If he likes to read the book before watching it on the big (or small) screen…
The Fall of the House of Usher and other works by Edgar Allan Poe
Netflix is releasing this mini-series based on Poe’s original short story and other works from 1839. The dark adaptation follows the main character Roderick Usher in a gothic tale.
For the dad who read Harry Potter before his children…
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
A young reader series about Greek gods set in modern times. The perfect chapter books to start reading out loud with school-aged kids.
If he loves the stories behind the sports…
Rome 1960: The Summer Olympics That Stirred the World by David Maraniss
The first to be commercially televised, the Summer Olympics of 1960, were swirling with politics, cold war propaganda, drugs, money and civil rights issues.
My Losing Season by Pat Conroy
The acclaimed author has a lesser-known memoir about his senior year as starting point guard on the basketball team at The Citadel in the late ’60s.
Barbarian Days – A Surfing Life by William Finnegan
Finnegan chronicles his lifelong surfing obsession that has taken him all around the world.
Land of Second Chances – The Impossible Rise of Rwanda’s Cycling Team by Tim Lewis
A group of American professional cyclists set up a cycling team in Rwanda after the country experienced genocide in the ’90s.
For the history buff…
The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson
Larson examines Winston Churchill’s and his family’s daily life as he led the British in World War II. The detailed account of Churchill’s first year of leadership in 1940 is based on diaries, archived documents and intelligence reports.
For the dad who loves true crime…
Furious Hours – Murder, Fraud and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep
Harper Lee spent a year in small town in Alabama reporting on a sensational murder case. Cep brings the story to life, chronicling the courtroom drama and offering a portrait of the beloved author, Lee.
Con/Artist: The Life and Crimes of the World’s Greatest Art Forger by Tony Tetro, Giampiero Ambrosi
Tetro documents his role in the corrupt art world, where he spent decades painting like the masters. For years, he kept it a secret in his California townhouse. He reveals it all to the reader.
For the dad who traveled abroad in college…
Diary of a Foreigner in Paris by Curizio Malaparte
Malaparte, a writer and artist, recorded his travels through postwar Europe. Previously, he had been condemned by Mussolini to five years in exile. His diary is full of humor and history.
For the dad who dreams of more quality time…
Walking with Sam: A Father, A Son, and Five Hundred Miles Across Spain by Andrew McCarthy
Actor Andrew McCarthy walked the Camino de Santiago with his adult son, Sam. They spent five weeks on the journey together, where the conversation was more important than the trek.
To the dad who always knows the words…
The Lyrics by Paul McCartney
The two-volume set celebrates 154 of McCartney’s songs. Observations and commentaries surrounding his life and music accompany his famous lyrics.