Why are real books better than e-books? Because books are useful - and beautiful. This year brings a particularly fine crop of lovelies.

Penguin, as ever, has done itself proud (one wonders what went wrong with Jamie Oliver then - see page 10). For serious readers of fiction and nonfiction, there are splendid three-volume boxed sets of Malcolm and Ursula Lyons's new translation of The Arabian Nights (£125) and Richard J. Evans's finally completed Third Reich Trilogy (£100).

The designer Bill Amberg has bound six Penguin Classics in soft brown leather: Breakfast at Tiffany's, Brideshead Revisted , The Big Sleep, The Great Gatsby, A Room with a View and The Picture of Dorian Gray. Not cheap at £50 each, but they are desirable - each comes with its own attached leather bookmark, too. And if you haven't had enough James Bond this year, there's a hardback of the story collection that includes Quantum of Solace tricked out in espionage grey with “field report” stamped on the cover (£20). Finally, there is the 28th issue of Dave Eggers's McSweeney's - which is always a treat - this one is made up of eight tiny hardbacks in a ribboned box, featuring work by Daniel Alarcon, Sheila Heti and Nathan Englander (£20).

I was pleased to receive a copy of one of my favourite novels, Jane Eyre, produced by White's Books (£19.95; www.whitesbooks.com). Designed by David Pearson, the man responsible for Penguin's dashing “Great Ideas” series, these clothbound hardbacks with stylish covers are a treat. Dickens's Christmas Books are available, too - the perfect present. Another classic given a completely new look is L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz: Graham Rawle has given Dorothy's tale his unique, eccentric twist (Atlantic, £25/£22.50).

If you only buy one book this Christmas make sure it's...

Michael Parkinson, Sheila Hancock, Roger Moore, Elaine Paige and Andrew Castle pick out some perfect reading for the festive period

BACKGROUND

• The Times Christmas Books 2008: Gifts

• The Times Christmas Books 2008: Fiction

• The Times Christmas Books 2008: Crime

• The Times Christmas Books 2008: Biography and memoir

• Christmas bestsellers

BACKGROUND

• The Times Christmas Books 2008: Art

• The Times Christmas Books 2008: Food

• The Times Christmas Books 2008: Music

• The Times Christmas Books 2008: Travel

• The Times Christmas Books 2008: Children's audiobooks

BACKGROUND

• The Times Christmas Books 2008: Film & theatre

• The Times Christmas Books 2008: Graphic Novels

• The Times Christmas Books 2008: Back to basics

• The Times Christmas Books 2008: Poetry

• The Times Christmas Books 2008: Children's 2-10

Perhaps you're looking for something that reminds you why Christmas came about in the first place. In which case there is the British Library's edition of Tyndale's New Testament of 1526 (£30), a complete facsimile of William Tyndale's pioneering translation of the New Testament from Greek into English, held at the British Library, and one of only two copies remaining in the world. But then, if you have enough books and you love the British Library - the home of our national literary heritage - you may want to give the gift of “adopting” a book, ensuring its care for the future (adoptabook.bl.uk, prices start at £25).

How to take care of your beautiful books? Be careful how you prop them open. Why not get yourself a snake weight from Preservation Equipment (preservationequipment.com)? Snake weights (two for only £4.95) are the dedicated reader's worry beads - and the website is a stationery hound's fantasy, come to that.

If, like me, you're not yet committed to Google Calendar, there are a couple of lovely diaries out there. As ever there's the latest edition of the inventive Redstone Diary (Redstone Press, £14.95), and this year - to celebrate its forthcoming 80th anniversary, there's a very pleasing 2009 Faber & Faber diary (£12.99). Plenty of space to note down with an elegant pen all the books you'll read in a year.

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