Persephone Books

You couldn't wish to find a more interesting collection on Persephone Books' website. Vogue calls this smart publishing house, 'The answer to a present giver's prayers' and we would agree. If books are your thing, you are sure to find many here that will not only delight the recipient but leave an indelible mark in their minds.

Persephone, which was founded by Nicola Beauman, reprints forgotten classics written in the main by 20th Century women. With sixty two books in the collection so far, you will find novels, poetry, short stories, diaries and cookery books. The books all have a uniform grey livery, carefully chosen endpapers and each book arrives with a bookmark. These modern day editions have prefaces written by the likes of PD James, Jacqueline Wilson and Jilly Cooper.

Books can be bought online and gift wrapped if desired. With titles such as 'Miss Pettigrew Lives for Day' by Winifred Watson, 'It's Hard to be Hip over Thirty' by Judith Viorst and 'The Making of a Marchioness' by Frances Hodgson Burnett, your only trouble will be knowing which ones to choose. Some of the titles are talking books and there is also a CD of Cafe Music.

How's that for solving your Christmas present conundrums?