It will come as a surprise to exactly no one that I love to give books as gifts. I think it’s the coziest thing ever.
I think it says, “I believe in the part of you that craves knowledge and growth.” It says, “You deserve to take time for yourself: to unwind, to learn, and to challenge yourself.”
A book is a great gift to get for someone who “has everything” because, in my humble opinion, you can never have too many books. The limit does not exist.
Sometimes, though, book gift-giving can be tricky. When it comes to fiction, how can you be sure that they haven’t read that book already? (I have some tips for this particular problem down at the bottom of the post).
And with nonfiction, you don’t want to come across prescriptive either. Like, “here’s this parenting book because your kids suck.” Or, “you seem like you could use this book about managing stress.” No, not the vibe. We want our nonfiction book gifts to be uplifting, inspiring, or entertaining.
Today, I’m sharing a handful of what I believe to be some of the best books to gift. I tried to break it up into categories as best I could. And there’s a few tips for gifting books to the already-active readers at the end.
The Best Books to Gift this Christmas:
For your tech bro husband:
The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday (or check out his boxed set).
Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferris
Think Again by Adam Grant
For the resident family therapist:
Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
For the aspiring creative cousin:
Bird by Bird by Ann Lamott
The Artist’s Way by Julie Cameron
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
For the history buff uncle:
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
Killing Lincoln by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard
The Bomber Mafia by Malcom Gladwell
For your royals-obsessed sister:
HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style by Elizabeth Holmes
The Queen by Andrew Morton
The soon-to-be parent:
Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman
Operating Instructions by Ann Lamott
Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy
Your favorite homemaker:
Made for Living by Amber Lewis
Half Baked Harvest by Tieghan Gerard
The serial traveler:
Provence Glory by Francois Simon
The New Paris by Lindsey Tramuta
The Travel Book by Lonely Planet
Tips for the gifting a book to an intimidatingly active reader:
Want to get a book for the reader you love but are nervous to get them something you’ve already read? Here are a few tips I thought of:
- Steal their Kindle! If this person reads on their Kindle, you can easily glance through the books they’ve read.
- Check out the backlist of an author they recently read and loved.
- Get them a gift card to a local bookstore. Can’t go wrong.
- Get them a book from or a gift card to Persephone Books. This is my favorite little publisher based in Bath, England. They focus on uncovering and republishing once-neglected works by female authors in the 20th century. I’ve loved everything I’ve read from this publishing house, and they have the most beautiful covers and packaging. This would make a wonderful gift for the avid reader.
For a list of recent fiction recommendations, check out my list of the best books I read this fall.
For even more recommendations, head to my bookshelf.
Looking for more gift ideas? Click here.
