10 Gift Ideas for Literature Lovers

Happy springtime! I hope you're all enjoying the sunshine and blue sky that we're being graced with here in the UK! Spring time for me marks the beginning of a hectic birthday season; from March to May, it seems that my nearest and dearest have their birthdays, so I have to inflict a rigid timetable of shopping and browsing on myself (pure hell, as you can imagine!) My friends and family also happen to be book lovers, as the best folk tend to be, so I've been trawling for trinkets and gifts that nod to this passion, and I thought I'd share with you a rundown of some bookish gift ideas and online shops for anyone looking to please the bookworms in their lives.

10. Map of Literary Britain and Northern Ireland

I hope my friends and family are reading this, as I am selfishly and ruthlessly angling for one of these, but this map of the British Isle's rich literary heritage will make the hearts of book-nerds skip a beat when they admire it on their wall (preferably above a stuffed bookcase.) 

Find it here at theliterarygiftcompany.com, where you're bound to pick up a few more treasures for the literary-minded.

9. Finger Puppets of their favourite writers

Dostoevsky

Hannah Arendt

Pair these with a bottle of whisky, and you have yourself a fine evening in on birthday week. Collect Jacques Derrida, Hannah Arendt, Kurt Vonnegut, Dostoevsky and Dorthy Parker amongst others. May be the closest I'll ever get to my perfect dinner party line up. 

8. A Classic Book Cover for Kindle 

For your Kindle-living friends, inject a little tactile and visual pleasure into an inferior reading experience. (Ahem.) These are super cute, and come in a range of classic titles from the Theory of Relativity to The Jungle Book, so even if you're reading 50 Shades, you'll look awesome doing it.












7. A T-Shirt from Out of Print clothing

Show your Orwell allegiance, or wear your love of Poe on your chest. I have my eye on the Tropic of Cancer for a friend... Plus their models have steaze, check out this guy showing off his modelling 101 chops. ===> 







6.Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason

Part of a 'Book Lust' series, this all-in-one volume will prescribe and summarize perfect books to read, as the title suggests, for every mood, and surveys genre, place and theme to point your giftee towards their next favourite book. 

5. DVDs of their favorite adaptations / literary themed films

Maybe a cop out, but the next few months sees lots of releases of adaptations to enjoy. They include, deep breath;

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Game of Thrones Season 3 (TV), 12 Years a Slave, The Musketeers (TV), Moonfleet (TV), True Blood Season 6 (TV), Carrie, The Invisible Woman aaaand Kill your Darlings. Hit up Amazon and get your screening on. 

4. An Annual Subscription to Peirene Press

I've previously review the gorgeous Sea of Ink courtesy of this lovely independent London-based publisher of novellas in translation, and luckily for readers, they offer annual subscriptions: 3 books with a theme, each handpicked by staff; with thoughtful threads such as 'Coming of Age', 'Male Dilemma' and 'Turning Point', you're bound to fine one that speaks to your giftee.

3. LiteraryEmporium at Etsy

This delightful store based in Frome, UK specializes in beautiful handmade gifts, with a Classics of literature twist. From sassy badges, to beautiful, delicate necklaces mounted on cards with classic quotes with charms tying in to their theme, you will surely find something really special for to suit fans of  Fitzgerald, Tolkein, Dickinson , Woolf...

2. Penguin Books online store

The daddy of all gift shops for book lovers. As well as well-curated and beautifully presented collections of their titles and specially bound editions, you can buy the classic deckchairs, mugs and prints emblazoned with the covers of their most famous works.

1. Make a donation on behalf of your giftee to a charity battling illiteracy.

What could be a greater gift to anyone than the ability to enjoy a book? There are many charities combating illiteracy worth your time, from BookAid International to Springboard, and for gifts to sisters, mothers, daughters and your girlfriends, check out the many initiatives on Catapult.org that deal with illiteracy in young women globally.