Looking for the perfect Father’s Day gift?
From a book filled with golf wisdom to gripping true crime, this list has something for every kind of dad!
Want Even More Great Reads for Dad?
Click for Military History Reads That Dad Will Love.
Click for Sports Reads That Dad Will Love.
For the Dad Who is Fascinated by WWII
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson
The author of The Devil in the White City and Dead Wake delivers an intimate chronicle of Winston Churchill and London during the Blitz—an inspiring portrait of courage and leadership in a time of unprecedented crisis
On Winston Churchill’s first day as prime minister, Adolf Hitler invaded Holland and Belgium. Poland and Czechoslovakia had already fallen, and the Dunkirk evacuation was just two weeks away. For the next twelve months, Hitler would wage a relentless bombing campaign, killing 45,000 Britons. It was up to Churchill to hold his country together and persuade President Franklin Roosevelt that Britain was a worthy ally—and willing to fight to the end.
The Splendid and the Vile takes readers out of today’s political dysfunction and back to a time of true leadership, when, in the face of unrelenting horror, Churchill’s eloquence, courage, and perseverance bound a country, and a family, together.
Available in Hardcover, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
Click to Download a Book Club Kit.
For the Dad Whose Shelves Are Filled with Presidential Biographies:
The Hardest Job in the World: The American Presidency by John Dickerson
From the veteran political journalist and 60 Minutes correspondent, a deep dive into the history, evolution, and current state of the American presidency—and how we can make the job less impossible and more productive.
In this eye-opening book, John Dickerson writes about presidents in history such a Washington, Lincoln, FDR, and Eisenhower, and in contemporary times, from LBJ and Reagan and Bush, Obama, and Trump, to show how a complex job has been done, and why we need to reevaluate how we view the presidency, how we choose our presidents, and what we expect from them once they are in office. Think of the presidential campaign as a job interview. Are we asking the right questions? Are we looking for good campaigners, or good presidents? Once a candidate gets the job, what can they do to thrive? Drawing on research and interviews with current and former White House staffers, Dickerson defines what the job of president actually entails, identifies the things that only the president can do, and analyzes how presidents in history have managed the burden. What qualities make for a good president? Who did it well? Why did Bill Clinton call the White House “the crown jewel in the American penal system”? The presidency is a job of surprises with high stakes, requiring vision, management skill, and an even temperament. Ultimately, in order to evaluate candidates properly for the job, we need to adjust our expectations, and be more realistic about the goals, the requirements, and the limitations of the office.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
For the Dad Who Loves Man vs. Nature Thrillers:
Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainer Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks
The #1 bestselling author of World War Z returns with a horror tale that blurs the lines between human and beast, and asks, What are we capable of when we’re cut off from society?
Set in the wilds of Washington State, Greenloop was once a model eco-community—until nature’s wrath made it a tragic object lesson in civilization’s fragility.
Offering a glorious back-to-nature experience with all the comforts of high-speed Internet, solar smart houses, and the assurance of being mere hours from Seattle by highway, Greenloop was indeed a paradise—until Mount Rainier erupted, leaving its residents truly cut off from the world, and utterly unprepared for the consequences. With no weapons and their food supplies dwindling, Greenloop’s residents slowly realized that they were in a fight for survival. And as the ash swirled and finally settled, they found themselves facing a specter none of them could have predicted—or even thought possible.
Part survival narrative, part bloody horror tale, part scientific journey into the boundaries between truth and fiction, this is a Bigfoot story as only Max Brooks could chronicle it—and like none you’ve ever read before.
Available in Hardcover, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
For the Dad Intrigued by True Crime:
Atomic Spy: The Dark Lives of Klaus Fuchs by Nancy Thorndike Greenspan
The gripping biography of a notorious Cold War villain—the German-born British scientist who handed the Soviets top-secret American plans for the plutonium bomb—showing a man torn between conventional loyalties and a sense of obligation to a greater good.
German by birth, British by naturalization, Communist by conviction, Klaus Fuchs was a fearless Nazi resister, a brilliant scientist, and an infamous spy. He was convicted of espionage by Britain in 1950 for handing over the designs of the plutonium bomb to the Russians, and has gone down in history as one of the most dangerous agents in American and British history. He put an end to America’s nuclear hegemony and single-handedly heated up the Cold War. But, was Klaus Fuchs really evil?
