A Holiday Gift for the One Percent

When it comes to gift-giving, we’re all really searching for the very same thing. For each of us, it might come in a different package, but we have a single goal in mind. We want the gift that will make the recipient happy. Full stop. The right present. The one of a kind gift.

Fortunately for one lucky person -- no doubt, someone in the one per cent -- the buyers of Neiman Marcus have put their (no doubt expensive and super-exclusive) thinking caps on and come up with the gift for booklovers: a custom designed and stocked library by Assouline. From the catalog description:

The publishing house renowned for its beautiful volumes and cultural perspective is offering the ultimate enriching addition to your home: a bespoke library. From floor to ceiling and wall to wall, every nuance of this room will reflect the company’s brilliant style -- through custom carpeting, objets d’art, and beautifully framed prints -- as well as your intellectual viewpoint. When the decor is complete, the shelves will be lined with a one-of-a-kind Assouline collection, consisting of 250 current and vintage volumes in the genre of your choice. You’ll enjoy published works from the world’s foremost artists, photographers, writers, architects, interior designers, and fashion and culinary masters. Get ready to ditch your high-tech tablet and kick back with a real book in the comfort of your very own literary haven. With this purchase, NM will donate $2,500 to First Book, an award-winning nonprofit organization that provides access to new books for children in need throughout the U.S. and Canada.

To learn more about the charity, please visit www.firstbook.org.

Cost of all this wonderfulness is just $125,000, but there really is only one on offer. No word if shipping is included.

The Assouline library is only one offering from the 2011 Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gift collection. Other gift ideas include Dancing Fountains from WET at a cool mil, a special Neiman Marcus-Edition Hacker-Craft Speedboat (a real bargain at just $250,000), and a Tom Burr Table-Tennis Table that will help keep the kids entertained and in shape, just $45,000.