A book is one of the riskiest gifts for someone who reads a lot. You have to guess that they have not read it, do not own it, and will like it. Any of these guesses can be wrong, and a keen reader is the person most likely to notice. Sometimes a book works very well. But the things a reader uses while reading have much better odds, and people often overlook them.
What is the best present for a book lover?
Give them something for their reading, not another book. It could be a good light, a better place to sit, a notebook for the books they finish, or tea to drink while they read. These are much safer than a novel, because you do not have to guess what they have read. The only book worth buying is one they told you about.
Why a book is the hardest choice
Someone who reads a lot has precise taste, and you cannot see what they have already read. The book that "seems like them" usually seems like them to everyone. So they have probably been given it twice and read it years ago. Worse, an unread gift book sits on their shelf as a small, constant duty to read it, and readers feel that pressure more than most.
The exception is a book linked to something specific they told you. It might be an author they have just discovered, or a subject they have been reading a lot about. Then you are not guessing. You are responding to what they said, and that works. If you do not have that kind of information, do not invent it.
Things that make the reading better
Light. People who read a lot often read at night, in uncomfortable chairs, or next to a sleeping partner. A really good reading light is the gift they will use most. Almost nobody owns a good one, because buying one for yourself feels like a luxury.
Comfort. Reading happens in one place, such as a chair, a bath or a corner of the sofa. A blanket, a bath tray, or anything that makes that place better is a gift to the reading habit itself. There are more gifts like these among our cosy gifts.
Marking and keeping. A proper bookmark, not an old receipt. Something beautiful for writing down what they read, if they keep a record. For people who write in their books, the exact pen they like.
The accompaniment. Most people have a drink next to them when they read. A mug, good tea or coffee, or a one-glass decanter for an evening of reading. These gifts get used up and feel personal, and the person will not already own them.
For the reader who also loves books as objects
Some readers love reading. Some also love books as objects. For them, the edition matters. A beautiful edition of a book you know they love is the one exception to the rule against buying books. You are not guessing the text, only giving them a better copy of it. You need to know their shelves a little, but with this person you probably do.
What do you buy a book lover who has everything?
Give a better version of something they already use to read, like the light, the bookmark or the mug. Or give a beautiful edition of a book you know they love, so you improve a favourite instead of guessing a new one. If their shelves are full, give good tea or chocolate for the evening, which leaves nothing to dust. For the same problem with anyone, read gifts for someone who has everything.
What to avoid
Avoid jokes about reading, such as "Go away, I'm reading". They turn a real love into cheap merchandise. Avoid general "book lover" gift sets. Avoid e-reader accessories, unless you know exactly which device they have and how they feel about it. Many people who read printed books have strong opinions about e-readers.
As with any interest, the interest is where you start, not the gift itself. Reading is one fact about them, and rarely the only useful one. Tell us who they are, including that they read and anything else true about them, and what you want to spend. Then swipe through gifts that fit the whole person.
Also useful: gifts for someone who loves cooking, for the reader who also spends a lot of time in the kitchen.
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