If you are still wondering what to get your dad, or your kid’s dad we’ve found some really cool books we wanted to put on your radar. Whether he’s into survival tactics, birding, or reading about cults or just knows everything and you want to put his knowledge to the test, these books will strike a chord.
Cult Following: The Extreme Sects That Capture Our Imaginations––and Take Over Our Lives
Cult Following: The Extreme Sects That Capture Our Imaginations was a big hit in my house. There were cults that my husband recognized and some he didn’t so there is a nice balance of known and lesser known in this book. For instance he likes to watch the documentaries available on cults and since this book had ones he didn’t know it was a big win for me. We like to joke that he’s a “Rickapedia” instead of Wikipedia because he knows so dang much. But this book had him reading from front to back with facts he was just learning. Definitely recommend this book for those interested in History, Cults, the Occult or just a regular Bibliophile.
Stuff Every Bird Lover Should Know – Alice Sun
If he’s a birder he likely knows all the birds in the area. We have Blue Jays, Cardinals, Brown Headed Cow-birds, Ravens, Fox Sparrows and House Wrens. But does he know why birds do the things they do? I once had a red winged black bird try to do a mating dance with a sparrow and didn’t know what he was doing. It looked crazy. It was a very much “come at me bro” type of behavior. So I had to google it and that’s where I learned that. But if I had this book it would have been much easier to figure out.
Stuff Every Bird Lover Should Know has knowledge such as “Bird Basics”, “Bird Behavior” all the way to how to attract birds to your yard. Sometimes the type of seed will cover it, other times you need to be more thoughtful about what you’re putting out there. Another thing that’s nice about this guide is that it is pocket sized. Well, men’s pocket size anyway. Definitely get this book if he’s a birder, or just a novice who likes to look at the birds and admire them.
The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Apocalypse
The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Apocalypse has a lot of fun knowledge in it. It may not be 100% accurate but it does give you some idea about things like “How to Survive a Robot Uprising” and “How to Survive an Alien Invasion.” I like this book because it aligns with the first book I ever got my husband. “The Zombie Survival Guide” by Max Brooks. I’ll talk more about it later but for now The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook is definitely a complimentary compilation of scenarios and tactics. If he’s into movies like “Terminator” or “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” this is a book he’ll love to read.
The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks
I mentioned The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks briefly above but I wanted to go into it a little more. This book has amazing knowledge in it for how to sequester yourself in a way that you’ll survive a zombie apocalypse. Things like filling the bathtub and all the sinks in the house with water so you can drink if the water system shuts down. Other things like how to understand zombie physiology and behavior, the most effective defense tactics and weaponry, ways to outfit your home for a long siege, and how to survive and adapt in any territory or terrain. Those are all amazing tips for when we encounter zombies. And if you don’t think it will ever happen, it’s still nice to know these things just in case.
The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America – Matt Kracht
The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America is a hilarious look at birds. Showcasing how dumb they are in general and other facts about their annoying tendencies. Featuring common North American birds, such as the White-Breasted Butt Nugget and the Goddamned Canada Goose (or White-Breasted Nuthatch and Canada Goose for the layperson), Matt Kracht identifies all the idiots in your backyard and details exactly why they suck with humorous, yet angry, ink drawings. With The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America, you won’t need to wonder what all that racket is anymore! This is the perfect book for the birder and anti-birder alike.
Conclusion
So if your husband or dad likes anything out of the ordinary these books will knock it out of the park. Sure you could make him a macaroni tie or get him one of those gadgets you see on the Home Shopping Network, but what will he do with it really? One great idea I just came up with is an all-in-one pocket knife which would actually be a great companion gift to one of the survival handbooks. So use this article as a guide to find a book he’ll love. Bonus points because you’ll likely read it too.
