It is with a heavy heart and a saddened soul that I write this tonight. Ursula K. Le Guin, renowned author of The Earthsea Cycle series and literally scores of other works like The Left Hand Of Darkness, has shuffled off this mortal coil. She died on Monday at her home in Portland, OR, according to the New York Times. She was 88.

While no cause of death was given, her recent failing health was no secret, though this news still comes as a shock to the literary world. She wrote often about magic, balance, and always layered in a sense of compassion to her works.

Oh, fa-la-la! It’s that time of the year again and we can hear you hyperventilating all the way over here at Geeks of Doom HQ. Don’t sweat it. Your Geek brethren have got you covered with our annual gift giving guide for all those lovable geeks on your list. We make it so darned easy to get through that daunting list, you won’t even have to pull your face out of your favorite internet-capable device for a hot New York minute.

We’ve been posting our Gift Guides all month, so to round it out, a bunch of us book lovers got together and came up with some great reads for you to get for that book lover in your life. Whether your gift recipient prefers a physical book or reading via computer or ebook reading device, we’ve got you covered. Also, if you’re new to ebooks and are unsure on how to gift them, fear not! We’ve got you’ve cover there, too. See below for our Holiday Geek Gift Guide 2011: Books & eBooks.