30 Book Gifts - Rhian's Recipes

Book gifts are the best! Whether you’re looking for a present for a friend, family member or significant other, or just looking to treat yourself, you can never go wrong with a good book!

I've read (and studied) hundreds of books, but I've compiled a short selection of 30 books that I think make the best gifts, as they're the ones that have stayed with me even after I've finished reading them. It was VERY hard for me to narrow down this list as there are so many books I love!!

I've split up this book gifts guide into Fiction, Non-Fiction, Classics and Poetry, and have included tips for what sort of people each book would be most suitable for.

Collage of six book covers for Book Gifts

I would love to hear from you if you have a question about any of these books, if you've read any of these, or if there's any you would add to the list - please leave a comment below!

Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of the products, a small percentage will come to me, with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you. But given how hard it was for me to narrow down this list, you can be sure that I definitely haven't recommended anything that I don't love!!

If you're looking for vegan gift ideas, including homemade edible gifts, vegan cookbooks, kitchen gadgets and vegan food products, be sure to check out my Vegan Gift Guide!

Fiction Book Gifts:

1. One Hundred Years of Solitude

by Gabriel García Márquez

For: Anyone who loves a good story or who's interested in South America

This is my all-time favourite novel and it's a story you can really get lost in. Márquez uses "magical realism", weaving elements of fantasy into real life, to tell the story of several generations of a family living in the mythical town of Macondo in Colombia. I've read this novel four times, and get something new out of it every time. Personally, my favourite aspect of the novel is the exploration of nostalgia, as well as the memorable and unique ending.

Love in the Time of Cholera is another great book by the same author.

2. And Then There Were None

by Agatha Christie

For: Murder mystery lovers

I've read a few other books by Agatha Christie, and seen her play The Mousetrap, but this one is by far my favourite. The story is neatly contained, and the clever plot and unexpected twists make it impossible to put down!

3. Essays In Love

by Alain de Botton

For: Anyone interested in philosophy and thinking about relationships

This autobiographical novel explores the different stages of a romantic relationship and examines the emotions and dynamics between the couple. It's unique in that it focuses on the central relationship in so much depth that everything else is peripheral.

4. Like Water For Chocolate

by Laura Esquivel

For: Anyone who loves cooking or who loves romance novels

A passionate love story set in the Mexican countryside. It mixes recipes into the story, which is not only inventive in itself, but the recipes themselves are unique and interesting. Anyone who loves food and cookery is bound to love this novel! I especially enjoyed the exploration of the role that food has in celebratory occasions, and how that in turn shapes our culture and history.

5. Everything I Know About Love

by Dolly Alderton

For: Any woman in her twenties or thirties

This autobiographical memoir is written in an engaging and entertaining style that's as easy to read as a glossy magazine, but it's full of wisdom too. Packed with profound lessons about everything from dating and friendships to grief and ageing, it's a relatable and perceptive exploration of modern life.

6. My Brilliant Friend

by Elena Ferrante

For: Anyone who's interested in the female condition and female friendship or who's interested in Italy

A coming-of-age story set in working-class Naples after the Second World War, this novel charts the friendship between the narrator and her friend Lila as they move through childhood and adolescence. It's refreshingly honest in its portrayal of emotions and full of poignant observations about female friendship as well as relationships between mothers and daughters. This is the first of a series of four books, which chart the lifelong friendship between the narrator and Lila.

The Days of Abandonment is another book by the same author, which is much shorter but just as powerful in its exploration of the female condition.

7. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything

by Elizabeth Gilbert

For: Anyone who's interested in self-development or who's going through a transitional period of life

This autobiographical memoir in which the narrator travels to Italy, India and Indonesia, whilst also embarking on a voyage of self-discovery, is truly heartwarming. My friend described it as "chicken soup for the soul", and the confiding writing style does make it a soothing read.

8. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine

by Gail Honeyman

For: Anyone who loves a page-turner

I was hooked as soon as I started. The narrator may be more than a little odd, but her descriptions of everyday life are relatable and entertaining, not least because she never fails to speak her mind. The novel poignantly explores important issues such as trauma, abuse and depression, and the unexpected ending stayed with me long after I had stopped reading.

9. The Kite Runner

by Khaled Hosseini

For: Anyone who loves a war story or anyone who's interested in the modern history of Afghanistan

This novel explores the lives of young boys growing up in a war zone in modern Afghanistan. It's beautifully written and I loved the inclusion of words from the local language, which gives it an authentic feel. It's a powerful story that exposes the best and the worst of humanity.

Another amazing novel by the same author is A Thousand Splendid Suns, which explores the lives of women and their role in modern Afghan society.

