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Best Books to Gift for Christmas: Ideas for Every Reader

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Last updated 17 books

Short answer

If you only buy one, pick by taste: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie for a mystery fan, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir for a science fiction reader, and Born a Crime by Trevor Noah for a memoir lover. The rest of this page sorts 17 books by who you are buying for.

Gifts for thriller and mystery readers

For the aunt who reads crime in the bath or the dad who always guesses the killer first. Both picks below are puzzle-led and easy to wrap without any worry that the recipient has read them before.

  1. And Then There Were None

    Agatha Christie, 1939

    Ten strangers are lured to an island off the Devon coast, each accused of a past crime, and they die one by one in step with a nursery rhyme. It reads as a single self-contained story. Gift note: no series knowledge needed, so it suits both a newcomer to crime and a lifelong fan.

  2. The Thursday Murder Club

    Richard Osman, 2020

    Four retirees in a quiet village form a club to look into cold cases, until a murder happens on their doorstep. It is warm and light on gore. Gift note: this is book one of a series, so it is a good start for someone who wants more to read afterwards.

Gifts for romance and romantasy readers

Romance fans are often the easiest people to buy for, because they read fast and love a recommendation. Spice levels vary a lot, so check the retailer description before you wrap, especially for a relative or a colleague.

  1. Book Lovers

    Emily Henry, 2022

    Nora, a demanding literary agent, spends August in a small North Carolina town and keeps running into Charlie Lastra, a brooding book editor she has met before. The leads work in publishing, which makes it a natural gift for someone who loves books about books. The publisher lists hardcover, paperback, ebook and audiobook editions. The publisher gives no content warnings, and its blurbs describe the book as sexy as well as funny.

  2. The Love Hypothesis

    Ali Hazelwood, 2021

    Olive Smith, a third-year PhD candidate, kisses a stranger to prove a point to her best friend, and he turns out to be a young professor, Adam Carlsen, who agrees to act as her fake boyfriend. It is a campus rom-com about scientists. Gift note: the publisher's page gives no content note, so check a retailer description before giving it to a grandparent or colleague.

Gifts for fantasy and sci fi fans

A fan of the genre has often read the famous ones, so one pick here is a long-standing classic and one is a recent standalone. Either works for a dad, a brother or a friend who likes big ideas.

  1. The Hobbit

    J.R.R. Tolkien, 1937

    Tolkien's best-known work, first published by George Allen & Unwin in 1937 and originally billed as a children's book, though it drew a wide adult readership too. Gift note: a good way in for a teen or for anyone who has only seen the films.

  2. Project Hail Mary

    Andy Weir, 2021

    A lone astronaut wakes on a ship deep in space with his crewmates dead and his memory gone, and he has to finish a last-chance mission to save Earth. It is a standalone novel with plenty of science in the plot. Gift note: a safe pick for someone who likes science fiction and puzzles.

Gifts for history and nonfiction lovers

Pick from three kinds of nonfiction reader: someone who wants to change a habit, someone who likes a book that changed public opinion, and someone drawn to a first-hand account of a period of history.

  1. Atomic Habits

    James Clear, 2018

    A practical guide to improving by small changes, with ideas such as habit stacking and the Two Minute Rule. Gift note: it fits a New Year mood, but it can read as a hint, so give it to someone who has asked for it or likes self-improvement.

  2. Silent Spring

    Rachel Carson, 1962

    Carson's book on pesticides first ran in The New Yorker in June 1962 and appeared as a book that September. Gift note: a considered, serious read for a gardener, a nature lover or a history reader.

  3. The Diary of a Young Girl

    Anne Frank, 1947

    Anne Frank's diary letters, written from 12 June 1942 to 1 August 1944, first appeared in Dutch as Het Achterhuis. The English title is The Diary of a Young Girl. Gift note: moving rather than festive, and a good choice for an older teen or an adult who reads history.

Gifts for people who love a memoir

Memoir is a good choice for someone who says they do not read novels. These two are life stories told in strong voices, one funny and one a landmark.

  1. Born a Crime

    Trevor Noah, 2016

    Trevor Noah's stories from a South African childhood, published by Spiegel & Grau as a 304-page hardcover. The listing files it under memoirs and humor. Gift note: a friendly gift for a fan of the author or anyone who enjoys true stories told with jokes.

  2. The Autobiography of Malcolm X

    Malcolm X and Alex Haley, 1965

    A life story told to and written with Alex Haley, first printed by Grove in 1965. Gift note: a substantial read, best for someone who likes to take their time with a serious book.

Gifts for teens and young adults

Teens buy and read more than people assume, and they notice when a gift is chosen for them. Both picks below are young adult novels with a clear plot that pulls you along. Check the age range if the recipient is under 14.

