Over the years, I’ve watched my philosophy change. In my high school and early college years, I tended to buy books that I thought everyone should read. I distinctly remember buying many copies of Rick Moody’s Demonology for everyone’s birthdays because I thought it was the bees knees. But soon I realized the book was not universally loved (and was a bit out there for most people’s taste) so I tried a different tactic. I bought books that I thought that other people would like. I knew one of my friends would love Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle, a book I thoroughly loathed, but I bought it for him anyway. And I was right; he did love it. I had a rule for a brief period that I wouldn’t buy books that I hadn’t read. I was a big gift giver of Gregory Maguire’s works, especially Wicked (long before the musical was a gleam in someone’s eye) until I tried reading one of his works and couldn’t get more than 20 pages in. But then I was limited significantly by the books I could give away, so I spent time studying people’s credentials if I was giving away nonfiction books and reading reviews in general. Now, I do a combination of things. Nowadays I tend to give people a lot of comic books that I think they will enjoy that I also think are must reads. I cater the books to the person as a rule instead of wholesale buying everyone the same book. (Though I do stand by my Ricky Moody choice.)
Other Rioter’s Rules for Book Buying
—Susie Dumond I don’t have set rules, but when I buy books for people it’s either that I love the story or they want it. I have a bookish gift rule that is completely arbitrary. If the hardcover is available, I always buy the hardcover. I have no idea why. It’s likely that I want to come across as less frugal. I’m petty and vain. —Elizabeth Allen If I buy a book as a gift, especially for a friend or family member who lives out of town, I always shop at a local indie and include a bookmark or a postcard from the store that features my town or the one I visited. It’s like a fun bonus souvenir on top of a book! —Cassie Gutman My rules aren’t hard and fast, but I make sure that either I love the book or the person receiving the book wants it. You never know if a person has the book that you’re offering, or if they may have rants about certain topic matters. In short, I don’t do surprises and make sure to ask ahead of time. —Priya Sridhar I’ve found that a lot of people struggle with finding a nonfiction book that excites them, so I make it a personal rule to buy a book from the genre that I think suits their interests! It makes approaching nonfiction a little more accessible while showing them that you know and care about their interests. —Sophia LeFevre Usually my book-gifting ties in with a local creator who is doing a signing. It doesn’t have to be their latest book; sometimes the creators are really happy to see their older work still being read. It really is a win-win all around: my friends gain a personal touch with the book, the creator sees the support first-hand, and the majority of signings happen in my local bookstores so I’m supporting local businesses as well! —Ann-Marie Cahill I try to give bookish gifts that align with the recipient’s interests or a recent event in their life and aren’t too popular or buzzy (to cut down on the possibility that they’re read it). So, for example, a cookbook with recipes from across South America for a friend who had been on a big South American trip, or a book about nature for my sister, who works at an environmental organization. Obviously, this is easier when you know someone well, but it’s not hard to do a quick social media scan and see that my friend is about to be a bridesmaid (a good occasion to give Hey Ladies!) or my cousin just moved into her first apartment (hello, Live Alone and Like It). I’ve worked on and off as a bookseller for over a decade, so I really enjoy the “hunting for the perfect book” part of gift-giving! —Kathleen Keenan What book giving rules do you have?
