25 Gifts for Every Kind of (Awesome!) Dad

Father’s Day is around the corner, and sure, another tie or pair of socks is great in a pinch. But what if you picked the perfect book instead? Whether the dad or granddad in your life is a fiction lover, a history buff, or maybe an amateur backyard chef looking to go pro, Parnassus store manager Andy Brennan has knocked it out of the park this year (really, check out his sports titles below!) with this round-up of his favorite Father’s Day selections.

Want to really go over the top? Give the gift that keeps on giving — a membership to our First Editions Club. Every member receives a first edition of the selected book of the month, signed by the author. There’s no membership fee or premium charge for these books. Dad can build a treasured library of signed first editions and always have something great to read.

And don’t forget we have a wonderful collection of coffee mugs, journals, custom Parnassus pencils, and gift cards that are a match for any book selection or perfect on their own. You might also check out our most recent list of staff-picked favorites for summer, 28 Books that Fit Perfectly in a Beach Bag, which includes a few Father’s Day ideas from fellow staffers.

Out of town? We ship! For Father’s Day, order by June 10, and select priority shipping (that part’s important).

Happy Father’s Day!

FOR THE FICTION FAN

The River: A novel Cover ImageThe River

By Peter Heller

A gripping novel of friendship tested by fire, whitewater, and violence.

Metropolis (A Bernie Gunther Novel #14) Cover ImageMetropolis (A Bernie Gunther Novel #14) 

By Philip Kerr

The final Bernie Gunther novel from the late Phillip Kerr.

The Sentence Is Death: A Novel Cover ImageThe Sentence Is Death

By Anthony Horowitz

This is book two in the Detective Daniel Hawthorne series. Don’t miss book one, The Word is Murder, now out in paperback.
FOR THE SPORTS FAN

Ballpark: Baseball in the American City Cover ImageBallpark: Baseball in the American City 

By Paul Goldberger

A former NY Times architecture critic shows us the way in which baseball’s history is concurrent with our cultural history: the rise of urban parks and public transportation along with the development of new building materials and engineering and design skills. Goldberger also explores how the site details and the requirements of the game — the diamond, the outfields, the walls, the grandstands — have shaped our most beloved ballparks.

Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump Cover ImageCommander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump 

By Rick Reilly

It’s not often that a golf book spends weeks on the bestseller list. This is a fascinating read for those who believe golf is a mirror of the soul.

The Great American Sports Page: A Century of Classic Columns from Ring Lardner to Sally Jenkins: A Library of America Special Publication Cover ImageThe Great American Sports Page: A Century of Classic Columns from Ring Lardner to Sally Jenkins: A Library of America Special Publication 

By John Schulian (Editor), Charles P. Pierce (Foreword by)

Schulian looks back at nearly a century’s worth of sports columns, from a time when we got our sports from the printed page and sports writing on a deadline was considered an art form.
FOR THE MUSIC LOVER

Woodstock: 50th Anniversary Edition: Three Days That Rocked the World Cover ImageWoodstock: 50th Anniversary Edition: Three Days That Rocked the World 

By Mike Evans (Editor), Paul Kingsbury (Editor), Martin Scorsese (Foreword by)

Go “back to the garden” with this day-by-day, act-by-act account of everything that went down on Yasgur’s Farm.

Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation Cover ImageSongs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation 

By Jon Meacham, Tim McGraw

From “The Star-Spangled Banner” to “Born in the USA,” the hot new duo of Meacham and McGraw offer their perspectives on the role music has played in uniting and shaping our nation.
FOR THE FOODIE

Anthony Bourdain Remembered Cover ImageAnthony Bourdain Remembered

By CNN

These remembrances give us a glimpse of Bourdain’s widespread impact through his political and social commitments; his dedication to travel and eating well; and his love of the written word, along with his deep compassion, open-mindedness, and interest in lives different from his own.

Vegetables Unleashed: A Cookbook Cover ImageVegetables Unleashed

By Jose Andres, Matt Goulding

This is not a vegetarian cookbook. It is, however, dedicated to teaching us how to eat more vegetables in the most diverse and satisfying ways possible.

