I always get my dad a book for Christmas, usually one that I’ve seen a review of or heard an author interviewed about, but nothing’s jumping out at me this year. I’m hoping one of you will have a suggestion, maybe something you’ve read recently and enjoyed.
About my dad:
prefers non-fiction or historical fiction
retired CIA and politically conservative (I don’t like to get him books that have a left-wing slant, because they annoy him, but I also don’t like to feed the flames with anti-liberal stuff).
interested in history, science, politics, current events
previous gifts I know he’s enjoyed: The Pentagon: A History by Steve Vogel, Pillars of the Earth and the “sequel”, Jefferson DVD
Fantastic Historical Fiction - Genghis - Birth of an Empire. I picked this up in a grocery store as a time-waster, and ended up devouring it and the sequel. If you don’t mind getting him hooked on a trilogy, this is a great start, and part III comes out in March (already preordered!).
If he hasn’t already read it (it’s a couple years old), then Agent Zig Zag by Ben McIntyre. His story could only be told after the opening of a bunch of previously secret records, and it’s fascinating. He was a British double agent in WWII, and quite the enigmatic character.
Another good one is The Last Hard Time by Tim Egan – it’s about the Dust Bowl years.
I liked Rome 1960: The Olympics That Changed the World. It’s all about how Cold War issues played out on the world stage at the Rome Olympics, so a lot of history and politics. I would say it’s okay for both liberals and conservatives.
It’s actually on my list to get for my own Dad, he also likes politics and I think it would be interesting for a person who lived during that time and remembers when it happened.
These are all great suggestions - thanks! I might have to get the Genghis book for myself; that’s something I’d enjoy. singular1, have you seen the movie Mongol? I have it on my Netflix queue. That period in history and that area of the world have always been interesting to me.
I have - it’s billed as the first movie in a trilogy, so I thought it may be an adaptation of the books. Sadly, it’s not. There are some big differences in the story. But the basic tale is the same, and it’s good to get a visual to back up what you’ve been seeing in your mind’s eye as you read. The movie is not as good as the book, but still very much worth seeing. My spouse and co-workers are practically quivering in anticipation for the third book in the series, but merely curious to see if the other two movies get made (the second one is due in 2010). Given the amazing battles covered in the second book, I’m a little skeptical that the director can pull it off - the battle scenes in the film were shaky and incomplete, and it seemed he was more interested in making a love story than sticking to the facts.
Not a full recommendation but one that’s on my list this year is History in the Making. Each chapter takes an event and then includes segments from history books describing the event at various later points. For example, with the Mexican War they include text from mid 1800s text and a current text.
If your dad is a classic old-school conservative, he might like Pat Buchanan’s Where the Right Went Wrong. The history buff in him will probably also enjoy Buchanan’s Hitler, Churchill and “The Unnecessary War”.
If he has a good sense of humor, try any of P.J. O’Rourke’s books for political humor with a conservative/libertarian slant.