Best Gifts For Book Nerds For The Holidays

As an avid reader, I am confronted each birthday, Christmas, or other gift giving occasion by family and friends begging me for ideas for presents. When someone like myself loves to read and everyone knows it, eventually, a book just doesn't always cut it since that's pretty much the go-to gift from everyone we know. So if you are someone looking for ideas for that reader you know then perhaps you can find the perfect idea here.

One of the best ideas for a gift for a reader, especially if they are running low on storage space, is an e-reader. This isn't for every bibliomaniac since there are those who consider the use of e-readers to be a traitorous act in the book realm so be careful with this one. I used to be one of those but became a partial convert to the e-book when I ran out of places to put my collection. I personally have experience with and enjoy Amazon's Kindle and, more recently, the Kindle Fire.

The Kindle is basic, light-weight and now only $79. As a student, the fact that it was basic and so small helped me a lot with keeping all of my books on hand for class while not overloading my bag. The screen looks amazing if you haven't seen it before. Instead of looking like a computer screen which can bother your eyes after a while it actually looks like ink on paper. The font can be changed to make it larger, smaller, darker, or lighter to fit your needs to make it more legible.

One thing I would recommend if you decide on getting this for someone is that you buy them a protective cover as well. Some of the covers, like the one I found for the Kindle Fire to the right, actually look like regular books which I thought was pretty fantastic since I'd love my e-reader to at least kind of look like the real thing. A cover is essential because it is easy to get a microscopic little crack on the screen which will completely destroy it. This happened to me but luckily I was still able to exchange it under the warranty.

The Kindle Fire has everything the regular Kindle has, with some new additions, of course, and will cost you $199. What makes it extra special is the nice big touch screen and the ability to download apps and access the internet much easier. It's also nice because I can finally read in the dark before bed, something that was impossible with the Kindle since it had no back-lighting. The snazzy colors with a little bit bigger screen than its predecessor also help make it a touch more special and worth the price.

For those who still like the real deal sort of books and prefer good old paperbacks, a nice book cover may be a fantastic choice in a gift this year. This is perfect for those readers who are really picky about how their books are used. You know, the ones who can't crack the binding, write on the margins, or "dog ear" (fold) the page corners.

There's a wide variety of covers with designs so that you can find one that suits that specific person you're looking for. Most of them that I found on amazon were around $12.99, which makes it the perfect stocking stuffer.

Bookends are a basic need for any person with a large collection of books that they love to display. This is also something that tends to be put off as the collector spends more on books than on any type of decorations. They are a simple way of adding a little more personalization to any bookshelf and a great way to promote your loved one's passion for reading without buying them yet another book.

Personalizing the bookends by adding pictures, like the ones to the right, add an extra pinch of special to this gift that help add even more individuality to their shelf space. Purchasing bookends that fit the general theme of the author's interests can also do this. If they love ancient Greek history, why not get ones like those shown on the right? Perhaps the fantasy novel lover would like some dragons amidst their collection? This is your chance to find something creative and fun that will be a guaranteed hit for that reader you know and love.

One thing I have always wanted as a reader but never got was a good book light. For those who just can't stop reading til they finish the novel or can't get a proper night's sleep without a good reading first, this is the perfect gift. Anything that lets us readers see our books that much better is always a plus.

Be careful when buying a book light that you get one that is not potentially damaging to the pages. No matter how much a reader abuses their book, having the book light rip each page as they go is not in any way okay. In my experience, I've always received lights that had a metal clip that attached it to the pages so it may be that the metal is the reason for all of the torn pages since it didn't have rounded edges. This is just a guess but perhaps it may help in finding one that doesn't do this.

The best part of this gift is that the price range goes from a couple of bucks all the way up to the hundreds. This makes it a great stocking stuffer or a nice simple gift that is guaranteed to be useful for its recipient.

If you aren't confident stepping out of the box a little, go ahead and go back to buying them books. One thing that I enjoy receiving is a special edition of my favorite book or a really old copy. So go search the online stores or that old bookstore on the corner and pick them up something really interesting. The best gifts are those that have that little touch of the unexpected. Yeah, you got them their favorite novel or the new one that they've been asking for but if you get one that makes it more than just a regular book then that makes it much more memorable and appreciated.

Happy shopping!