Help me think of gifts for a bookish 17-year-old girl

[Manro]

I’ve been ill the last couple of weeks and not able to get out and shop for 17-year-old DD‘s Christmas presents. Starting to panic now as I only have a couple of things. She’s quite difficult to buy for - if you gave her money she would buy books, then more books, and more books. She’s really into Victorian literature, plus the Classics, as in ancient Greeks and Romans, particularly Pliny the younger. I am absolutely stuck! She’s definitely not into make up or anything like that, but nor is she tomboyish either. She’s absolutely lovely though and a completely delight, and I’m sure will be thrilled with anything she gets but I’m really stuck.

When she was younger, I would rely on lots of crafts and arty type stuff, but that sort of thing has taken a backseat in recent years.

I’m still not well, so really it needs to be things that can be bought online. All suggestions welcome, up to a budget of about £200 in total.

(Bag image under review)

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Lovely, modern and acerbic take on reading Austen, from Fay Weldon:

www.amazon.co.uk/Letters-Alice-First-Reading-Austen/dp/034058937X

This was me at 17 (including the girls school) and it's still me now.

Some lovely gift suggestions already. I have a great necklace that says 'Bookish' from the company Wear and Resist that make empowering jewellery that she might like

Also a large amount book token would defintiely go down very very well!

The Folio Society have some beautiful book, you could get her some of her favourites from there

Just a thought, if she likes Victorian literature, has she read wider European literature from the same period of time? May be an interesting counterpoint and expansion of her interests.

Like @TheGodOfSmallPotatoes I would not be thrilled with a ‘book themed’ gift. (I’d want to set fire to that tote bag.)

That said, this is one of my favourite perfumes (though far too grown up for a teen):

https://www.perfumerh.com/products/ink-50ml?prprodstrat=pinned&prrecid=999762607&prrecpid=8391148208415&prrefpid=8391144800543&prseq=uniform

The new Emily Wilson translation of the iliad

she also did the odyssey some years ago

there’s a good series based on Mesopotamian myths as well - first one is inanna

Came on to suggest Yoshi bags!

Something from Loeb, especially if she is interested in the original texts.

Sorry, I don't know. It's also posted on her Instagram, but I guess you might not do Insta either.

As a very bookish teenager and now a bookish old biddy, nothing I love more than a book token, then I can buy whatever I want! Get some silly socks, nice choccies and maybe a throw she can wrap around her whilst she reads, if you want her to have something to unwrap.

Thank you! I do have instagram- I’ve have a look.

Those are really lovely looking editions too, I second this!

If she likes stationery try https://www.thejournalshop.com/. Or a refillable leather journal from Paper Republic.

I love booknooks

I say this as a total book fiend and writer - there is nothing more frustrating than having friends and family who refuse to buy me books but will endlessly buy me book related things. I like books, so either buy me books from my wishlist or give me a voucher.

If you have to buy her a physical gift too, that’s fine, and low key things are welcome. But every single year everyone around me asks what I want, I tell them books, and every single year I get everything BUT books because ‘books are boring and I want to get you something else.’

I sell, donate, or regift most other things. And more than that, feel completely unseen in the process.

Just commented basically the same and then read back over and saw your comment! Unfortunately glad to see someone else understands the frustration of not getting books!

I never ask for books because I rarely get the one I ask for. But I love buying them for others. I do a lot of searching for vintage out of print books for family. Love buying for grandchildren who love bedtime stories.

Books are such amazing gifts, and you sound so thoughtful in searching out vintage or special editions. I also love to receive favourite books of people I love - it’s like sharing something intimate with me.

Ive just ordered her a couple of the Loeb Classical Library books. I have to say this is one of the nicest threads I’ve seen in a long time. There was a moment in the middle where I thought it might kick off when someone questioned why anyone would want a book nook… but no - we all managed to ignore and move on! 😁

If she’s into frankenstein, the new mina lima edition is beautiful and would make a perfect gift. if she’s seen the new film there’s also a range of merch on the netflix website!

I hadn't seen the 'official' Booknooks before but was going to suggest this Lego one as I've seen it in store and it looks great
I see lots of people have suggested my other thought of Folio books

https://www.lego.com/en-gb/product/sherlock-holmes-book-nook-10351

Oh dear god - I am tempted to bankrupt myself at the Folio Society!

Book tokens. Translations of the Odyssey, Iliad etc. are fine as a general suggestion, but if Pliny is a particular favourite then there might be other things slightly off the beaten track that would interest her (maybe Seneca?), and with a book token she could choose herself.

Otherwise, Stephanie McCarter's recent Horace and Ovid Metamorphoses translations could be good if she is interested in Roman poetry (and Ovid is a treasure store of myths). Greek tragedies might also be a good idea. Loebs are good if she is studying or might in the future study things in the original language.

A collection of essays on literature mpre broadly might be good - perhaps Italo Calvino, 'Why read the classics?'. The essays are quite short, fun, and thought-provoking, and discuss a range of authors.

A voucher for Persephone Books, or a ticket to one of their events?