The Lit-Lover // Books for Every Lady on Your List // Holiday Gift Guide // 2014

The Lit Lover

This is the girl who's nose is always in a book. Not just any book, but often times classics and books that you've heard about for their intimidating reputations. She probably has a favorite, whether it's Pride & Prejudice or Frankenstein. - find out what it is! The depth of her love for books goes beyond the book itself, but into the movies, the authors, the time periods, the quotes, the fan fiction... it's a never ending love affair. It's quite possible she has always yearned for a life in the past. She may not be your most social friend, but she is a very good one! She's a wonderful listener, and full of sage advice. Her Instagram (if she's keeping one!) is filled with quotes from her favorite books and authors, snapshots of what she's been reading, and screenshots of destinations she's fallen in love with through books.

1 &2) Childhood Favorites

Many of our favorite childhood novels have been turned into lovely designed new editions. I am enamored with these Rifle Paper Co. designed covers for Anne of Green Gables, Heidi, A Little Princess, and Little Women. I don't know about you guys, but I can never have too many copies of my favorite books! - especially if they are this cute!

3) Well-Read Women: Portraits of Fiction's Most Beloved Heroines

I have been swooning over this book since it came out in September (of 2013)... It is a beautiful coffee table / artsy book that pairs gorgeous illustrations of heriones in literary fiction with their quotes. It is mostly decorative, but goodness it is beautiful. Being an art lover and a lit lover this is right up my alley!

4) Dinner with Mr. Darcy: Recipes Inspired by the Novels of Jane Austen

What better gift for the Austen lover? This fun book is filled with tips, historical facts, quotes from Austen, and contemporary recipes to match classic culinary situations in Austen's novels. It also includes some of Austen's letters to her sister Cassandra! This is a fun look into the world of Austen, and a romantic little book of ideas for Darcy lover in all of us. (swoon). This would also be great for the Girly Girl or the Hostess if they happen to be Lit Lovers too!

5) The Jane Austen Handbook

This fun little book contains valuable information about life in Jane Austen's time. With advice about things you may never need to know for example, 'How to Throw a Ball... (like the dance, not the sports equipment) to more relate-able advice like 'How to Avoid Dancing With an Undesirable Partner'. There are plenty of pieces to get you laughing, get you thinking, and give you a glimpse into Austen's world.

Beautiful Copies of Favorite Classics like:

6) Tales of the Jazz Age (and other Fitzgerald Novels)

A collection of beautifully patterned versions of Fitzgerald's novels has been released in the past few years. I just love the ornate gold and silver metallic covers, don't you? They certainly remind me of the Jazz Age! -Sadly, Gatsby seems to be hiked up to just under $90! Yikes! but the rest are reasonably priced between and $15 and $20. The Beautiful and Damned, This Side of Paradise, Flappers and Philosophers (Collected Short Stories), The Last Tycoon.

7) Cranford (and other beloved classics)

These lovely brightly patterned editions of classic novels have been around for a while now, but I still can't get over how pretty and fun they are. I specifically like this bright green one. Along with Cranford you can find Vanity Fair, The Odyssey, The Picture of Dorian Gray .. just to name a few! Her favorite book with this bright modern cover would be a lovely addition to her collection!

8) Fashion in the Time of the Great Gatsby

When the Girly Girl and the lit-lover meet there are few books more exciting than the ones that analyze the fashion of a particular character or novel! This beautiful book explores the fashions of the 1920's with gorgeous glossy photos, fun vintage advertisements, and history about the time period. Also great for the Girly Girl!

9) Texts from Jane Eyre: And Other Conversations with Your Favorite Literary Characters

This book is exactly how it sounds; a book written as text messages from one literary character to another. It is getting good reviews from the critics. It is divided by book and is pretty funny. Who wouldn't want to read imagined texts from Emma and Daisy Miller? This is a fun one!

10) My Ideal Bookshelf

This book is a visual tour of people's favorite books. The ones that have influenced them and shaped who they are. I always enjoy hearing about other people's favorite books, it helps me know them better and expands the horizons of what I am reading. This book is illustrated in water colors, which I pretty clearly love. :) This would be great for someone who is always looking for a new recommendation, and would look lovely on someone's coffee table. A similar option: My Bookstore: Writers Celebrate Their Favorite Places to Browse, Read, and Shop.

I hope that this list has given you some book ideas for the book lover in your life!

Interested in more?  Check out this post to view my book recommendations for other 'types'.

Happy Gifting!

Alexandra