10. Crazy Rich Asians

by Kevin Kwan

For: Anyone who loves Gossip Girl, who's interested in Singapore or who loved the Crazy Rich Asians film

I loved the film Crazy Rich Asians, but loved the book even more! It's an escapist novel written in an engaging style that draws you into a whole other world so far removed from your own. I loved the satirical tone and the memorable, larger-than-life characters. You'll learn a lot about Singapore and Chinese culture, too.

The other books in the trilogy, China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems are great too.

11. Falling Leaves Return to Their Roots: The True Story of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter

by Adeline Yen Mah

For: Anyone who loves an emotional read or who's interested in Chinese culture

This is a heartbreaking memoir about the author's traumatic childhood growing up in China and Hong Kong. It's beautifully written and she explores family relationships in a unique way. She recounts the injustices she had to undergo in an almost understated, factual way, creating a powerful effect on the reader.

12. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous

by Ocean Vuong

For: Anyone who loves poetry, who's interested in American identity or who likes Call Me By Your Name

This autobiographical novel is framed as a letter written by the narrator to his illiterate mother. Starting with his upbringing in the US after moving there from Vietnam as a young child, it transforms into a powerful coming-of-age story reminiscent of Call Me By Your Name. The novel tackles topics such as homosexuality, immigration, race, war, drug addiction and what it means to be American, whilst drawing the reader into an intimate story. Vuong is also a poet, so many of the passages contain poetic elements. Anyone who enjoys poetry would especially like his writing style.

13. The End of Loneliness

by Benedict Wells

For: Anyone who would benefit from an inspiring story about grief

I loved how this novel deals with various different types of love, combining sibling relationships and friendships with a passionate love story. It also offers a heartbreaking yet inspiring depiction of grief, and how loss can shape our identity.

14. Truth & Beauty: A Friendship

by Ann Patchett

For: Budding writers or anyone who loves a friendship story

This autobiographical memoir is about the friendship between the author and the poet Lucy Grealy. Not only does it offer a raw and honest portrayal of their relationship, but I also enjoyed Patchett's descriptions of the process of becoming a writer. It also deals with important issues such as Lucy Grealy's struggles with childhood cancer, surgeries and body image, as well as her mental health struggles and drug addiction.

Non-Fiction Book Gifts:

15. The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America

by Bill Bryson

For: Anyone who's interested in American culture, who loves travelling or who loves funny writing

This was the first satirical book I ever read and I still remember exactly where I was when I started reading it. The opening lines, "I come from Des Moines. Somebody had to." had me completely hooked and once I'd finished this book, I quickly devoured several of Bill Bryson's other books. The Lost Continent isn't funny in an amusing way, it's funny in a way that will make you roar with laughter in a packed train carriage. You'll learn a lot about America, too.

Another similar book that I love is Notes from a Small Island: Journey Through Britain, which is about the author's travels around the UK.

16. Outliers: The Story of Success

by Malcolm Gladwell

For: Anyone who loves self-help books on success

I actually listened to the audiobook for this and was so addicted I finished all seven hours of it in one day! It talks about some of the most successful people in the world, including Bill Gates and The Beatles, and how the time they were born, as well as the random opportunities they were given along the way, contributed to their success just as much as their hard work and raw talent. It offers an alternative perspective to success and an interesting comparison to many self-help books. Gladwell is a great storyteller and breathes life into even the most boring facts.

Another great book by the same author is The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, which focuses on why some things catch on while others don't.

17. The Art of Travel

by Alain de Botton

For: Anyone who loves travelling

This book offers an interesting alternative to traditional travel guidebooks as it questions the whole point of travel, including thoughts on everything from airports and museums to holiday romances and landscapes. The author mixes his own philosophical musings with thoughts from famous artists and writers of the past.

18. The Stress Solution: 4 steps to a calmer, happier, healthier you

by Rangan Chatterjee

For: Anyone who struggles with stress or who loves popular health books

I'm a big fan of Dr Chatterjee's podcast so I was excited to read this book about how to deal with the stresses of modern life. He uses scientific evidence to give actionable tips on how to deal with everything from social media to smartphones, and discusses the importance of friendships and time spent in nature for making us more resilient towards stress. I was inspired to implement a lot of his tips and have consequently felt an improvement in my mental wellbeing.

Another similar book I also enjoyed was Stress-Proof: The ultimate guide to living a stress-free life by Mithu Storoni.

19. Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way

by Bill Bryson

For: Language and linguistics nerds

This book looks at the history and development of the English language, touching upon everything from Shakespeare and swearing to spelling and punctuation. Although it's packed with facts, the entertaining writing style and great storytelling make it an easily digestible read.

