20 Favorite Book Recs (fiction and nonfiction) for Fathers or the Important Man in your Life
I’m linking up today with That Artsy Reader Girl for Top Ten Tuesday and going rogue with the assigned prompt.
U.S. Father’s Day is this next Sunday, so I have a list of book recommendations (10 fiction and 10 nonfiction) for the fathers or important men in your life. I’ve read and can highly recommend all 20 titles.
***Titles are Amazon affiliate links or lead to my reviews which also include Amazon affiliate links
(In no particular order)
10 Fiction
- Project Hail Mary (audio format!) by Andy Weir (science fiction) …then stream the movie!
- The Little Liar by Mitch Albom (historical fiction)
- James by Percival Everett (reimagining of Huckleberry Finn from enslaved Jim’s POV)
- West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge (historical fiction) …a unique road trip!
- News of the World by Paulette Jiles (historical fiction) …watch the movie adaptation with Tom Hanks!
- Beartown by Fredrik Backman (hockey competition, small town drama)
- Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman (short story)
- Theo of Golden by Allen Levi (character-driven, reflective)
- The River by Peter Heller (wilderness survival)
- Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger (historical fiction, character-driven, coming-0f-age)
10 Nonfiction
- The Boys of Riverside by Thomas Fuller (narrative nonfiction) …for football fans!
- The Boys in the Boat (audio format!) by Daniel James Brown (narrative nonfiction….for fans of the Olympics) …watch the movie adaptation!
- Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn (narrative nonfiction)
- An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield (memoir)
- Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard (biographical)
- And There Was Light by Jon Meacham (biography) (also….Grant, Washington, and Alexander Hamilton)
- Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann (narrative nonfiction) …watch the movie! (also… The Wager)
- How Far to the Promised Land by Esau McCaulley (memoir)
- The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede (narrative nonfiction) …and watch the Broadway music, Come From Away (streaming)
- Atomic Habits by James Clear (self-improvement)
Bonus Pick: While I’ve read the above 20 recommendations, here’s one I haven’t read, but it’s on my summer TBR, and I’ve heard great things about it from Sarah @ Sarah’s Bookshelves Live Podcast. No One’s Coming: The Rogue Heroes Our Government Turns to When There’s Nowhere Else to Turn by Kevin Hazzard.
Remembering My Dad on U.S. Father’s Day
My dad was promoted to Heaven on Father’s Day, 2009. He was a great man and excelled in many areas: farming (in his early years), pastor, theologian, professor, and author. He was an avid reader and prolific writer, writing 30+ books (most of them for his theology classes at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California). If you’re curious, the list of his books can be found here on Goodreads.
In retrospect, I wish I had asked him to make a list of his favorite books for leisure reading. I do know that he enjoyed poetry.
Happy U.S. Father’s Day Weekend!
QOTD!
If you’re lucky enough to have your dad in your life, is he a reader?
Did you buy your dad a book for Father’s Day?
Happy Reading Book Buddies!
“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke
“I love the world of words where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes
“Reading good books ruins you for reading bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
“I read because books are a form of transportation, teaching, and connection. Books take us to places we’ve never been, teach us about our world, and help us understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley
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Great recommendations, it’s father’s Day here to on Sunday. I really enjoyed the deal of a lifetime and want to read the day the world came to town.
Thanks! 🌷 I know you would enjoy those two!
I don’t have my dad anymore but I got my love of reading from him. We used to go to the library together every week when I was little and often read the same books as adults. I love the photos of your dad.
Losing a father is a huge loss and the missing lasts your whole life. 💔
Fathers Day isn’t til September in Australia but I’ll keep these in mind.
Thanks for sharing your #TTT
Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
I’m on my library’s waitlist for James and can’t wait to read it.
This is a great list!
It’s a powerful read!
Lovely tribute to your father! And a wonderful list of books. My dad is no longer with us, but interestingly, he became a reader only late in life, and I think he would have loved so many of these.
It’s fun to pick out books for dads!
I love this idea of Father’s Day books. I also love how you called it being promoted to Heaven. Love that. I lost my own father in 2021 so my heart is with you this Father’s Day.
My Post:
https://thegentlechapter.blog/2026/06/16/top-ten-tuesday-bookish-wishes/
Losing a father is so hard! 💔 I hate being in this club!
What a good topic for this week. Beartown is an especially good pick for sports-crazed Dads.
So fun to rec books for dads!
By the way, did you get my email about my blog collab project? Coming up SOON!
Found it!! My “must read” this year is political. However, I could give you The Divorce, The Shippers or Yesteryear [had problems with the end]. I’m leaving your email UP hoping you reply soon. I really need to make a new email–that one is swamped with SPAM
The only one I’ve read of those 3 is Shippers.
Of the books you have thought about…..which one would you recommend to a friend who needs a vacation read???
Either. But, Yesteryear is really hyped. Also a Maddie Please and a Judy Leigh [haven’t reviewed yet]. I haven’t done as much light reading this year.
I’m sure whatever one you choose will be great!
The Divorce then. I’ll try to do it tonight.
Are you sitting down, Carol? I DID IT AND SENT IT!!!!
lol! Thanks friend!
Both of my parents were big readers when I was growing up. Now that they’ve both got dementia, neither one of them can really handle reading a book. It’s sad. My dad introduced me to Mary Higgins Clark when I was a young teenager, and she quickly became my favorite mystery writer. We definitely bonded over our MHC love 🙂
My husband and I read very different books, but we both agree that PROJECT HAIL MARY is a wonderful read. We also really enjoyed the movie.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
My husband has dementia and one of his first struggles was reading. He switched to audio but that is increasingly challenging as well. Sharing reading with your dad is a special memory! Yes, PHM is a great couples read and movie!
When I was younger my dad would always have a Louis L’amor book on the go, but he rarely read in front of other people. I miss my dad every day, he passed away unexpectedly 5 years ago.
Here’s my TTT for this week: https://readbakecreate.com/books-i-wish-more-people-would-read/
I’m sorry. The sadness and the missing becomes a part of who we are.
I wish my dad read more books. He did seem to like Project Hail Mary.
Now Watch the movie together! 🙌