My big brother’s in the hospital (bad truck accident, but he’s going to be fine), and I want to give him something entertaining that will make time go by as he recuperates. Anyone know of a good book for a guy that’s not really into books and likes sports and trucks and stuff?
I just listened to Dune and enjoyed it a lot. It helps to be into science fiction, though. 
Oh, and if he hasn’t read them, the Harry Potter recordings are very well done. My macho brothers enjoyed them very much.
Does he like any movies based on books? He may be interested in the original if he hasn’t read it. My first thoughts were I Am Third by Gale Sayers (which I can’t find an audiobook version of) and The Natural by Bernard Malamud. Maybe something by John Grisham or Michael Crichton?
EDIT: There’s also some interesting results if you search Amazon.
I’ve always thought that “James Earl Jones Reads the Bible” sounded like a real manly venture. I find the Good Friday narratives creepy - who wouldn’t want to hear Darth Vader tell it?
Can it be non-fiction? If so, Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, about a disastrous Mt. Everest expedition. (Much better than Into the Woods, in my opinion.)
Also very Manly: In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick, about the real-life whaling disaster that inspired Moby Dick (complete with cannibalism, if I recall correctly). You may have trouble finding this one, as it was apparently only released on cassette tape, but a download under the insipid name “Revenge of the Whale” may be pending according to Amazon.
Well, hit emusic.com
I can highly recommend ‘The Moon is a Harsh Mistress’ by Heinlein - cant remember who read it but it was very well done. Premis is the penal colony on the moon decides to have a revolution and become their own country, has a sentient computer, revolutionary cabal-fu, war-fu, and espoinage-fu. Much fun.
Hm Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood”. OO Eric Larson “The Devil in the White City” - about the serial murderer at the St Louis Worlds Fair. I have it in treeware. Fascinating read, so I think he might like the audio book version. Edgar Allan Poe - “Tales of Terror”, Rafael Sabatini’s “Captain Blood” - got turned into the neat pirate swashbuckling movie with Errol Flynn … dont see Sabatinis "Sea Hawk’ though, a bit better book IMHO.
I have no idea what you would consider a good listen for a macho man. one of the most macho men I know loved the copy of the Red Book of Fairy Tales I got him for christmas, and a fighter pilot I know loves the Oz series by Baum. He has something like 3000 hours flight time in a CH53 …
I am girly girl, and I happen to like hard science fiction and militaria. And I can strip my dad’s garand and clean and reassemble it in 15 minutes. <my toenails are shell pink right now, and it matches the kimono-robe hanging on my door. Yes, i squeed when I found nail polish that exactly matched my favorite robe…>
Guy Stuff?
Try any of the Jack Reacher stories by Lee Child.
Or Vertical Run by Joseph Garber.
A lot of the stuff by Stuart Woods is Guy-Approved (Dead in the Water is my fav)
I’ll be back later with some more (gonna make a list).
PS. I found all the above in the audio section of the library.
I think he might like Cormac McCarthy. The Crossing would be good. Just don’t give him All the Pretty Horses. It’s a fine book, but no “manly” man is going to get past the title.
Charlie Wilson’s War.
I’m listening to it right now. I’m normally a dead trees kind of guy and find the pace of listening rather than reading maddening, but I started listening to this while repairing a friend’s iPod and got caught up. It has all the classic guy things - sexy women, powerful weapons, rule breaking, spying - just a great listen. I loved the movie, but there was enough left out to make a mini-series.
Good list, guys. Keep 'em coming!
I’d be tempted to give him recordings of Car Talk shows. Not a book, but it is audio.
What about Stephen Colbert’s “I Am America (And So Can You!)”? While it isn’t specifically aimed at manly men, there isn’t anything inherently unmanly in it. I listened to it while reading the book along side and Colbert’s voice adds a lot.
Look for any of the Rogue Warrior books by Richard Marcinko. Lots of shooting and swearing and random rants about things like operational security.
Al Franken reads the audiobook versions of his books himself, so those are always a hoot. Well, unless your brother is a big fan of Ann Coulter or Bill O’Reilly.
Jeremy Clarkson does the same with at least one of his audiobooks, I found it rather dull myself, but it’s sort of low-brow, blue collar type humour.
Many of Tom Clancy’s books are on audio. Those books are soaked in testosterone.
*The Hollow chocolate bunnies of the apocalypse * [sound recording] / by Robert Rankin.
read by the author
Hard to explain. Part adventure tale, not for kids.
If he likes British-style humo(u)r, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy audiobooks are great.
I’d Reccomend John Grishom’s The Firm. The version of that I heard was very good. So was the Pellican Brief
Any collection of Stephen King short stories are usually fun. Snack-sized morsels of macabre.