Still holiday shopping? So are we -- and we've been taking notes. Introducing our series of gift guides for your "easy to figure out, but hard to shop for" friends. Today, Jackalope Ranch's Gift Guide for the Book Lover.
It's getting down to crunch time and by next weekend leisurely strolling around the mall hoping to come across the perfect gift just isn't going to cut it. You need a plan of action and we're here to offer plenty of suggestions for the book worm in your life.
See also: - Jackalope Ranch's Gift Guides 2012
The natural tendency when shopping for a book lover would be to, duh, buy a book. But chances are they have a mental queue of future reads a mile long. They might even have them stockpiled and ready to go. So, unless you're psychic or willing to accept that your bookish friend may not use your gift until this time next year, here are a few other ideas for the literature fan.
5. Zipmark bookmark ($9)
As much as we book worms wish we could read 24 hours a day, seven days week, life and biology demand we take a break. For such inconvenient moments, someone invented the bookmark and while any old scrap of paper could do, the Zipmark is a fun way to hold your page. A bookmark that looks like a zipper! Ingenious. Available from Monkey Business in three colors.
4. An E-Reader (Amazon's Kindles, $69 - 179)
Don't freak out. We know the objections. "There's nothing like holding a physical book ... I like the smell of paper and ink ... blah, blah, blah." But when it comes to convenience, there's really nothing like having the world's library of books at your fingertips. Trust us, we were late to the E-Reader game, too. But when we selected, downloaded and began reading our first title in under five minutes we were sold -- at least a little -- on the wonder of new technology.
3. Personal Embosser and Stand ($39.95)
The easiest way to lose a book-collecting friend is by borrowing a book and never giving it back. They hate that, and we mean, they really hate that. The easy (and creative!) solution to the problem? A personal embosser with which to mark all your intellectual goodies. The Williams and Sonoma set even comes with a personalized "The Library of" embossing plate.
2. Book Candle ($49)
For the reader who has it all -- the gadgets and the goodies and a spare set on standby -- there's even a library scented candle from Assouline, a luxury book publisher based in New York City. The scent, created by one of the world's sensory experts, "evoke[s] the atmosphere of your fantasy library, and the pleasure of reading, through the enigmatic scent of paper," according to the website. 1. A Vintage/Collectable Book from Old Town Books
Whether it's out of print, first edition or just a quirky read on an obscure topic, you're bound to find something for your taste at Old Town Books. For such a tiny store they pack a whole lot of inventory and are willing to help you hunt through their leaning towers of titles to find the perfect gift. These are the gifts your book fiend friends will display forever on their shelves. And bonus, the hunting will be enjoyable for you as well.
