an audiobook. I received a “Reader’s Paradise” puzzle last year, and I enjoyed every minute of putting it together and feeling like I was in a cozy, local bookshop.
Bonus: If Possible, Shop Local
When shopping for a book lover, remember that they also love the feeling of walking into a bookstore and browsing the shelves, seeing the new releases and the themed tables, reading recommendation cards from booksellers. The bookstore is a special place for bibliophiles, so helping local bookstores stay in business by shopping at them is also a gift for the book lover in your life. If you don’t have a local store near you, try bookshop.org. This site lets you choose a local bookstore from anywhere in the United States and a portion of your purchase goes directly to that store. You can also shop many local bookstores directly through their own websites. A couple of my personal favorites are Boulder Bookstore, which is my hometown bookshop in Boulder, Colorado, and Powell’s, a bookshop in Portland, Oregon that has a great online system for ordering used books at lower prices.
