A good gift for someone who loves reading is something they will actually use with a book. A novel on the train, a Sunday in a chair and a child who wants the same story again are the same habit and not the same gift, so the useful present is the one that fits how they already read. Think a book they will open, or a small thing that makes the hour easier.
What a book lover really wants
Readers have opinions about what they read, and a book that matches them beats a book that is simply handsome. If you do not know what is on their shelf, the things around the book are safer: the light, the bookmark, the shelf itself.
Before you choose, ask yourself
- What are they reading now?
- Paper or screen?
- Where do they read: in bed, in a chair or on the train?
Book lover gift ideas
Something to read
A book box set of a series they started, a for someone who reads in pictures, or a for the slow evening. If you don't know what they have read, ask a friend or look at their shelf.
For the chair
A suits someone who reads in bed without waking anyone, and a good is small and gets used every day. These are safe gifts because they suit any book.
For the shelf
A helps when the pile has taken over, and a is a small project that lives between the books. A book nook suits someone who likes a small project as much as a book.
For the commute
For someone who reads on the go, an carries the whole pile in one hand. It suits someone who reads a lot and travels light.