Other interesting and accessible books about linguistics that I've read are The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language by Steven Pinker and Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages by Guy Deutscher.

20. This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor

by Adam Kay

For: Anyone who works in healthcare or who's interested in learning about it

I read this book because my boyfriend is a junior doctor and I wanted to understand what he does on a day-to-day basis. Written as a diary, this book charts Adam Kay's journey working as a junior doctor in the NHS and explains what led him to quit. It's full of hilarious stories, and, written with a mixture of sarcasm, satire and black humour, it's equal parts laugh-out-loud funny and heartbreaking. I also went to see Adam Kay's comedy show in London, which was great too.

21. Becoming

by Michelle Obama

For: Anyone who loves a coming-of age-story, who's interested in politics or any ambitious female

This autobiography is not only engaging, but it's also incredibly moving. It's written in a refreshingly real and confiding tone, which make her stories surprisingly relatable. I found it hugely inspiring and especially loved the descriptions of her family and upbringing.

22. Holidays in Hell

by P.J. O'Rourke

For: Anyone who loves travelling or who loves a satirical read

Bitingly satirical, Holidays in Hell is a hilarious collection of articles in which O'Rourke recounts his travels to places far from the tourist trail, including El Salvador and war-torn Lebanon. It's an exhilarating read that's far from boring.

23. Notes on a Nervous Planet

by Matt Haig

For: Anyone looking to improve their mental health or who's interested in modern life

This book is about the stresses of modern life and why they can lead to mental health issues. It's educational and inspiring, and the author opens up about his own mental health struggles along the way. Haig examines various stressful aspects of modern life from social media and digital overwhelm to shopping centres and robots. It's also full of actionable tips for how we can prevent all this stress from getting to us.

24. The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

by Steven Pressfield

For: Anyone pursuing creative endeavours

This book provides a fascinating look at the creative process and why people struggle with it. It examines the history of how humans have approached creative activity, drawing upon everything from Greek myths to the Romantic poets. It's also full of actionable advice about how to get past this struggle as well as inspiration about how best to approach any creative pursuit.

Another great book that deals with a similar topic is Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Classics Book Gifts:

Of course there are so many Classics to choose from, but here's just a small handful of ones that I especially loved!

25. Wuthering Heights

by Emily Brontë

For: Anyone who loves an epic love story

One of the best love stories of all time, it's set on the blustery Yorkshire Moors and deals with powerful themes like revenge, violence, abuse and grief. The two protagonists, Cathy and Heathcliff, are memorable characters whose strong personalities are highlighted by the novel's weaker characters.

26. Pride and Prejudice

by Jane Austen

For: Anyone who loves social satire and chick lit

Beginning with one of the most famous opening lines, "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife", Pride and Prejudice is considered as the first-ever chick lit novel. It's an entertaining satirical examination of nineteenth-century upper-class English society, focusing on everything from marriage and match-making to social climbers and inheritances.

Emma is another great novel by the same author.

27. Great Expectations

by Charles Dickens

For: Anyone who loves an entertaining read or who loves a satisfying story

I first read this when I was 15, expecting it would be quite boring. However, it is a very entertaining read, and I found myself laughing out loud at a lot of passages. The dialogue is amazing and the characters are unforgettable. The plot is fast-paced and keeps the reader hooked, and I loved the satisfying ending.

28. Lolita

by Vladimir Nabokov

For: Anyone who likes a love story with a twist

Nabokov's look inside the mind of a paedophile might have caused outrage when Lolita was first published in 1955, but it is so much more than just that. The writing is exquisite, and it's one of the most memorable love stories I've read. The clever use of the unreliable narrator also offers an interesting examination of the reading process and subverts the traditional relationship between narrator and reader.

Poetry Book Gifts:

Here are a couple of accessible poetry collections that I think would make great gifts, even for people who don't usually read a lot of poetry.

29. The Whitsun Weddings

by Philip Larkin

For: Anyone who has a dark sense of humour

These poems are easy to read and refreshingly real. Larkin doesn't shy away from writing about all the ugly and mundane aspects of modern life, and the poems are no less poetic because of it. I especially love his witty black humour.

30. Milk and Honey

by Rupi Kaur

For: Anyone who's interested in feminism, female identity or spiritual growth

This is poetry that even people who "hate poetry", would like, as it's simply written using uncomplicated language. Yet it's powerfully thought-provoking, tackling important contemporary issues such as feminism, female sexuality and mental health issues in a refreshingly honest way.