The Brisket Chronicles: How to Barbecue, Braise, Smoke, and Cure the World's Most Epic Cut of Meat Cover ImageThe Brisket Chronicles: How to Barbecue, Braise, Smoke, and Cure the World’s Most Epic Cut of Meat

By Steven Raichlen

Whether barbecued in Texas, brined into corned beef, or braised for a Passover table, brisket ignites passion in meat lovers, grillers, and comfort-food fans.
FOR THE TRUE CRIME FAN

The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist: A True Story of Injustice in the American South Cover ImageThe Cadaver King and the Country Dentist: A True Story of Injustice in the American South 

By Radley Balko, Tucker Carrington, John Grisham (Foreword by)

Incredible investigative reporting exposes a broken system that allowed two individuals to send innocent people to prison.

Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee Cover ImageFurious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee 

By Casey Cep

The stunning true story of an Alabama serial killer and the trial that obsessed the author of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Looking for more True Crime titles? Don’t miss our roundup of 11 True Crime Titles That Might Make You Sleep with the Lights On.
FOR THE BIOGRAPHY LOVER

Lake of the Ozarks: My Surreal Summers in a Vanishing America Cover ImageLake of the Ozarks: My Surreal Summers in a Vanishing America 

By Bill Geist

A coming of age story in the Midwest, Emmy Award winner Bill Geist will have you laughing out loud.

A Good American Family: The Red Scare and My Father Cover ImageA Good American Family: The Red Scare and My Father 

By David Maraniss

Pulitzer Prize winner David Maraniss investigates his own father’s history and the contradictions of the American story.
FOR THE CRAFTSMAN

Every Tool's a Hammer: Life Is What You Make It Cover ImageEvery Tool’s a Hammer: Life Is What You Make It 

By Adam Savage

Savage, former co-host of Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters and one of the most beloved figures in science and tech, shares his golden rules of creativity, from finding inspiration to following through and successfully making your idea a reality.

The Tool Book: A Tool Lover's Guide to Over 200 Hand Tools Cover ImageThe Tool Book: A Tool Lover’s Guide to Over 200 Hand Tools 

By Phil Davy, Nick Offerman (Foreword by)

This user’s guide to over 200 hand tools highlights how to use tools effectively, understand them better, and how to properly care for them.

The Perfectionists: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World Cover ImageThe Perfectionists: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World

By Simon Winchester

For the dad who likes things just so, The Perfectionists is an exploration of why precision matters and how it affects our daily lives.
FOR THE HISTORY BUFF

American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race Cover ImageAmerican Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race 

By Douglas Brinkley

As we approach the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, Brinkley reflects on an era when anything seemed possible.

The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777 (The Revolution Trilogy #1) Cover ImageThe British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777 (The Revolution Trilogy #1)

By Rick Atkinson

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author begins a new trilogy about the American Revolution.

Spying on the South: An Odyssey Across the American Divide Cover ImageSpying on the South: An Odyssey Across the American Divide 

By Tony Horwitz

The author of Confederates in the Attic reports on today’s South as he retraces Frederick Law Olmstead’s journey on the eve of the Civil War. (We so enjoyed seeing Tony when he visited Nashville last month, and we will miss him very much.)

The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West Cover ImageThe Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West 

By David McCullough

A quintessential American story of determined settlers who forged a new community on the banks of the Ohio River.

Indianapolis: The True Story of the Worst Sea Disaster in U.S. Naval History and the Fifty-Year Fight to Exonerate an Innocent Man Cover ImageIndianapolis: The True Story of the Worst Sea Disaster in U.S. Naval History and the Fifty-Year Fight to Exonerate an Innocent Man 

By Lynn Vincent, Sara Vladic

The true story of the worst disaster in naval history and the 50-year fight to exonerate the captain.

The Crowded Hour: Theodore Roosevelt, the Rough Riders, and the Dawn of the American Century Cover ImageThe Crowded Hour: Theodore Roosevelt, the Rough Riders, and the Dawn of the American Century

By Clay Risen

In this origin story of the Rough Riders, Risen depicts how a ragtag group of men — everyone from Ivy League athletes to Arizona cowboys led by Theodore Roosevelt — came together to secure victory in Cuba. The Rough Riders’ win would mark an important milestone in Roosevelt’s eventual journey to the White House.

Clay Risen joins Jon Meacham in conversation at Montgomery Bell Academy on Saturday, June 8 at 2 p.m.
FOR THE INTROSPECTIVE

The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life Cover ImageThe Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life 

By David Brooks

Brooks, a NY Times columnist and PBS NewsHour contributor, explores the four commitments that define a life of meaning and purpose.

Looking for something you and Dad can do together? Check out our calendar of events at the store or join us at one of our monthly book club meetings!