  1. The Hunger Games

    Suzanne Collins, 2008

    In a dystopian future, twelve boys and twelve girls are forced into a televised fight to the death, and sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister's place. It is recommended for ages 12 and up. Gift note: this is book one of a series and it moves quickly, which helps with a reluctant reader.

  2. The Hate U Give

    Angie Thomas, 2017

    Sixteen-year-old Starr moves between her neighbourhood and her suburban school and is the only witness when police shoot her unarmed best friend, Khalil. Advisory: the plot is built around that shooting, so it suits a mature teen who wants a serious story. Gift note: strong for book-club teens and for readers who like novels about real issues.

Gifts for someone who reads little (short books)

For the friend who says they never have time, a short book is a kinder gift than a doorstop. Both picks below can be read in a few evenings.

  1. Small Things Like These

    Claire Keegan, 2021

    In 1985 in a small Irish town, coal merchant Bill Furlong makes a delivery to the local convent in the busy weeks before Christmas and uncovers something that forces him to face his own past. At 128 pages it takes an evening or two. Gift note: it is set at Christmas but it is serious rather than cosy.

  2. The Old Man and the Sea

    Ernest Hemingway, 1952

    A novella of about 27,000 words about Santiago, an aging fisherman who hooks a giant marlin, first published by Scribner in 1952 at 142 pages. Page counts differ between editions, so check the one you are buying. Gift note: easy to finish and easy to give to a dad or a grandfather.

Gifts for book lovers who are also writers

If the person you are buying for is writing something, or says they will one day, these two books are about the craft. Both are part writing guide, part personal story.

  1. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

    Stephen King, 2000

    King moves from his early life to practical advice on tools, plot, character, work habits and rejection, and includes his account of the 1999 accident and his recovery. A Twentieth Anniversary Edition from Scribner came out on 2 June 2020. Gift note: useful to a first-time novelist and enjoyable for a reader who has never written a word.

  2. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

    Anne Lamott, 1994

    Lamott mixes practical advice with personal stories, including how to treat a first draft and how to build plot from character. The title comes from her father's advice to her panicked brother, to take it bird by bird. Gift note: friendly and practical about getting a first draft down, though it gives no advice on revision, so it suits a writer who is stuck at the start.

How to choose a book as a gift

Start with what the person already reads, not what is famous. A thriller fan will usually enjoy another thriller more than a prize-winning literary novel they would never pick up themselves.

Think about length too. A 400 page novel is a lovely gift for someone with time over the holidays and a burden for someone without. If you are unsure, go shorter.

Check whether a book is a series. If it is book one, say so on the card so the recipient knows there is more to read. If it is a later book, they will need the earlier ones first.

Finally, add a line inside the cover. A short note about why you chose it is worth more than the wrapping.

More Christmas book lists

Want books set at Christmas for yourself? Read our best Christmas books list. For a reading group, see Christmas books for book clubs, and for children, Christmas picture books. The full set lives on the Books hub.

A book of their own

If someone you are buying for has a story they have always wanted to tell, our team can help with ghostwriting or a finished look with book cover design.

Questions readers ask

What book makes a good Christmas gift?

A book chosen for the person's taste beats a famous one. If you do not know their taste, a standalone is safest: And Then There Were None for a mystery fan, Project Hail Mary for a science fiction reader, or Born a Crime for someone who likes true stories.

What do you give someone who has everything on their shelf?

Choose a book from a different shelf: a memoir for a novel reader, a short classic they have not got round to, or a book about writing if they have ever said they want to write. Ask a partner or friend what they already own, or sneak a look at their shelves.

What is the best Christmas present for a book lover?

A book chosen for them, with a short note written inside the cover. Pick the genre they read most, add one title slightly outside it, and give it in print so they can keep it. If you want a free idea for yourself, our book title and plot idea generators are on this page.

Is it OK to give an ebook as a Christmas gift?

Yes, if the person reads on a phone or e-reader. The publisher lists an ebook for Book Lovers by Emily Henry, and other titles above may have one, so check the edition before you buy. A print copy is easier to wrap and inscribe, so choose print for a keepsake and ebook for a last-minute gift.

How do I avoid giving a book someone already owns?

Ask someone close to them, or pick a title that is not a famous one. A lesser-known author in their favorite genre is less likely to be a duplicate. Include a gift receipt if the shop allows it, and tell the person they can swap it.

What should I give a teen who hates reading?

Start with a story that moves fast and let them drop it if it does not hook them. The Hunger Games is a plot-driven young adult novel recommended for ages 12 and up. A short book such as The Old Man and the Sea is also easier to finish than a long one.

How we checked these books

Every title, author and year was checked against the publisher, retailer or library page below on. The notes on each book are our own.