Book Gift Ideas for Someone Who Says They Have Enough Books

Match the genre they are in now, not the one they used to be in

Reading taste shifts. Someone deep into memoirs this year might have been all thrillers last year. A book that matches what they have mentioned reading lately lands far better than a popular title picked off a table. Listen for the last two or three books they talked about, and choose another by the same author or in the same corner of the shelf.

Save the specific title before it gets lost in conversation

“I have been meaning to read that” is one of the easiest hints to catch and one of the easiest to lose. Saving it as a hint the moment it comes up means it is still there when you need a gift idea, and it means you are buying a book they have already said they want, not guessing.

Book gift ideas for someone who owns everything

If you are not sure what they have read, look beyond the paperback. A beautiful hardback of a book they already love, a signed or special edition, or a box set of a series they have only half finished all feel like a step up from a first read.

Illustrated and coffee table books are another safe route, because few people buy them for themselves. Pick a subject they care about, such as food, travel, nature, film or art, and choose one with good photography.

A good second hand or antiquarian bookshop find can also be a lovely gift if you know their taste well, as long as it is in decent condition.

Gifts that make reading nicer

A reading light that clips to a book, a comfortable bookmark, a book sleeve for the commute or a tidy bookend set all suit a reader who has plenty of books already. Keep it simple and practical.

For someone who reads on a device, a case, a charger or a gift card for their usual store works well. For someone who reads in the bath, a waterproof pouch is a small gift that gets used constantly.

Subscriptions, vouchers and the gift of a recommendation

A bookshop voucher is a perfectly good gift for a fussy reader, especially if you pair it with a handwritten note about one book you think they might enjoy. A book subscription or a membership to a local independent shop can keep the present going through the year. Always check the terms so you are not setting them up for a recurring charge they did not choose.

What to skip

Self help books aimed at fixing something about them, books you have not checked they own already, and anything chosen only because it is on a front of shop table. If you cannot tell what they would enjoy, a voucher or a reading accessory is better than a gamble.