ALT-1 Great Books to Give your Dad for Fathers Day
We all have our own ideas of what constitutes a "great book". Books are a tricky gift- they can be a big hit, or a dismal disappointment. To get your Dad a great Fathers' Day book, you have to consider what he's interested in, what he's already read, and whether or not he has time to read. If you do decide that a literary gift is the way to go, here are a few suggestions for a variety of dads. Each suggestion includes a link to Amazon.com so you can check it out.
1. The Geek-Does your dad have a wide circle of friends, none of whom he's met face-to-face? Is he more concerned with processor power than horsepower? Does he take it as a compliment when you call him a geek?
If you're neck is sore from nodding, then your dad might enjoy a book that would help him keep his computer skills up to date. He may have been a wiz at C++ in college, but as Microsoft continues to add customizable features to its products, Visual Basic will become more and more relevant. Any geek without a solid VB background is behind the times.
If you want a more fun geek gift, try a comic book compilation like the "New X-Men Omnibus" by Grant Morrison. With glossy, full-color artwork and a sturdy hard cover, a comic compilation makes reading comics convenient while still preserving all the over-the-top fun of the flimsy paper originals.
http://www.amazon.com/New-X-Men-Omnibus-Grant-Morrison/dp/0785123261/ref=cm_cr-mr-title
2. The History Buff-If your dad is more likely to drop the name of a long-dead general than the screen name of his online gaming pal, then he might enjoy Michael Farkquhar's "Treasure of Great American Scandals". This book shows American icons like Benjamin Franklin and Theodore Roosevelt with all their foibles. It also thoroughly covers one of the most ludicrous scandals in American history, the Salem witch trials. That section is hilarious, in a very black comedy sort of way. The whole entire book is written in a witty, fast-paced style that will make it enjoyable for even half-hearted students of history.
While you're at it, why not pick up "A Treasury of Deception", which entertains with tales of military subterfuge, financial swindling, and hilarious hoaxes throughout the ages? "A Treasure of Royal Scandals" should by on your shopping list too. The foibles and follies of royalty are both fascinating and often laugh-out-loud funny.
http://www.amazon.com/Treasury-Great-American-Scandals-Tantalizing/dp/0142
3. The Stock Jockey-
If your dad tosses the sports page in the circular file and takes the business section to the bathroom, a book on smart stock strategies might be a good investment. Robert Deel's "Trading the Plan" has some good insights for beginning investors looking to trade stocks. With a cute little technical analysis "algorithm" and plenty of practical advice on fundamentals, timing, and keeping your cool, Deel makes the stock market accessible to readers with minimal training in mathematics or finance.
If your dad is a veteran trader, he probably doesn't need the advice in the previously mentioned book. However, he may enjoy reading about how the stock market can be understood in terms of probability. The book "Trading Chaos", by Bill M. Williams, is written at a general-interest level with the goal of granting the average trader some level of mathematical sophistication. While an introductory book cannot provide enough depth to be immediately useful in trading, it is an interesting read and can serve as a starting point for further study.
http://www.amazon.com/Trading-Chaos-Applying-Techniques-Marketplace/dp/0471119296/ref=sid_dp_dp
