Bookish gifts for your bookish friend who’s read everything
An exhaustive look at the dynamics, with many gift suggestions
All links below are to buy books via independent bookstores.
This is written with compassion for the wonderful friends of bookish people or authors, like me, who wish to connect with their friend’s bookish passions. I always appreciate a book as a gift. It’s my favourite present to receive (small present I should say—not wanting to jinx away holidays, puppies, houses, or babies anyone wants to hand me). It tells me that the giver is reaching out to me. It feels tender and vulnerable—here’s my suggestion, do you like it? I feel like people who give books to people who write books are going beyond the safe territory of soap-themed gift basket / wine out of love and respect.
Sadly, bookish gifts don’t often hit the mark. This isn’t always because I’ve read them. Sometimes it’s that I heard about them when they came out (or before) and knew they wouldn’t be to my taste. Sometimes it’s that I’m reading a lot for work and so I want to read something I’m desperately excited about instead. But I think the most common occurrence is receiving a feminist bestseller. I was gifted three copies of a big feminist novel that came out several years ago. I think it’s so sweet that friends and family saw that book and thought of me. But I find feminist bestsellers wildly frustrating because none of the information in them is new to me and it’s often very basic. I get so angry reading them, thinking, why doesn’t everyone already know this?!
So I’m here to, gently, tell you that it’s harder to buy a bookish gift for a bookish friend than you think. My best friends are both writers, and I wouldn’t buy them a book without checking they hadn’t read it first or whether they wanted it, as I know they both have long lists of books to read. What do you do if someone genuinely has read everything? I have some ideas.
Small presses, zines, and independent publishing
Indie UK zine maker Black Lodge Press has a focus on anarchist gardening, while Canada-based
stocks pure wisdom in the tone of feminist rants, with a focus on sex positivity, polyamory, and trauma recovery.Meanwhile, if you like my taste, the latest Art & Type zine features a piece by me. The theme is the “keepsake”—think scrappy wall art, journals, foraging for materials—and what it might mean in an artistic, cultural, and or personal context. Plus, I’m in the current Ache magazine (#4) with some non-fiction. Ache Press is a game changer here in the U.K., focusing on women’s health.
Another small press option—Positive News prints 4 paper editions a year. A subscription costs £36 for a year and my mum loved this present last year.
Finally, how about independently published novels? I was lucky enough to voice a gorgeous audiobook a few years ago, and would recommend the paperback, which has a very cool cover. The Irrational Diary of Clara Valentine by Coralie Colmez is aimed at Upper YA (15-18) to New Adult (18-25) readers but enjoyable for anyone with a love of maths and mystery.
Unique version of something you know they love
Bookish people tend to be collectors. They will get excited about special editions, first editions, editions of something they loved with a gorgeous cover.
Try these Moomin special editions—appropriate for any age, IMO. (Check you are reading them in the right order—The Moomins and the Great Flood comes first. And if you can’t order one through the link above, try the official Moomins website.)
This Wuthering Heights cover.
This gorgeous edition of The Brothers Grimm.
And a wild card—how about an edition of their favourite book in a language they’re learning? Have they moved to a new country recently? If it’s a short book, even better. This is the kind of thing I would love!
Home made fan gifts
Know what your friend loves? Get it on a t-shirt! At a (previous) difficult time in my life, I purchased Buffy pajama trousers, a Sunnydale High t-shirt, and the series box set. How about…
a T-shirt with the name of their book crush on
a t-shirt or tea towel with a bookish quotation from their favourite novel
a bookmark or badge (make it! I just made one for my friend covered in an animal with great symbolism for her)
a calendar, like this Moomin one.
Lesser known classics
Virago is a publisher who publishes women’s classics that have gone out of print. I bet you won’t have heard of a lot of them! Take a look. I often read the first few pages if I can find a preview, before deciding on a specific book…
This is a great list of more obscure classics from Penguin…
Poetry
Know your friend reads novels but not poetry? Here are some classic and newer recommendations from me…
Edna St Vincent Millay’s work — I own the Collected Poems… this is a rare, classic book, which I very much appreciated
Mary Oliver’s work — gorgeous lesbian feminist poet who focused on nature
Kim Moore — incredible contemporary poet who writes about many things, including coercive control and difficult relationships
Tove Ditlevsen — primarily known as a memoirist in the U.K., her collection There Lives A Young Girl In Me Who Will Not Die is lovely. TW for baby/child loss.
Find them here.
Audiobook and book vouchers
I would always appreciate a book voucher, and I’m sure other bookish people will too! Even better if the book voucher comes with a promise to take a trip to a lovely bookshop with me. But… it’s a little less fun to unwrap.
Big gift ideas
Ancient first editions ~ try Abebooks.
A bookish trip! Either to a specific book place or for a reading retreat. There are a few out there actually run by writers, but really I’m suggesting you organise your own reading retreat with your loved one. Here are my ideas…
Read The Neopolitan Novels in Naples (my #1!!!!)
Drive up to the Brontë sisters house
Book a cabin in the wilds and take the same book—devour and discuss
Head to Dublin or (my ends) Galway and take a Megan Nolan or a Naoise Dolan with you. I loved Megan’s Ordinary Human Failings.
Penultimately, a risky idea…
Novelist or novel-reading pal? Try a non-fiction book. Or vice versa. My favourite non-fiction has a strong narrative voice (ie reads like fiction). Here are some I recommend…
The Five by Hallie Rubenhold — Jack the Ripper story told with the women as the protagonists
Delusions of Gender by Cordelia Fine — neuroscientist explains how different we’re not
I’ll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara — online sleuthing to uncover the identity of a real serial killer
Mothers and Others by Sarah HRDY — amazing book/thesis on how human intelligence developed through community and, particularly, grandmas! Intellectual reading, but propulsive for the right person
Lastly, this is boring but…
Ask them. No harm done. I bet they have a list of books they are waiting to treat themselves with. You might think they’re a baller because they’re an author but… maybe they’re just a self-employed creative who has spent of all their income on five items at the supermarket and wishes they were reading the new Arundhati Roy memoir (my favourite recent read!).
As for me, I’m clearing out some of my ENORMOUS book collection. This is maybe 10% of it. Many are gift quality, and most are great reads (I just have no space/some are duplicates/haven’t read some and realistically won’t get to them) so check out my Instagram if you’re looking for second hand books.
Merry Christmas Shopping!
~ Abby xo
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Aww sweetie!! 💗💗 great list also. Have been thinking about your present but may not be bookish!