As you push on the bookshop’s heavy glass door, the little bell tinkles its welcome and invites you to step over the threshold. With a deep intake of breath, you absorb the scent of fresh paper and new print. A glance reveals shelf after shelf of colourful paperbacks and dust-jacketed hardbacks, some placed spine-on, others face-out. Beneath the covers, stories on every subject and in every style are hidden. This is the sort of treasure trove where the finest gifts are found.
If you’re a book lover, sharing your devotion by gifting one can be a rewarding experience. Books have the power to lift spirits, share passions, deepen interests, remind someone of the past or help them look to the future. They can also be kept, re-read, shared, talked about and displayed. But gifting one can sometimes be bewildering, given just how many are out there. And when you’re buying for someone else, it’s hard to be sure what they’ll like and what they’ve already read.
Why choose a book?
In a world where it’s easy to go online, pick a generic present and click buy, a book can represent a more thoughtful act of gift-giving. Whether you’re sharing a story that means something to you or you’ve spent time thinking about what the recipient may like, when you give a book, you give a small part of yourself. For the recipient, it feels like a personal gesture and it’s heart-warming to think of someone seeking a book with the perfect content for you, imagining the way it will make you feel.
Lindsay Cesari, a library media specialist from Syracuse, New York, US, says: ‘I think books make great gifts, especially for avid readers who most often use the library. Borrowing books from the library is a thrifty choice, and it can feel like a splurge to buy a book instead of borrowing one. So gifting to this kind of reader can feel a little luxurious, [especially] when they get a new release on the first day and don’t have to wait their turn at the library.’
Whose word to take
Books are big business and today are much talked about. Bloggers, podcasters and book critics all have their own opinions about both classic titles and the latest publications. There are bestseller lists to peruse for hot-off-the-press titles, and sites such as Goodreads.com are packed with reader reviews, as well as recommendations. Global celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon are also on hand to suggest the next big thing.
To cut through the noise, Sally Sue Lavigne, owner of The Storybook Shoppe in Bluffton, South Carolina, US, recommends speaking with a real-life bookseller, who will have the expertise to guide you in the right direction. ‘When in doubt, visit your local independent bookstore. It’s filled with book-loving experts to lend a helping hand,’ she says. ‘Buying from a big retailer often means there’s no one available who knows the books… Booksellers have knowledge and experience to help customers select [the right one].’
Making the choice
The most important thing to keep at the front of your mind when you’re picking a book for someone else is that it’s for them, not for you. So you need to put your own preferences to one side, although your gathered knowledge of authors and their work will help guide you. Whether you decide to play it safe or go out on a limb is also central to your choice.
‘I like to give books when I know the specific interests of the person I’m gifting to,’ says Lindsay. ‘One of my favourite strategies is to give the latest releases written by authors I know they already love. If I’m gifting to a family member, I usually contact their significant other and ask if they’ve read the book before buying it. They don’t always know, but often they remember seeing it on the coffee table or nightstand. I don’t usually try to introduce a new genre if it’s something that I don’t think they’ve enjoyed in the past. When I gift, I’m not trying to broaden anybody’s horizons, but rather give them what I already know they love.’
Amanda Bowser, owner of Learning Express Toys of Morristown, including the Book Nook, New Jersey, US, says: ‘For the friend or family member who knows that the receiver loves to read, I always suggest the newest published. It can be a fun treat to receive something newly published that perhaps they haven’t gotten for themself yet.’
If you do want to push the boundaries when picking a friend’s next read, Amanda encourages creativity and likes the idea of giving someone the genre they enjoy, but with ‘a slight twist.’ She suggests: ‘A romance reader might stick to certain authors, but throw in a romance book that includes a little mystery to introduce a friend to a new genre.’
For Sally Sue, books that elicit joy and humour are always winners. She says: ‘I love to give books that make the reader laugh. Everyone can use a little more joy. Books that are funny or even a bit silly are perfect for everyone.’
As well as tuning in to the recipient’s interests and speaking to local booksellers, you can find inspiration in the reading lists of book clubs. Library assistant Luan Bell, who works at Indian River Library in Chesapeake, Virginia, US, has been running a book club since 2018. One question that she starts each meeting with can also be applied to your quest to find the perfect gifting tome: ‘What else are you reading?’ Knowing this about the intended recipient might take you down a path you wouldn’t otherwise have considered.
Luan suggests that recalling conversations about books or films you’ve had with the person can give you clues. ‘If they like adventure movies, they’ll probably like complex thriller books. If they watch science-fiction movies, look for similar books,’ she says. Personality and life experience can come into your choice too. As Luan says: ‘We like to see parts of ourselves in the story.’
Book-giving etiquette
While a book might seem like an innocuous present, there are potential pitfalls to consider. Writing in The Guardian in 2019, Elle Hunt listed two points to bear in mind. First, include a gift receipt in the wrapping – just in case someone else has the same idea as you or the recipient has already read it. Second, think twice about writing an inscription. You never know when the recipient might want to regift or donate the book in the future.
Are there books that shouldn’t be given? That’s a topic for some debate. Lindsay doesn’t recommend glossy coffee-table books, as they take up a lot of space and almost count as pieces of decor. She does, however, enjoy gifting cookbooks and recommends pairing them with an accessory. For example, giving an olive-wood spoon with a book of Italian recipes.
On the other hand, Sally Sue believes no book is off the table: ‘I like to think all books have a time and a place, so I wouldn’t exclude any. But I might caution the buyer to be sensitive about who they’re giving the book to.’
Luan wryly suggests that the same recommendations for dinner-party conversations should apply to choosing books for others: no religion or politics.
What’s in it for you
As the gift-giver, the experience of buying a book and seeing it being received enthusiastically is extremely gratifying. Amanda recognises that when book-shopping: ‘Being creative is fun for both gifter and receiver.’ If you do step out of the box and buy your loved one something they might not choose for themselves, the gratification can be doubled. ‘Adults tend to stay safe between classic genres and find authors they prefer,’ observes Amanda. ‘It can be a little harder to convince an adult to try a new author or genre they aren’t as familiar with. But when they pick up a new book that might be outside their comfort zone and then love it, that’s the best feeling!’
The gift of a book can also be a celebration of your relationship with the other person. It can reflect shared interests, experiences and memories, or reveal how well you know them. You might choose a slim edition of poetry that demonstrates how you feel about them, or opt for an art book to remind them of a favourite trip you took together.
The final chapter
Ultimately, the book you choose to give will speak a thousand words. It tells your friend or family member that you pay attention to their interests and understand their passions. The time you take to make your choice, consult resources and draw on the expertise of your local bookseller will not go unnoticed. Any book given with love will be received the same way.
Book-giving on a budget
Books can be an affordable way to buy a thoughtful gift, especially if you follow some thrifty tips:
- Explore antique markets, second-hand shops or car-boot sales for used books or rare editions.
- Explore the sale racks at bookshops or look for used-book sales at libraries to find good deals.
- Sell some of your read-but-in-good-condition books and put the proceeds in your gift-books fund.
- Pass on a book that you’ve read and know your friend will love – they’ll be touched that you want to share your enjoyment of it with them.