Are you seeking a gift for a bookish type, either an avid reader or a book collector? Can’t afford that first edition Gatsby in dustjacket but still want to give a gift that will appeal to the bibliophile? If so, welcome to my second annual list of Gift Ideas for the Bookish. To repeat the reasons for such a list from last year:

The holidays are fast approaching, and perhaps you are wondering what gift is appropriate for the bibliophile in your life. Although my enthusiasm for books is known far and wide, my family is always somewhat reticent to buy me books. They worry when they select a book for me that it’s a book I already have or it’s book I won’t like. I’m assuming I am not the only bookish type to encounter such a situation. This year I’m suggesting a few bookish gifts for bibliophiles that do not force the buyer to second-guess a bibliophile friend or relative’s particular literary taste. You can click on the links to find out pricing and shipping information for each item.

Magnetic bookmarks from Victorian Trading Company

Book Lady Hanging Ornament

The Treasure Within Secret Book Box

Penelope Print

Record Book End — The Clash Combat Rock

Nancy Drew book cover postcards

A colorful book clock

Miniature Marbleized Book Jewelry

Happy gift hunting!

Now here’s the little clutch purse every antiquarian bookseller should have:

How about this one?

Click here to read an interview with the designer, Olympia Le-Tan, about her inspiration for the bookish bags.

Absolutely fabulous!

I’ve had my Amazon Kindle for a little over a year now, and I like it, but I just don’t use it as often as I should. Over at Bookride is a nice post which pretty much sums up my thoughts.

In addition to selling books at last weekend’s Golden Gate Park Book Fair, I shopped. I always seem to find good books to buy at book fairs, and this fair was no exception. But at this fair, I also found some very fun, very diminutive, book-related products, courtesy of San Francisco’s Booksmith.

They’re matchboxes, all edges gilt and the covers taken from the covers of famous books. Inside are lots of matches. Perfect for winter by the fireplace!

More to come on the actual book finds at the book fair soon!

I was out from nine this morning until nine tonight (Wednesday) working on that top secret Dante project, of which I can’t tell you the details just yet.

Suffice it to say that I had a great day and, having worked on this project since right after last weekend’s book fair, am now entirely exhausted and going to bed.

I should be sufficiently recovered to post again tomorrow!

Great news! The Fine Books & Collections Winter 2010 Compendium is now available.

Those of you who have been interested in books and book collecting for a while already know that Fine Books & Collections was one of a handful of magazines for book collectors. Last year, the periodical went to an online-only format; no more print versions of the magazine will be printed. While there are still the same well-written articles on all kinds of bookish topics in the online version and there’s also a blog (to which I occasionally contribute), I find it difficult to read through an entire month’s worth of articles on my computer, especially those I might want to keep for future reference. Yes, I love and use digital technology, but I miss print!

According to Fine Books & Collections, The Compendium is a “deluxe edition of the magazine that will include our best columnists, feature articles, a directory of the industry, and more.” Last January, I received an email message from FB &C that “current active subscribers will receive the Compendium as part of your subscription to Fine Books & Collections. “

I look forward to receiving it. I have missed the print version of the magazine, and though this won’t replace that, it will also include the 2010 Gift Guide for the book minded and the 2010 Bookseller Resource Guide, a listing of more than 700 bookstores and book-related institutions worldwide. (Full disclosure: I have purchased a listing in the Resource Guide, the first time I have advertised my business in print.)

If you’re interested, you can order your own copy here.

Happy reading!

In case you were wondering, I took the quiz Which Crazy Writer are You? and here is my result:

Chris completed the quiz “Which Crazy Writer Are You?” with the result J.D. Salinger.

“You are quite possibly one of the greatest creative minds of your generation… not that you want anyone to know, of course. Not only have you been in hiding for several decades, you refuse to publish any of your recent work. You would very likely be a perennial Pulitzer Prize candidate, but your writing sits in a de-humidified bank vault in your humble New Hampshire ranch, awaiting the day that your next-of-kin decides to make a few hundred million dollars. Why the secrecy? Afraid people will read too much into your repeated affairs with barely-of-age girls? Afraid people will begin to see you in every single one of your maladjusted, unstable characters?”

At least one part of this quiz is unsurprising to me. The fact that it has taken me so long to finish and publish a certain catalogue. Perhaps, like Salinger’s work, it is finished and ready to go but sits in a bank vault in my home . . .

Just kidding. It’s almost ready. I’m getting closer to sending it to the printer. And I’m spending my time working on it. Hence the short blog post.

In 2005, Julie Powell published her first book, the bestselling Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen. It might have been a good book, but I wouldn’t know, because I was obsessed at the time with reading anything and everything about book collecting and bookselling. I had enough cooking to do for the family of four in my house; I wanted to escape from cooking. The last thing I wanted to read was another book about cooking. I’m sorry I felt that way, because I should have had some appreciation for another woman who works in a very small space and who does her best to master something new to her.

Today I saw the trailer for the movie version of Julie and Julia, and it looks great. It’s not often I like books made into films, and I hope I will be pleasantly surprised in this case. The film will premiere in August, 2009, and I plan to go see it. In the meantime, the book looks like the perfect lighthearted read for the start of summer. Have any of you read the book? What did you think?

Here’s the trailer:

I was out running errands today when a book-related item caught my eye:

It’s a cute little book teapot, the size that makes just enough for one or two cups of tea. I look forward to using it when I sit down and read this summer.

Even the lid of the teapot is cute:

At 50% off, the price was right. I snapped up the teapot and took it home to place next to my other two book teapots and my book-nerd mug:

Don’t tell Thoughtful Husband about this. He thinks I only collect books!

See you in the stacks!

I posted just yesterday about hero-pilot Chesley Sullenberger’s efforts to get library patrons with overdue books to return their books during the San Francisco Public Library’s Fine Amnesty Week. Captain Sullenberger was kind to provide this service announcement for the library.

But his involvement with books doesn’t stop there.

Apparently, Captain Sullenberger now has a three million dollar, two-book deal with Harper Collins. Interestingly and (perhaps) surprisingly, one of the two books is rumored to be a book of inspirational poems.

Read all about it here.

See you in the stacks!