Using archives long hidden in Germany as well as intimate family correspondence, Nancy Thorndike Greenspan brings into sharp focus the moral and political ambiguity of the times in which Fuchs lived and the ideals with which he struggled. After years of struggle and ideological conflict, when Fuchs joined the atomic bomb project, his loyalties were firmly split. He started handing over top secret research to the Soviets in 1941, and continued for years from deep within the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos. Greenspan’s insights into his motivations make us realize how he was driven not just by his Communist convictions but seemingly by a dedication to peace, seeking to level the playing field of the world powers.
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
For the Dad Who Keeps Watching Re-Runs of The Office:
The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s by Andy Greene
The untold stories behind The Office, one of the most iconic television shows of the twenty-first century, told by its creators, writers, and actors.
When did you last hang out with Jim, Pam, Dwight, Michael, and the rest of Dunder Mifflin? It might have been back in 2013, when the series finale aired . . . or it might have been last night, when you watched three episodes in a row. But either way, fifteen years after the show first aired, it’s more popular than ever, and fans have only one problem—what to watch, or read, next.
Fortunately, Rolling Stone writer Andy Greene has that answer. In his oral history, The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s, Greene will take readers behind the scenes of their favorite moments and characters. Greene gives us the true inside story behind the entire show, from its origins on the BBC through its impressive nine-season run in America, with in-depth research and exclusive interviews. Fans will get the inside scoop on key episodes from “The Dundies” to “Threat Level Midnight” and “Goodbye, Michael,” including behind-the-scenes details like the battle to keep it on the air when NBC wanted to pull the plug after just six episodes and the failed attempt to bring in James Gandolfini as the new boss after Steve Carell left, spotlighting the incredible, genre-redefining show created by the family-like team, who together took a quirky British import with dicey prospects and turned it into a primetime giant with true historical and cultural significance.
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
For the Dad Who Loves Biographies:
Our Man: Richard Holbrooke and the End of the American Century by George Packer
Drawn from Holbrooke’s diaries and papers, we are given a nonfiction narrative that is both intimate and epic in its revelatory portrait of this extraordinary and deeply flawed man and the elite spheres of society and government he inhabited.
Richard Holbrooke was brilliant, utterly self-absorbed, and possessed of almost inhuman energy and appetites. Admired and detested, he was the force behind the Dayton Accords that ended the Balkan wars, America’s greatest diplomatic achievement in the post-Cold War era. His power lay in an utter belief in himself and his idea of a muscular, generous foreign policy. From his days as a young adviser in Vietnam to his last efforts to end the war in Afghanistan, Holbrooke embodied the postwar American impulse to take the lead on the global stage. But his sharp elbows and tireless self-promotion ensured that he never rose to the highest levels in government that he so desperately coveted. His story is thus the story of America during its era of supremacy: its strength, drive, and sense of possibility, as well as its penchant for overreach and heedless self-confidence.
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
For the Dad Who is Working on His Back Swing:
The Golfer’s Book of Wit and Wisdom: The Complete Collection of Golf Jokes, One-Liners, and Witty Sayings by Gerd De Ley
A hilarious collection of golf jokes, one-liners, and witty quotations perfect for every fan of golf.
The great Arnold Palmer famously remarked that golf is, “Without a doubt, the greatest game mankind has ever invented.” He goes on to say that golf is “deceptively simple and endlessly complicated” and “at the same time rewarding and maddening.” The Golfer’s Book of Wit & Wisdom seeks to encompass everything there is to love about golf. Collecting over 350 sayings containing the wisdom and wit from the world within and outside of golf, this book promises to be a cherished and fun collectible for every fan.
Available in Hardcover.
For the Outdoorsy Dad:
Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park by Conor Knighton
From CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Conor Knighton, a behind-the-scenery look at his year traveling to each of America’s National Parks, discovering the most beautiful places and most interesting people our country has to offer
When Conor Knighton set off to explore America’s “best idea,” he worried the whole thing could end up being his worst idea. A broken engagement and a broken heart had left him longing for a change of scenery, but the plan he’d cooked up in response had gone a bit overboard in that department: Over the course of a single year, Knighton would visit every national park in the country, from Acadia to Zion.
In Leave Only Footprints, Knighton shares informative and entertaining dispatches from what turned out to be the road trip of a lifetime. Whether he’s waking up early for a naked scrub in a historic bathhouse in Arkansas or staying up late to stargaze along our loneliest highway in Nevada, Knighton weaves together the type of stories you’re not likely to find in any guidebook. Through his unique lens, America the Beautiful becomes America the Captivating, the Hilarious, and the Inspiring. Along the way, he identifies the threads that tie these wildly different places together—and that tie us to nature—and reveals how his trip ended up changing his views on everything from God and love to politics and technology.
