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25 Best Gifts for Book Lovers
Take a page from the pros and go with these no-fail finds for avid readers
Book lovers tend to be deep thinkers; individuals who love to learn, inhabit other worlds and get inside other people’s heads. These leanings, though loveable, can make finding gifts that spark their curiosity particularly challenging—which is why we asked four award-winning writers who are all self-proclaimed book lovers to reveal their go-tos.
For the bougie bibliophile
Candles can feel ordinary, but not this book-theme version with notes of birchwood and patchouli, according to Brooklyn, N.Y.-based writer Isaac Fitzgerald. “Imagine you’re walking into a beautiful stone library that’s lit with old-fashioned green lamps, and then you curl up in a big leather chair with that Tolstoy novel you’ve always wanted to read,” he says. “This candle is that feeling for your nose.” It also comes in a perfume, hair perfume and hand cream form if the scent obsession takes hold.
For reading-in-bed regulars
This under-$20 gadget is a game changer when it comes to nighttime reading under the covers, according to one of our writers, who raves about its comfortable fit and effectiveness. The flexible rubber neck lamp “emits two small, concentrated beams, like headlights from a tiny clown car, while the rest of the room stays wonderfully dark,” she writes in her review. And your recipient can even customize the type of light by toggling among three varieties: white, natural and warm, each in three levels of brightness too.
For wordsmiths and language lovers
The perfect gift for that erudite friend or trivia junkie in your life, League of the Lexicon features 2,000 questions—crafted by linguists and lexicographers—that probe every corner of language: from etymology and archaic words to usage and wordy trivia. Since the word game’s launch on Kickstarter in 2022, it has been awarded a spot on Mensa Mind Games’ Recommended to Play list for 2023, making it a solid choice for book lovers who relish a challenge.
For concentration cravers
We all know what it’s like to be disturbed by a ping of a text or endless push notifications on your phone or smartwatch. The only guaranteed way to get to that blissful place of deep concentration when reading is to blitz the distractions. New York City-based writer Sofija Stefanovic, author of “Alien Nation: 36 Stories of Immigration,” suggests going analog. “I like wearing an old-school Swatch watch so I can have a break from my phone and still keep an eye on the time. It’s quite calming to be sitting with a book and a watch, and that’s it,” she says. This pick, a simple style that’s also a favorite of one Buy Side writer, is lightweight, comfortable to wear and has a functional layout that makes it easy to read the time and date at a glance.
For visual people
Peter Mendelsund and David J. Alworth
The Look of The Book: Jackets, Covers, and Art at the Edges of Literature
They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but even big readers know that first impressions matter. We’ve all gravitated toward a book because of its bold or intriguing cover. Now there’s a book you can give to explain why. “The Look of The Book: Jackets, Covers, and Art at the Edges of Literature” is a collaboration between renowned creative director and author Peter Mendelsund and David J. Alworth, a research fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School. It investigates the stories behind notable covers and trends throughout literary history. It makes for an eye-catching and conversation-starting addition to their library.
Charming rechargeable lamp
GRAYPANTS
Wick LED Lamp
GRAYPANTS
Wick S LED Lamp
These clever lamps from Seattle-based Graypants give off the warm light and ambience of candlelight, but you don’t have to worry about blowing them out if you doze off while reading. You can adjust the light with a tap of your finger and the old-school finger holder makes it easy to carry from room to room. Buy Side tried both sizes of the Wick and found a charge lasts beyond the promised 12 hours. The Wick comes secured in a recyclable cylindrical package—just add a bow on top to make a pleasing gift presentation.
For sometime sleuths
Every mystery, suspense and true crime-obsessed reader is intrigued when things are not quite what they seem—they love a twist, a case of mistaken identity and, always, an element of surprise. This is why Clue’s Vintage Book Edition is another of Fitzgerald’s present picks. “It’s the perfect game to play with friends, to ditch the phones and enjoy a classy evening together solving crimes,” he suggests. And the fact that it “appears to be like any other linen-bound classic on a bookshelf, but opens into the classic board game” is a big bonus.
For outdoor readers
“I like to read outside so Ugg boots are my fall and winter friends,” says Stefanovic, who writes about identity and belonging in her memoir, “Miss Ex-Yugoslavia.” The brand’s Classic Short II boots feature a soft suede exterior, cozy sheepskin lining and come in 11 colors, so there’s sure to be one that fits your giftee’s style. “Nobody wants cold feet while reading on a crisp autumn day,” Stefanovic adds.
