Thursday, December 2, 2010

Very Unusual Holiday Gifts for Book Lovers

Booktryst's Linda Hedrick hits the stacks and discovers delightfully different Holiday gifts.

by Linda Hedrick


It’s that time of the year again, when we suffer from not knowing what to get our book-loving friends as a holiday gift.  Another gift card?  No, it should be something that expresses our dear appreciation of them, and something that will be dearly appreciated by them.

This year we’ve been fortunate and have found some truly interesting things for everyone on our list, and, we suspect, yours, too.

Smell any good books lately?

Book deodorizer – who hasn’t suffered from smelly books?  Your friends will appreciate your thoughtfulness as they open up a bag of book deodorizing granules.  Just put a layer of granules in an airtight plastic container with your book(s) and seal.  Two weeks later – voila!  Fresh-smelling books! And, even better, the granules are biodegradable so they can go straight into your compost pile once they’ve been exhausted.  All natural, non-toxic, made in the U.S.A.  Perfect for the environmental readers on your list,  you can buy them here:  1 pound for $16; 6 pounds for $75.  Such a deal!

May be used as a bib

For the children on your list, or for the inept reader that can’t seem to take proper care of their books, we have one word: Plastics.  Thanks to a collaboration between UFSCAR (Universidade Federal de São Carlos) and Vitopel Brasil, a new product is available – Vitopaper – similar to the film used for labels and snack packages.  This new plastic paper can be used for handwritten texts using a pencil or pen, or with graphic processes.  It absorbs less ink, saving up to 20% of one’s ink allotment, a savvy consideration with current economic factors.  Made from recycled plastic it is costly but lasts indefinitely, making it the perfect choice to have someone’s favorite book printed on. 

Collecting late fees may be an issue.

Do you know book lovers who are constantly loaning out their books and never get them back?  Or perhaps you have friends with secret librarian fetishes.  In either case, the DIY Library Kit is the perfect gift.  The kit includes 20 self-adhesive pockets, 20 checkout cards, date stamp, inkpad, and pencil.  You can also buy a refill kit of 15 self-adhesive pockets and 15 checkout cards.  Help them help themselves.

Light up your life with books.

One can never have too bookish an atmosphere, and lights made of books will complement any décor. The book lamps by Myungseo Kang have the right bookish vibe and create the proper ambient lighting for bibliophiles.



Perhaps not bright enough to read by but warm and cozy like a good book, these lamps can be placed anywhere.  A truly illuminating gift idea.

When Sally Met Sally.

Let us not forget our bookish same sex couple friends.  The “I Love You Library”  will hold their most precious books while honoring their shared lives and interests.  Imagine them filled with books, icons of bookish souls, fused together for eternity.

When Harry Met Harry.

Made of welded and brushed aluminum and MDF, they can also serve as a conversation piece. Available in two styles:  Two women holding hands in bright pink, or two men holding hands in dark charcoal. 


For those friends who love to multitask, perhaps the ideal present would be this multifunctional  piece. of furniture.  The Fishbol Bookseat combines a bookcase and a lounge chair made of birch plywood. Perfect for today’s urban living, and ideal for today’s bookworm.

Manufacturer does not warranty against damp-stained books.
Book soap-on-a-rope not included.

For that super-special person in your life nothing will do but the Library Bath by Swedish designer Malin Lundmark. Combining a bathtub, an armchair, AND a bookshelf, the Library Bath is the ultimate gift for a beloved savant.  It will give new meaning to the idea of relaxing with a good book - the piece de resistance for reading that magnum opus.  (Note:  can be used with the book deodorizing granules so both reader and book can end their tryst smelling fresh!).

We hope these suggestions have provided food for gift-thought.  We book people enjoy receiving discerning, book-related gifts, particularly if they're a bit off-the-shelf and beaten path. 
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1 comment:

  1. Awesome stuff. It can be so hard to find interesting books for book lovers. Thanks for doing the research for us!

    ReplyDelete

 
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