Good Book for my Dad

[IHeartTink04]

I asked this question here last Christmas and got great responses and I am hoping to get some again!

My dad is impossible to buy for but you can never go wrong with getting him a good book....he LOVES to read!

He only likes to read Non-Fiction books and absolutely refuses to even look at a fiction book so any book suggestions have to be Non-Fiction.

He likes things like history stories, war stories and sports stories.

Anyone have any suggestions?

I would really appreciate it!

Thanks!

 

[java]

I might have said these last year but these are our favorites

Blood and Thunder
Worst Hard Times
River of Doubt
Invisible Wall

 

[Katy Belle]

I'm reading this right now and really like it. Standing Next to History:An Agents Life Inside the Secret Service by Joseph Petro
I'm not much of a history person, but am really enjoying this one, I think your dad would love it!

I gave this to a friend last year for Christmas. American Farmer: The Heart of Our Country
It is more of a coffee table book, its big and has FABULOUS photos of people. I'm getting it for 2 more people this year.

Good luck! I will enjoy reading others reccomendations too!
Katy

 

[mrsv98]

Any David Mccullough book, they are all fabulous, especially the John Adams
Mornings on Horseback
The Shelby Foote Civil War series
Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

 

[powellrj]

I'm not sure how old your dad is, but my dads absolutely favorite book lately is called How Did They Die, Where Are They Buried. Its a book that talks about famous people. We have gotten it for several older relatives and they all seem to enjoy looking up all the people from their past.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Team of Rivals -- it's the story of Abraham Lincoln and his leadership team. It is wonderful!

I also enjoyed (but your dad might not) Cokie Roberts' book - Founding Mothers. Story of the nation by the women who held things together while the guys were off playing politics.

 

[gregokdisney]

This is a few years old, but

Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

Also Thunderstruck, by the same author. He writes amazing non-fiction that is as much of a page-turner as any fiction I've ever read.

 

[Abbie]

Does your dad like any of the CSI-type shows? I'm giving my daughter a book called Never Suck A Dead Man's Hand for her birthday. I read it a few years ago and enjoyed it, it's a real-life forensics expert on her experiences. DD debated between teaching and forensics in college so it's close to her heart.

 

[englishteacha]

How about some of the Uncle John's Bathroom Reader books? They're mostly non-fiction and they are really entertaining. I even use some of the stories in my classes at school!

 

[Muushka]

Sun Tzu The Art of War, a really nice copy! A timeless book.

 

[NMAmy]

What If? and What If? 2 are essays written by historians on what could have happened. Examples include How Hitler Could Have Won the War, Repulse at Hastings (William the Conqueror did not conquer England) and If Lincoln Had Not Freed the Slaves. DH is reading it and I keep stealing it from him because I find them fascinating.

 

[barkley]

'columbine' was a facinating read.

 

[IHeartTink04]

Thanks so much for your responses everyone!

Keep them coming!

I am ordering from Amazon as I type!

 

[clarabelle]

Under the Banner of Heaven -Jon Krakauer (fundamentalist extremist Mormons and a murder in that community)

 

[clarabelle]

Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell. Sarah is the voice of Violet on "The Incredibles"
It is an irreverent look at US history -she goes to all the sites of US presidential assassinations. A ton of background info on the presidents and the people who killed them.
She is a bit unconventional though -if he is really conservative it may not be his cup of tea.

 

[sharbear]

I am reading To Big to Fail right now by Andrew Ross Sorkin. It's about the banking system meltdown and is fascinating. If he liked Den of Thieves or Barbarians at the Gate, he will like this one.

I thought that Jon Meacham's American Lion about Andrew Jackson was very good. It won the Pulitzer. Also Horse Soldier's by Doug Stanton was really really good. It's about throwing over the Taliban in Afghanistan. Great read.

Jon Krakauer has a new book about about the life and death of Pat Tillman. Where Men Win Glory. I always enjoy his books.

For Christmas I always like to get a new hardcover book. Just seems like more of an indulgence.

 

[kpm76]

Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend (it's the story of Satchel Paige) and When Pride Still Mattered: A life of Vince Lombardi

My dad loved both of them!

 

[minkydog]

Under the Banner of Heaven -Jon Krakauer (fundamentalist extremist Mormons and a murder in that community)

Didn't he also write "Into Thin Air" and "Into The Wild"?

I'd also suggest "Three Cups of Tea", about an American guy who ends up lost in the Himalayas while on a trek in Afghanistan and ends up becoming friends with a village that takes him in and saves his life. In return he makes what turns out to be a life-long commitment to the mountain people, building schools and provided education for girls and vocational ed for the women. It really is a riveting look at the difficult lives of the Afghan people and how one person risks his life over and over to help them.

 

[IHeartTink04]

Thanks to everyone who has replied!

 

[Sorsha]

If he is interested in history, especially history of the West, may I recommend 2 books, available on Amazon, written by a fellow who lives in my hometown.

John Fraley has written A Woman's Way West, which is the story of his wife's great-aunt, her journey from Iowa to Glacier National Park, and her life living and working in the Park in it's early days.

He also authored Wild River Pioneers, stories of the original settlers and inhabitants of Glacier park and the areas surrounding it.

I found the stories intriguing, and the author really has a knack for making the event and the people come alive in his retellings. The books are illustrated with maps and photographs, some of them very old, which I think adds interest as well.