For creative doodlers and scribblers
In Japanese, the word hirameki means “flash of inspiration”—and the art form it inspires encourages these positive states of being. “It’s a simple concept,” Stefanovic, who likes to use the artists Peng & Hu’s colorful workbooks in bed to relax before going to sleep. “You make drawings out of little colorful paint splotches, letting your imagination wander while your hand and mind make playful associations of their own accord.” This phone-free wind-down activity is wholesome for the brain, something any book lover looking for a new way to unplug will appreciate.
For caffeine-fueled reader
The explorers that author Reid Mitenbuler features in his biography, “Wanderlust: An Eccentric Explorer, an Epic Journey, a Lost Age,” frequently drank horrible coffee during their expeditions; dwindling supplies were often stretched with dried peas or other unappetizing substitutes. “Those explorers would have appreciated Atlas Coffee Club,” says Los Angeles-based Mitenbuler, a routine subscriber of the brand, which sends freshly roasted beans or grounds to your home bi-weekly or monthly. “Each order spotlights coffee from a different region of the world and an explanation of what makes it unique,” he says. “It’s a perfect accompaniment to early morning reading sessions.”
For comfort cravers
“This memory foam pillow is the perfect shape and angle for propping me up while I read in bed,” says Mitenbuler, who’s also the author of “Wild Minds: The Artists and Rivalries That Inspired the Golden Age of Animation.” The pillow, which is designed to be used behind your back, under your legs or as a lap desk, allows Mitenbuler to “enjoy whatever book I’m reading instead of tossing and turning while trying to get comfortable.”
For the athletic bibliophile
Mitenbuler says his daily workouts are a necessary counterbalance to hours of writing and research at his desk. “If I’ve had an intense workout earlier in the day, I use this mat while doing my evening reading,” he says. To use, place the mat over your desk or lounge chair, then adjust the pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) setting and heat to your liking and relax. “The infrared heat works wonders on my tight muscles and joints and speeds along my recovery time,” he says. “After finishing a chapter or two, I get up and feel a decade younger,” he says.
For the tactile creative
Writer and multi-disciplinary artist Oliver Jeffers describes himself as a tactile person. “One might even say a Luddite,” admits the author most recently of “Begin Again,” an illustrated “very brief history of humanity.” That’s why he suggests an old-school notebook as a gift. “Every idea and important thing I remember stands an equal chance of being forgotten if I don’t write it down. In pencil. In my handwriting,” he says. Jeffers, who splits his time between his native Belfast and Brooklyn, N.Y., has been using Moleskine sketchbooks, notebooks and calendars for almost 20 years and credits much of his creativity and output (23 children’s books) to this constant physical hand-eye-brain connection.
For the deep thinker
This seminal book is a thought-provoking gift for any sci-fi fan or existential thinker. Famed architect, engineer and futurist R. Buckminster Fuller published his thoughts on humanity in “The Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth in 1969.” In the book he posits that if we treated our planet as a vessel through space upon which we are all passengers, we would treat it very differently than we do now. This book continues to be hugely influential to Jeffers’ worldview. “Working with this as a starting point, I have continued the analogy in my work beginning with the observation that we are all too busy arguing over what to play on the radio to even notice the smoke coming from the engine,” he says, suggesting that “we need to switch our mindsets from being passengers on this ship, to all being crew members.”
For indulgent romantic types
For Adriana Trigiani, the author of 20 books of fiction and nonfiction, nothing enhances a festive gathering quite like the hand-dipped chocolate cannoli from Ferrara’s, her favorite Italian bakery New York City’s Little Italy. Her recent New York Times bestselling multi-generational novel, “The Good Left Undone,” inspired by her own Italian family’s secrets, makes for a perfect companion book club pick. But if it comes to solo indulgence, “I suggest pairing a delicious cannolo with a Sambuca chaser while reading an epic love story,” Trigiani says. “Now that makes for a dreamy denouement.”
For suspense addicts
“This elegant, soft, one-size-fits-all blanket is the perfect gift for the mystery [or] suspense lover who needs a blanket to hide under when the killer is revealed,” says Trigiani, who’s also the host of the podcast You Are What You Read and co-founder of The Origin Project, an in-school writing program based in Big Stone Gap, Va. “It’s also for any friend who likes to curl up with a book and get extra cozy,” she says of Barefoot Dreams’ offering, which is made from plush polyester microfiber.
