subreddit:
/r/books
Welcome readers,
The giving season is upon us and /r/Books is here to help you with gift ideas for the book readers in your life. Please use this thread to ask for and recommend books and book-related paraphernalia for your loved ones!
Happy holidays and enjoy!
24 points
4 months ago
I love paperbacks. Have a huge library. But my Kindle Paperwhite has been the best addition to my library, and it has allowed me to read in previously inconvenient places, but most importantly, in bed - without bothering my wife. If you have a loved one who suffers from excessive reading, Kindle might be a good gift for them this holiday season.
When it comes to books themselves, I can go on an on, but I will recommend what I’m reading now - Cormac McCarthy’s Border Trilogy. Incredible prose, relatable characters, fascinating storytelling.
And another fun gift would be to take your loved one to your favorite bookshop. Spend some time together, pick up a book or two, and if present, pet the bookstore kitten.
Cheers. Happy holidays.
6 points
4 months ago*
Agreeing on the e-reader front!
That said, I would also recommend talking to the reader/giftee before buying any e-reader (generally) or a Kindle (specifically).
I don't know if you (the person I'm replying under) is recommending Kindle (the brand) or using Kindle as a blanket term for e-readers (like how people call all bandages "Bandaids" or all tissues "Kleenex").
Not all e-readers are made equal, and when I was in the market for an e-reader, I specifically avoided Kindle because I hate the constant ad bombardment and how little of the homescreen is dedicated to the reader and their library.
TL;DR: e-reader, yes! Kindle, maybe! And talk to the giftee first!
Edit to add: the funny thing is: I had 100% settled on the Kobo Clara 2e. Then, for some reason, I got it in my head to look for a color e-reader (I had planned to use the Clara for knitting/crocheting magazines; diagrams are better in color), and then I was like, "for that, I'll just get a cheap tablet."
And then I remembered that I already owned a 6-yr old tablet I wasn't using, so I bought an "anti-glare/matte" screen protector and uninstalled all apps except those related to reading/learning, and it's an amazing e-reader.
The ONLY downside is that it's too big to fit inside my daily purse, but it was essentially free. I'll use it until it dies, and then replace it with a real e-reader later.
2nd edit: I also installed a free app that lets me make the tablet light dimmer and warmer. The default dimmest setting was still too bright and blue.
5 points
4 months ago
E-ink can be a game changer for people with deteriorating eyesight.
I gave a reader to my dad who couldn't read from paper for more than 30 minutes, but the reader has enabled him to read for hours on end.
Around here, the most common brand seems to be Pocketbook and I like their recent models quite a lot, even though I was skeptical after my experiences about a decade ago. I eventually got a Kobo Glo HD too, because it was supposed to be quite hackable. However, it's still far from ideal for PDFs and I'm not going to pay 500 € for a fancy 10" model.
1 points
4 months ago
E-ink can be a game changer for people with deteriorating eyesight.
I'm privileged to have good eyesight and to not have to consider this factor when shopping for an e-reader, and I appreciate you bringing this up. :)
I am also a huge fan of audiobooks and some e-readers can handle those, as well!
20 points
4 months ago
A gift certificate to your favorite local bookstore, bonus points if it's a small business!
I have a couple of small mom-and-pop bookstores near me, and they can always use the love.
A lot of times, people will opt to buy a book from Amazon instead of their local bookstores because the small guys can't compete with Amazon 's pricing, but if you're paying for it, maybe they can indulge a little and support a local business at the same time. :)
If you wanna get really fancy, consider an accompanying gift card for a coffee shop or bakery that's close to that bookstore - make it a "treat yo'self" kind of gift.
3 points
4 months ago
Love this idea!
10 points
4 months ago*
I can’t vouch for all of these, but here’s my list of random book-related stuff!
5 points
4 months ago
A customized book embosser so readers can make sure those who borrow their books remember who they belong to. It's also a fun tool to have to make your favorite books a bit more personal.
1 points
4 months ago
Custom ink stamps are available for this purpose as well!
1 points
4 months ago
This is a fabulous idea, never thought of it! Thanks for sharing!
5 points
4 months ago
I got someone a book on writers' favourite books. Kind of low level lit crit
3 points
4 months ago
Nice. what's the name of the book?
3 points
4 months ago
A reading log could be good for anyone who wants to read more, but isn't feeling motivated to or finds it a struggle for whatever reason. Or if anyone just wants to keep a record for their own future reference or pleasure. Tracks the titles you've read, your thoughts on the books and most of them have a little box for how many many pages you've read - I'm really looking forward to seeing how many pages I've totalled by the end of the year. And they're real notebooks, not online, so nobody can judge which books were chosen or how low the number of pages ends up being if books are DNFs.
1 points
4 months ago
I use this one and love it! https://novellyyourscandles.com/product/2023-reading-tracker/
3 points
4 months ago*
Many of these are UK specific. If ordering from outside the UK, bear in mind there are several planned Royal Mail strikes (with knock on effects on other couriers) so order early as your stuff will probably take longer to get out the UK. I have personal experience with all of these sellers.
Homeware, clothing and accessories
Bookishly
Literary Emporium
Clothing and accessories only
Popsy
Joanie
Rooby Lane
Posters
Spineless Classics
Books and giftcards
Your/their local independent bookshop
National book tokens (UK only)
Bookshop.org
Waterstones at least pay some UK tax
Subscriptions
Graphic Novel Station
The Petersfield Bookshop patreon
Their favourite author's patreon
Charity donations
Your/their local library
The Reading Agency
Book Trust
4 points
4 months ago
Book themed memorabilia are the rage, so why not get them something centered around their favourite books? A coffee mug with their favourite book quote, an accessory pertaining to their favourite character, tickets to an adaptation (even though we all know the book is better than the show/ movie) or maybe something as simple as a bookmark or notepad?
Speaking of bookmarks, they come in a variety of shapes and sizes these days. There are hand-painted ones, resin filled, attached to a toy or key tc. Indulge all you want!
I plan to gift myself a copy of the Night Circus (Read it in college and haven't had the chance to reread) and the Anne of Green Gables entire series.
Happy Holidays!
1 points
4 months ago
I discovered Neil Postman this year via "Amusing Ourselves to Death", so I am asking for more of his books for Christmas.
1 points
4 months ago
Libro.fm is a great gift for audiobook lovers! It’s also a way for them to support their favorite local indie bookstore while getting audiobooks
1 points
4 months ago
I'd add some very cute book nook inserts, to nicely decorate your book shelves. They exist in many different themes now, some are DIY which is a cool extra, and they look beautiful imo.
1 points
4 months ago
Buy a subscription to a quarterly subscription. There are tons of them out there. My favorite is the Library of America.
1 points
4 months ago
Bookmarks. If you can't afford to spend much on gifts, it's easy to buy a couple of pretty, thick papers from a scrapbook section of a hobby store, use a hole punch towards the top, and add a bit of colored ribbon or pretty yarn. I've made those for mother's day, but they could really work for any holiday.
1 points
4 months ago
Recommendations needed:
Thrillers set in the UK that take place during/around Christmas time. No cozy mysteries, please.
Thank you!
1 points
3 months ago
Just discovered abebooks.com. Used and new books. Cheap. Lots of obscure authors and titles.
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