With the holidays around the corner, I thought it would be fun to share some gift ideas for all you book lovers out there, to add to your list or to give to the bibliophile in your life (click on each photo for link to website).
- A book subscription. For example, London-based Peirene Press will send you or your loved one a new book every four months. They specialize in European Literature (in translation).
- The Last Book by Reinier Gerritsen. Based on the idea that traditional paperbacks are disappearing and, therefore, the last physical book you might see could very well be in the hands of someone reading in the subway. This is mainly a book of photographs of people reading in the NYC subway: a celebration of the book as object.
- Lumio Book Lamp. Illuminate any library with this beautiful book lamp from the Museum of Modern Art. When closed it looks like a hardcover book, when opened it transforms into a fascinating light.
image from keep.com
- Paper Passion Perfume. A perfume that hints of the scent of paper. The packaging is beautiful in itself as it’s a book (the perfume bottle is nestled inside the pages).
image from mhpbooks.com
- Le Petit Prince onesie. Celebrate the little prince in your life (comes in different sizes, even in adult t-shirts for the big prince in your life).
- Banned book socks. One foot makes a statement, the other isn’t allowed to.
- A reading rubber duck for all you fellow bath readers out there.
reading interrupted. 
Hah! Love the last one, and those are some thoughtful gift ideas!
The little duck is cute, isn’t it? Quack, Quack!
Great ideas and beautiful gifts! You can buy Mr. Bowie the last one… 😉
Perhaps he will find it when he wakes up on Sinterklaas 😉
Who knows… Life is full of surprises.
Yes 🙂
What a great list! The duck is the cutest…. But I like everything in this list! What a great idea!
I wonder what the duck is reading? Proust peut-etre?
I think those banned book socks are going to find their way to my sister for Christmas! BTW, I finally read To Kill a Mockingbird…of course it’s wonderful…
How great, I bet your sister will love them! I might get a pair myself.
I’m so glad you enjoyed To Kill a Mockingbird. Sometimes we read classics with such high expectations but in the end they do meet them revealing why they are classics in the first place.
I agree. At first I was not so impressed but the further I read, the more engrossed I became. All the characters are so complex underneath it all. It was also à propos for today’s current events.
That’s interesting to think it’s still relatable to today’s current events, what a thoughtful point. She’s such a good writer.
Those are great! I love the book lamp. The paper perfume seems like such a funny idea but sadly we don’t smell that book smell enough anymore so it’s perfect for that nostalgic feeling of walking into a bookstore and breathing it all in.
I have the paper perfume and it’s such a lovely object in itself. The scent is only slightly reminiscent of books, but does make me think of paper and is quite pleasing. The book lamp looks great, doesn’t it? I wonder how much it lights up around it.
Want that lamp!
Me too! We’ll buy it for each other one day, haha!
Oh, man! These are all so rad. I had a rubber ducky in the bath pretty consistently in my 20’s. She was purple and her name was Daisy. I think this book reading fellow would have been a good companion for her…may she rest. 😦
I love the book lamp, but I’m gonna have to go with the banned book socks. Amazing!!!
Of course your rubber ducky would have a name and her name would be Daisy 🙂 You should get a new one!
I like those socks a lot too. I think I’ll add them to my list….
As always, you’ve found the best stuff! I love the socks as well as the idea of a gift book club. Thanks for the info!
Thanks, Carrie, those socks are proving to be quite a hit. I wonder if we’ll all be wearing them come the new year.
I really like the idea of the subscription book gift. I’ve never done that or received that but the idea is lovely as it’s an ongoing present and we all love receiving gifts through the post.
And less calories than the chocolate-of-the-month club!
Definitely!
I love the lamp! May have to get it for myself. Great post, Letizia!
It’s beautiful. Let me know if you end up getting it. I’m tempted to get it myself. Thanks for the tweet, darling.
Ooh, I’ve always wanted a rubber duck! I hope he’s reading The Wind in the Willows…
What a cute reading choice for him!
Love the socks! Will have to get some. I am already enjoying the glowing light of the Lumio. I received it as a gift awhile ago. It’s such a cool design. My husband and son are so thoughtful! 😀
I remember you mentioning that you have the Lumio. Do you always keep it open or is it pretty when it is closed as well? The socks are fun, right? 🙂
p.s. You’ve been on my mind whenever I see all the rain in SF. Hope all is well.
I only open it when I sit down to read. It looks like a book, otherwise. My son loves the “secret light.”
The rain has been very welcome, here, even if we have to put up with the occasional sink hole or flooded underpass. I don’t think Hwy 1 has washed into the ocean in any place, yet. They just finished a tunnel that bypasses Devil’s Slide between Pacifica and Half Moon Bay, the infamous area that would erode and fall into the Pacific whenever we had heavy rains. The area has been turned into a hiking trail with stunning views.
We are looking forward to going to the mountains for the holidays to play in the snow. I hope it stays!
How lovely to have a new hiking trail. The images on the news, especially of the sink holes, are alarming.
I hope the snow stays and that yoy get a chance to ski!