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
For the Dad Who Is Ready for Summer Cookin’:
The Complete Summer Cookbook: Beat the Heat with 500 Recipes That Make the Most of Summer’s Bounty by America’s Test Kitchen
The only cookbook you’ll need during the year’s warmest months.
A hot day and hanging over your stove were never meant to be. When fresh produce beckons but you haven’t much energy to respond, these recipes help you settle into a more relaxed kind of cooking designed to keep you and your kitchen cool. Untether yourself from the oven with make-ahead meals best served cold (or at room temp).
Ready to take the party outside? You’ll find all you need for casual patio meals prepared entirely on the grill (from meat to veggies, even pizza). Throw a fantastic cookout with easy starters, frosty drinks, and picnic must-haves like Picnic Fried Chicken, Classic Potato Salad, and Buttermilk Coleslaw.
Available in Trade Paperback and eBook Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Father’s Day Family Listens:
Sharing a story on audio can be the perfect way to celebrate the day!
The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon; Read by Sullivan Jones
Meet Caleb and Bobby Gene, two brothers embarking on a madcap, heartwarming, one-thing-leads-to-another adventure in which friendships are forged, loyalties are tested . . . and miracles just might happen.
Caleb Franklin and his big brother Bobby Gene are excited to have adventures in the woods behind their house. But Caleb dreams of venturing beyond their ordinary small town.
Then Caleb and Bobby Gene meet new neighbor Styx Malone. Styx is sixteen and oozes cool. Styx promises the brothers that together, the three of them can pull off the Great Escalator Trade–exchanging one small thing for something better until they achieve their wildest dream. But as the trades get bigger, the brothers soon find themselves in over their heads. Styx has secrets–secrets so big they could ruin everything.
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
Field Trip by Gary Paulsen and Jim Paulsen; Read by Mike Chamberlain and John H. Mayer
Father-and-son writing team Gary and Jim Paulsen pick up where their Road Trip left off. Ben has been invited to try out for a special hockey academy. But Dad wants Ben to catch up to the school field trip instead. So Ben, Dad, and their dogs, Atticus and Conor, jump into their truck. Ben concocts a secret plan to make the tryout, but Atticus and Conor are on to him. Ben and Dad’s road trip turns into a wacky adventure full of new friends and surprises.
Available in Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
The Lacrosse Mix-Up by Mike Lupica; Raad by Keith Nobbs
The sixth installment of New York Times bestselling author Mike Lupica’s Zach and Zoe Mysteries—a sports-themed chapter book mystery!
There’s nothing eight-year-old twins Zach and Zoe Walker love more than playing sports and solving mysteries. And when those two worlds collide . . . well, it doesn’t get any better than that.
In this sixth installment Zach and Zoe join the Middletown Elementary lacrosse club. But a day after their first game, a mystery presents itself: the netting on one of the school’s lacrosse sticks is torn through. Ms. Moriarty says the equipment is just old and worn, but the twins think it might be something else. They decide to investigate, and when the clues start coming together, they realize solving the mystery is only the first piece of an even bigger surprise.
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
The Fletcher Family Takes Rock Island by Dana Alison Levy; Read by Dan Woren
Love the TV show Modern Family? Wait until you meet the family Fletcher! With two dads, four adopted brothers, two cats, and one pug, the Fletchers will have you laughing out loud!
Welcome to Rock Island, Where Time Stands Still!
The Fletchers are back on Rock Island, home of all their best summer memories. But from the first day they arrive, it’s clear that this year, things have changed. FIRST, a giant fence is blocking their beloved lighthouse. SECOND, they have new neighbors. THIRD, who the heck is the weird artist guy who’s never actually painting? And FOURTH, there’s now an ice cream truck! Can the island stay the same even with these crazy transformations?
Over the course of the summer, the Fletchers will learn that sometimes, even in a place where time stands still, the wildest, weirdest, and most wonderful surprises await.
Available in Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
Elbow Grease vs. Motozilla by John Cena; Read by the Author
Superstar entertainer John Cena’s second picture book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series features a high-octane story—starring the truck who never gives up, Elbow Grease!
Elbow Grease may be little but he’s got grit and gumption to spare–and he’s back! It’s time for Elbow Grease to face off against the gnarly monster machine Motozilla. Luckily, Elbow Grease can count on his four big brothers to rev their engines and help him try to beat the beast! From multi-talented mega celebrity John Cena comes this exciting story about the importance of believing in yourself. Full of action-packed illustrations and characters kids will cheer for, this fun and fast-paced book proves that teamwork makes the dream work!
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
