Twelve Days of Christmas, Holiday Gift Ideas: Books

The holidays are upon us. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are both over, and the December rush has begun. Whether you're shopping online, through retailers like Amazon.com, Overstock.com, or offline in retail outlets such as Wal*Mart or Target you can be a smart consumer. By using sites like PriceGrabber or Google Product Search or mobile applications like ShopSavvy (Android & iPhone) you can be sure you're getting a good deal.

Of course, the best place to start is to look at who you're buying for, and how much you're willing to spend on them. But to get you started, I've thrown together a list of some of the bigger consumer products of the year. Ranging from the cheaper stocking stuffers, to the more expensive presents this list has a little bit of everything, although it's definitely for the geekier folk.

Books

Amazon Kindle $259

Amazon's Kindle second generation is a great e-reader device, coupled with great selection from the retail giant. While the display refresh is still somewhat slow, the Kindle 2 is definitely one of the top choices (especially considering the price in comparison) for e-readers this season. Also be sure to consider the leather cover ($29.99) from Amazon, to protect the device.

Barnes & Noble Nook $259

The newcomer to the e-reader party, you'll be hard-pressed to find the Nook before Christmas. It's the same price as Kindle, but it has a small touchscreen on the bottom for navigation and menus etc. but what it really comes down to is selection and features. At the moment, the Nook doesn't have an advantage over Kindle, it's all vested in things that aren't currently available.

Calvin and Hobbes: Complete Collection by Bill Waterson $94.50

Calvin and Hobbes, what's more to say? If your friend doesn't already own the complete collection, then what the hell are you waiting for? Let them relive (or live) their childhood with the complete collection, for an amazing low price.

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien (1988 box set) $40

Sure the films were great, but the novels (and the world as a whole) are damn amazing. Whether you're shopping for someone who enjoyed the films (and let's face it, who didn't?) or someone who has some (or paperback versions) of the books, this box set from the 1988 release is a great gift.

More Information Than You Require by John Hodgman $10

John Hodgman is not just "a PC", he's an authentic comedic genius. You may know him from the Daily Show, where he's been a recurring specialist on various subjects, and now he's written his sequel to his last book, The Areas of my Expertise by John Hodgman ($10). And yes, it's still just as funny.

This is the day ten of our Twelve Days of Christmas, Holiday Shopping Ideas from Maverick Revolution.