For spiritual types
Self-exploration goes hand-in-hand with the creative spirit. Fitzgerald should know. He recently shared his best-selling memoir “Dirtbag, Massachusetts: A Confessional” with the world after decades of self-exploration. He and his girlfriend, literary scout Kelly Farber, often have a tarot deck on hand to help prompt this type of deeper thinking. “Whether you are a big believer or not, it’s a good way to work through your problems, artistic or otherwise,” he explains. Their hands-down favorite deck, by artist and writer Kim Krans, features hand-drawn cards and a guidebook that makes it easy to interpret their meaning. Says Fitzgerald, “It’s a literary interpretation of the Tarot as seen through her artistic lens, which makes it the perfect gift for a reader.”
For perpetually curious types
If the book lover in your life is on a constant quest for knowledge, this monthly subscription can be a nice change of pace from their latest page-turner. They get access to the full slate of 180-plus virtual sessions—literal master classes hosted by experts of all kinds, from Margaret Atwood, who teaches creative writing, to Usher (the art of performance).
For creatures of habit
Is retreating with a book and a warm cup of tea a ritual for your pal? It is for many serious readers—and also a subtle signal that they’re entering a precious private reading zone. (In other words, Do Not Disturb.) For Katie Kitamura, Brooklyn-based author of “Intimacies,” only one type of brew will do, and it makes a pampering present. “I always stock up on Ippodo tea when I’m visiting my family in Kyoto, Japan,” she says. “They are known for their matcha, but I like their lighter teas like Genmaicha.” The soothing, low-astringency type is made by blending green tea leaves with roasted rice.
For continuous book collectors
It’s easy for their bookshelves to turn to chaos without bookends holding their volumes in place. This weighty, elegant, 15-inch ceramic set, handcrafted in artist Virginia Sin’s Brooklyn studio, will help them turn their haphazard stacks into organized groupings—and give it all an artful look.
For audiophiles
Listening to audiobooks, podcasts and music with others requires a speaker that’s portable and chic. Los Angeles- and New York City-based writer Sydney Baloue loves his House of Marley Bluetooth speaker with a shoulder strap that makes it easy to grab and go. “I use my Marley in the morning to listen to the audiobook I’m into and the news. Then I can take it for a picnic or to the beach and it lasts all day because it has a 10-hour battery life,” says Baloue. At home, he adds, “it stays perched in my kitchen to keep me updated about the world and to stream music to dance to. The bass has a lot of depth for a seemingly small device.”
For aesthetes
As the weather cools, design-oriented book lovers everywhere are reevaluating their spaces, priming those cozy corners that’ll cradle them through the fall and winter. If they’re due for an upgrade, an heirloom-worthy piece can anchor that coveted spot for them. The instantly recognizable, iconic Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1956, was inspired by the warm feel of a well-used baseball mitt. It delivers on this vibe. It’s also an investment piece that’s intended to last generations.
For readers who crave coziness
By this point, we’ve all heard of the Danish and Norwegian term “hygge” which refers to a quality of coziness that sparks a feeling of contentment. The reason we keep hearing about it is that its principles—including atmosphere, pleasure and harmony—really do boost feelings of well-being. Few things can conjure this coziness for your recipient as nicely as a plush sheepskin rug draped over a reading chair, and this popular version is known to be thick and ultrasoft.
For bookworms with an eye for design
There are so many factors to consider when looking for a nightstand lamp: Can it be tilted out of your partner’s eyes? Is it dimmable? Does it look elegant in the room? This Industrial Dimmable Lamp by Brightever meets the must-have requirements. It’s good-looking and moderately priced, and it has hand touch dimming controls, an adjustable head and USB ports for charging. They won’t even need to spend time at the hardware store trying to find the correct-size bulb because it comes with one for instant use.
For doodlers and doers
The motto of the German family-run company Leuchtturm1917 notebooks, Denken mit der Hand, translates to “thinking by hand.” They believe that writing, listing, drawing and doodling (instead of typing on a computer or scrolling on your phone) boosts the creative connection between body and mind. Kitamura and her husband give each other Leuchtturm1917 notebooks as gifts often. “They come in a pleasing range of colors and formats,” she says, “from the kind you can slip into your pocket to something you could conceivably write, or at least outline, a novel in.”
For drama seekers
Laurence Leamer
Capote's Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era
Even award-winning authors like to unwind with a juicy tell-all, especially ones inspired by literary icons like Truman Capote. “Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era” retells, in vivid detail, the lengths to which Capote resorted while trying to cure his writer’s block after the publication of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “In Cold Blood.” It’s a fascinating portrait of mid-century glamour, says Kaitlyn Greenidge, Brooklyn, N.Y.-based author of “Libertie.” “It’s a group biography of the socialites Truman Capote revered…and later deliberately betrayed with a crude roman a clef,” she explains. “The details are delightful, and the story arc is beautifully poignant. A perfect gift for history and literary buffs alike.”
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