Survey reveals the most eccentric books to give as a gift

“Animal Farm”, “Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work” and “MI6 Spy Skills for Civilians” rank among the most eccentric books to give as a gift, according to a recent survey.

In time for the holiday season, the survey of 2,000 American readers looked at book gifting trends, including some of the strangest books people have ever received. Along with that, it also uncovered the highlights of readers' year in review.

According to results, a third (33%) have received a book from someone that was an unexpected choice. One respondent even received the autobiography of their friend.

Other remarkably surprising gift choices shared by respondents include titles about financial self-help and “The Art of War.”

And while many respondents were totally confused and confounded by such quirky selections, some were happily appreciative, saying an unexpected book they’ve received was an “utter delight” and “taught me to live in the moment,” highlighting the fine line between a good, unexpected book and a bizarre one.

With that in mind, almost half (49%) shared that they try to pick out books on topics they know the recipient is interested in, when giving a book as a gift, and most (80%) feel confident in their book gifting abilities.

Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by ThriftBooks, the survey found that of those planning to exchange gifts for the holidays, most (54%) plan to gift someone a book.

So, when settling on which book to give a loved one, gift givers can keep in mind the most popular genres of the year.

Results revealed that mystery (45%) was the top genre in 2024. However things get interesting when looking at differences between generations.

Fantasy (52%) was the most popular genre among Gen Z readers while millennials picked up action and adventure novels most frequently this year (41%).

Thriller and suspense (42%) was Gen X’s top genre and baby boomers trended towards mystery the most (29%).

But regardless of the content, readers still vastly prefer hard copy books to digital (72% vs. 28%).

Readers read 21 books, on average, this year, and according to the results, women read more books this year compared to men (22 books vs. 19 books).

Over a third of readers (34%) discovered a new favorite book this year and when searching for new books to read, Gen Z (52%) and millennial readers (47%) typically browse social media while Gen X (50%) and baby boomers (51%) rely on recommendations from friends and family.

“When picking out a book for someone else, it’s important to not just consider if it’s a book you enjoy, but whether or not it will catch the recipient’s interest,” Barbara Hagen, vice president of marketing at ThriftBooks. “Social media, book forums and book websites are all great places to look for book gifting ideas.”

Looking at readership during the holiday season, nearly a third of readers (30%) have a tradition where they re-read a book or series each holiday season.

Interestingly Gen Z readers (61%) and millennials (47%) are the most likely to re-read a book or series each holiday season.

And although some readers opt for horror (12%) or fantasy (12%) re-reads each year, Christmas books are most popular (45%).

Top Christmas reads this year include “A Christmas Carol” (20%), “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (14%), “The Polar Express” (11%) and “A Christmas Story” (8%).

“The survey demonstrates that books make priceless gifts,” said Hagen. “Some respondents shared why they chose to gift books this year and their answers, such as ‘to give the gift of reading’ and ‘every time that person picks up that book they think of you’ really speak for why books make for great gifts.”

TOP TEN BOOK GENRES IN 2024

Mystery - 45%

Thriller and suspense - 39%

Action and adventure - 36%

Biography - 33%

History - 28%

Romance - 28%

Contemporary fiction - 28%

Historical fiction - 28%

True crime - 26%

Classics - 24%

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans who read at least 5-6 books per year; the survey was commissioned by ThriftBooks and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Oct. 4 and Oct. 9, 2024.