Great Non-Book Gifts for the Book Lovers on Your List

I'm sure by now, the book lovers you're shopping for this holiday season have given you a list of the reads they want. But if you want to get creative - or if you can't get your hands on that obscure title they want by that author you've never heard of - consider getting them a book-themed gift. Any of the items highlighted by Flavorwire, in its "Christmas Gifts for the Book Nerd Who Reads Everything" post, should go over really well. Like, how cool is this crocheted Stark family? Even if you're not into Game of Thrones, you have to admit this is an awesome gift.



And how about this stacked paperback wallpaper? Doesn't it look great? I love the colors of the titles against the black background and that the paperbacks are classics. The price tag ($198 for one roll measuring 12 inches long by 18 inches wide and covering 18 square feet) is a bit hefty, but this wallpaper from Anthropologie would wonderfully accent any room in your house or apartment, giving it literary flavor that's both vibrant and unique.

If you've ever been to WORD, a cozy and well-curated independent bookstore in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Greenpoint, then you've seen this T-shirt. I want it, and I'm sure the book lover in your life will love it. They'll look great in this shirt that's a flattering shade of blue and features the eye-catching "I Read Books" design by Mike Fusco of M+E. And at $20, it'll be easy on your wallet.

For other book-themed gift ideas - including a vintage Mark Twain beer stein, an "I Would Prefer Not To" Bartleby the Scrivener tote bag, a George Orwell 1984 fleece shirt, and a classy-looking "Recommended Reading" drinking flask ("One size fits alcohol," according to its item description) - check out the Flavorwire article "Christmas Gifts for the Book Nerd Who Reads Everything" HERE.

Rare Film of Mark Twain by Thomas Edison

In one of my college literature courses, we were assigned to read Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Many of my fellow students questioned why we had to read such a seemingly simple book at the university level. Others took issue with some of the language in the book (but that's a whole other blog post). But the professor refused to acquiesce, so we proceeded with Twain's 1885 novel.

American author Mark Twain, looking thoughtfully out a window, in 1907.
Image from http://blogs.publishersweekly.com

Revisiting one of Twain's classic works at the college level made clear what a masterful storyteller he was. The Hannibal, Missouri, native had such a way with words that he was heralded as "the greatest humorist of his age" and "the father of American literature." Twenty-four years after the publication of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain, at the age of 73, was filmed by none other than the great American inventor Thomas Edison. Edison's footage of Mark Twain - shot in 1909, just one year before Twain's death in 1910 - shows the esteemed writer ambling around Stormfield, his sprawling estate in Redding, Connecticut. You can watch this rare footage, which is the only known footage of Mark Twain, below.