Books for the Men in Your Life

January 14, 2011

In my family, I'm the book guru. I'm expected to make book suggestions on the spot. I don't want to let them down, so I've created a cheat sheet for the men in my life. My author mantra starts the same for the older guys: Baldacci, Grisham, Sandford, Pearson. And the younger ones, too: Hobbs, (Roland) Smith, Lupica.

My dad had cataract surgery recently, so he has the best vision of us all--sans glasses. I can throw anything at him, large print, teeny print, magazines. He likes history and creative non-fiction, so I'm thinking of the Newt Gingrich books about the revolutionary period. Maybe the new Laura Hillenbrand WW II story, she did such a great job with her award-winning spin on famed horse Seabiscuit. My husband doesn't read a lot (go figure, I make up for it!). I passed on the Sidney Sheldon book written by Tilly Bagshawe , but he loved it. My brother thinks he already has it all figured out, but I scooped him with City of Thieves by author and screenwriter, David Benioff. Right up his alley. For the boys soon to be men in my life, I recommend Mike Lupica's new book for the teenager (a good sports infused story never fails) and Mark Twain award nominated Go Big or Go Home, by Will Hobbs, for the fourth-grader.

That should get them started. So let's get reading boys!

Kathleen N.
Smithville Branch