A Novel Approach

• A book is generally appreciated by most intellectuals, and a book that focuses on her passions is especially thoughtful. Take a glance at her bookshelf the next time you visit her home, or check her social network profile for a quick glance at her pursuits and heroes. Some books about arcane interests or historical figures may not be readily available, so make sure to order them from a bookstore or online vendor in plenty of time for the gifting occasion. If the recipient owns an electronic tablet reader, a gift card appropriate to her device makes a great gift, as would an electronic subscription to newspapers and magazines that fit her interests.
  
  

Museum-Quality Giving

• From modern art to science and technology, museums are a favorite spot of many intellectuals, and inspire great gift ideas. Museum gift shops often sell catalogs and books that archive their latest exhibits, a great gift for thinkers who missed a particular exhibit since it lets them recreate the experience any time. Museum gift shops, whether on site or online, are also great sources for unusual, offbeat and intelligent gifts for your favorite thinker. Intellectual gifts don't have to be austere or humorless; an academic might appreciate a silk scarf or tie that is designed in the style of his favorite artist or a unique and funky housewares. The San Francisco and New York City Museums of Modern Art feature gifts inspired by their collections, as well as jewelry from cutting-edge designers and furniture from far-flung locations like Istanbul.
  
  

A Class Act

• Most thinkers love to learn, so give them a class that lets them broaden their horizons. Many universities offer one to two day extension courses on a variety of topics, from wine appreciation to international affairs to a specific author and work. Check with local recreation societies to see what classes and workshops might be offered in your area. You can choose a class that ties in with your recipient's interests -- an amateur gourmet might appreciate a class on sushi-making -- or you can choose something entirely new, like a sailing class for someone who has never been out to sea. Learning is a life-long gift, and any thinker will appreciate the class and the lessons it offers.
  
  

Figure It Out

• Thinkers love to have their brains exercised, so let them limber up their gray matter with a puzzling gift. A polished metal or wooden puzzle provides hours of mental stimulation and makes a beautiful object of art on a bookshelf or coffee table. Those thinkers whose passion is engineering or mathematics might appreciate money or a gift-card that has been tucked inside a gift box puzzle. The gift inside is only accessible after the recipient has manipulated the puzzle correctly. Literary thinkers might appreciate a compendium of the New York Time's crossword puzzles, especially one that features puzzles originally published on Sunday. These puzzles in particular demonstrate an unusually high degree of difficulty, and will keep your thinker occupied for hours.