Do you gift people books? These are among the strangest ones you can give

“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.”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 conte...