Great Gifts For The Man Who Reads
It hasn’t been too long since we made some suggestions for Valentine’s Day gifts for that special man in your life. But there’s never a bad time to give gift planning a bit more thought, and there’s always another occasion around the corner –– be it a birthday, an anniversary, or even Father’s Day (which will be approaching before we know it). So in this post we want to suggest a few more “gifts for him” –– this time with a specific focus on books!
It sometimes seems that reading has become something of a lost art, but as thoughts turn to summer –– and long hours on the back porch, or on airplanes en route to much-needed vacations –– a good book thoughtfully given is one of life's easy pleasures. So let’s have a look at some good options across categories that special guy in your life may enjoy….
Sports
Given that it’s so widely influential in baseball –– and sports in general –– it's surprising how few folks have actually read Michael Lewis's 2003 book “Moneyball.” With the 2022 Major League Baseball season just starting, now might be the time to remedy that for the man in your life. The synopsis seems simple: This book argues for small-market teams to find undervalued players who will allow them to hold their own against the big boys. But the application of advanced statistics the book argues for has ultimately changed how the league works –– influencing everything from league competition (the 2020 Tampa Bay Rays reached the World Series with the league’s third-lowest payroll) to the recent MLB lockout. Given this breadth of influence, one can make the argument this is the most important sports book of our time.
Other titles to consider in this genre: “Bubbleball” by Ben Golliver; “It’s Better To Be Feared” by Seth Wickersham; “The Captain Class” by Sam Walker.
Cultural Commentary
Numbers have indicated in the past that men read more nonfiction, and it just so happens that this is where some of the best reads are coming from these days. Specifically we’re seeing a lot of social and cultural commentary books make waves of late, and one of the masters of the category is Chuck Klosterman, whose book “But What If We’re Wrong” will intrigue anyone with the slightest interest in the evolution of culture. This book operates off of the clever premise that in all likelihood, we have no idea what elements of our own culture –– music, TV shows, etc. –– will stand the test of time. Klosterman then examines several categories in amusing but in-depth ways, doing his best to predict, say, what will define rock music in another century or more.
Other titles to consider in this genre: “The Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell; “Between The World And Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates; “The Shallows” by Nicholas Carr
Contemporary Comics
If your man likes comics, you surely know he can’t get enough –– and there’s plenty of contemporary material that makes for good gifting, from actual comics to pieces of commentary. We’ll highlight in particular the bluntly titled “How To Take Over The World,” wherein Marvel artist Ryan North offers a full and detailed guide to wannabe supervillains who'd like to conquer it all. Readers will find detailed scientific how-to's about building secret lairs, death ray construction and hiring competent henchmen. Released in March of this year and already featuring best books of 2022 lists, this could be the perfect gift for the man who wants to control the weather, live forever and command a private army of dinosaurs.
Other titles to consider in this genre: “Red Room” by Ed Piskor; “Djeliya” by Juni Ba; “Norse Mythology, Volume 1” by Neil Gaiman.
Autobiography
While there is some overlap between this category and others like cultural commentary or sports, the fact remains that a lot of men enjoy diving into straightforward autobiographies. And for our recommendation in this category, we’re highlighting Mike Sexton’s “Life’s A Gamble.” Considered to be one of the best poker books available, this title tells the story of how poker moved from bar backrooms, to televised tournaments to online industry –– all through the eyes of one of the prime movers. Known to all as a gentleman (he scooped $1 million at the World Series Of Poker in 2006 and promptly gave half his winnings to charity), Sexton passed in 2020. This is the story of a life well lived, and an excellent time to read about it.
Other titles to consider in this genre: “Barbarian Days” by William Finnegan; “A River In Darkness” by Masaji Ishikawa; “Taste” by Stanley Tucci.
Texan crime fiction
Finally, if you want to keep things close to home, you can always opt for some good old Texas crime fiction (which honestly anyone ought to enjoy reading now and again). Houston novelist Attica Locke has made waves in the TV world as a writer on Empire and Netflix's When They See Us, but her own novels eschew the big city, and are set instead in rural Texas. “Bluebird, Bluebird” and its sequel, “Heaven, My Home” are raw tales of justice (and sometimes the lack of it) in today's America. It's surely only a matter of time before one of her original works makes it to the screen (big or small), but in the meantime they make for excellent reads.
Other titles to consider in this genre: “The Far Empty” by J. Todd Scott; “The Son” by Philipp Meyer; “No Country For Old Men” by Cormac McCarthy.
Books make for great gifts. They don't go out of style, and your choice demonstrates consideration for someone’s passions and preferences. They say, “I know you, and I think you'll like this.” We hope some of these strike you as good picks for special people in your life, or at least that they’ve gotten you thinking about titles to consider!
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