Two sounds cool. Socks are funny.
The book is interesting. There’s a short essay and then the rest is a series of photos of people reading.
I loved everyone of your ideas! Every choice was brilliantly displayed – you have a talent for marketing. For me, Christmas has always been about books and more books. And of course, I must add a quote from my favourite Christmas book: “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”
Thank you for creating an amazing blog that celebrates the joy and possibilities that come from reading.
Thank you so much for your sweet words, Rebecca. Christmas is a time of book, I agree! I hope Santa brings you many this year!
I’ve been a very good person this year – I should be getting many books. And of course, Santa has helpers at the local library. I’m certain that they really are in fact, Santa’s elves!!! 🙂
Great ideas. The socks are my fave!
They are great and so clever!
The lumio is such a cool light. I remember when I first saw it and was mesmerized! I love the duckie reading 🙂 Can you believe it’s almost Christmas?!!
It is a mesmerizing light, perfect word!
I love books best, but bookish things are wonderful, too. I have a shirt with an old Pride & Prejudice cover that I’m pretty sure came from the same place as those socks… And assorted others, to show my love of books everywhere.
I kind of want a book bag that says “I like big books and I cannot lie,” except I already have several book bags.
Haha, I saw that book bag on one of the websites. It really made me laugh!
Fabulous suggestions. Thank you. Thought of you the other day when I heard they are putting a beach library on Coogee beach in Sydney for the first time.
Oh how cool. I wonder if it will be the same as the one on Bondi beach. I’ll have to look into that, thanks!
A rubber duck reading, astounding! I would love to have a whole armada of those and then struggle to fit in the bath with them. These are great ideas, the book about people reading reminded me of a post of just such that I reblogged ages ago and shall send you the link. Sometimes it is fun to watch the reader as long as you don’t put them off by rubbing your knees…not that that has ever happened to me of course!
https://stevemccurry.wordpress.com/2012/07/08/to-fly/
I remember that post about people reading but it was great to revisit it again.
And I love the image of a bath full of the ducks reading, fantastic!
Somewhere in some other dimension, there is a bath full of plastic bloggers reading surrounding a duck, who is speculating that somewhere in some other dimension….
Hahaha!! That image is forever engrained in my mind now!!! You are a genius.
And you inspire me to think of such things.
🙂
This is a great list, Letizia. What a clever book light! 🙂
I spend my subway commuting time in the company of a good book. Once I happened to glance over at the woman reading next to me and she was not only reading the same book as I was, but she was on the same exact page! Talk about a coincidence. 🙂
That must have been so strange, like a mirror universe!!
That Lumio lamp is lovely. I love seeing other people read books in airports and subways. I also have fond memories of Thanksgiving-time or Christmas-time family gatherings where a good portion of the family was setted into a sofa or armchair reading a book. That still happens.
It’s true, Christy, there’s something very lovely about seeing people gathered together reading, whether at home or even on the subway or at airports. I wonder if that’s why we like seeing them read in public spaces, it’s something intimate done in a private place, something cozy. Thanks for dropping by!
What wonderfully unique gifts these are Letizia, only you could share such amazing ideas, all book related of course! Love the book lamp, my son would love that (remember him, the one who got told off in school for reading too much?)!!!!
Thank you, Sherri, I’m so glad you like them too. I remember that great story about your son; he would love the lamp, I’m sure!!
Haha…I knew you would remember Letizia…and yes, actually, I wouldn’t mind the lamp myself! Perhaps I should drop a few hints 😉
I will let Santa Claus know that you are interested in it 🙂
Haha…thanks Letizia…you can tell him I’ve been very good this year 😉
Terrific ideas! Thanks!
So glad you like them too, perhaps you can buy yourself something from the list!
Letizia I love all the ideas, very quirky and unique. I am most happy when I receive a book as a gift. Everybody knows Im a book worm as is my daughter. Happy shopping to you.
I hope you and your daughter receive many books this year!
Those socks are fabulous. I like the paper-scented perfume too. Much better than Kindle-scented perfume!
Kindle-scented perfume, haha!
Cool and creative book ideas. Definitely unique gifts I’d wanna give away.
Thanks, let me know if you do!
Paper passion perfume is SUCH a fun idea, I love the smell of paper. the first thing I do with a new book (or an old book for that matter) is smell it. I wonder if it wearing it would make people think of books and stories – that would be wonderful and a great reason to wear it!
That’s the first thing I do as well when I open a book! I have the paper perfume. It’s such a lovely object as it’s nestled in a book. The scent is not really that close to a book, more like paper, but I have received compliments on it!
I want them all! I always wanted a book ring but have not found one that looks like a real book or a book purse, have seen a couple online. Do you have book jewelry?
I haven’t seen any book rings that I like but if I do, I’ll let you know. It’s a cute idea.
So beautiful!… ❤ I love this post Letizia.
Have a great week ahead. Best regards, Aquileana 😀
Books are such a special gift ❤ I've picked out a few reads for my nieces for Xmas this year. Happy Holidays, Letizia 🙂
They make the best gifts! Happy holidays, my friend!