Booklist: Books for Dads

Man with a Pan: culinary adventures of Fathers who cook for their famillies edited by John Donohue.

Donohue looks at the societal changes in modern-day life, where women and men are increasingly exchanging traditional roles. More men are cooking for their families, and proving to be pretty darn good at it. The book contains essays by established male food writers and chefs as well as average Joes. Each writer provides at least one recipe, and many provide recommendations of their favorite cookbooks.

In the Long Run: a father, a son, and unintentional lessons in happiness by Jim Axelrod.

CBS Correspondent Jim Axelrod discovers his late father's decades-old New York finish times. At forty-six, Jim sets himself a defining challenge: "Can I beat him?" This book is essentially a memoir of his upbringing, adulthood and working life, but the main focus is on how Jim reflectively strives to reconcile his relationship with his late father and adopt his father's achievement-oriented approach to running as a way to reconnect with the past and his memory of a loving man. 


Driving Lessons: a father, a son, and the healing power of golf by Steve Friedman.

When Steve Friedman was a child growing up in the suburbs of St. Louis, the game of golf was, to him, mysterious and dark. His father’s passion for it caused friction in his marriage and eluded the interest of his youngest son, who was devoted instead to basketball. For that and many other reasons, the two failed to bond, ultimately leading to an awkward and unhappy relationship. When he was in his forties, he reached out and asked his dad to teach him the game. This small volume is the sweet yet unsentimental story of that experience—the tale of two men using the game of golf to find a way to connect with each other across decades of disagreement and misunderstanding. For anyone who is a golfer, a father, or a son, this book will be a treasure.

A Father's Love: one man's unrelenting battle to bring his abducted son home by David Goldman; Ken Abraham. 

The inspiring, gut-wrenching story of a father's unwavering love for his son. David Goldman and his Brazilian wife, Bruna Bianchi, led what appeared to be a happy life in New Jersey. But in June 2004, Bianchi took their four-year-old son, Sean, to Brazil for what she said would be a two-week vacation. Once there, she informed Goldman that she was staying in Brazil-and keeping Sean, setting in motion an international controversy that would eventually reach the highest levels of the U.S. and Brazilian governments. His struggle continued as he combatted the determined resistance of Bianchi's Brazilian family, who refused to return Sean to his father even after his mother's death. It would be almost five years before David saw Sean again.

Wisdom of Our Fathers: lessons and letters from daughters and sons by Tim Russert.

After the publication of Tim Russert’s number one New York Times bestseller about his father, Big Russ & Me, he received an avalanche of letters from daughters and sons who wanted to tell him about their own fathers, most of whom were not superdads or heroes but ordinary men who were remembered and cherished for some of their best moments–of advice, tenderness, strength, honor, discipline, and occasional eccentricity. For some in this book, the appreciation came later than they would have liked. But as Wisdom of Our Fathers reminds us, it is never too late to embrace it. 

The Reading Promise: my father and the books we shared by Alice Ozma; foreword by Jim Brozina

When Alice Ozma was in 4th grade, she and her father decided to see if he could read aloud to her for 100 consecutive nights. On the hundreth night, they shared pancakes to celebrate, but it soon became evident that neither wanted to let go of their storytelling ritual. So they decided to continue what they called "The Streak." Alice's father read aloud to her every night without fail until the day she left for college. Alice approaches her book as a series of vignettes about her relationship with her father and the life lessons learned from the books he read to her.

My Father's Hands by Joanne Ryder; illustrated by Mark Graham

Children's picture book. Great book for the new father. A man working in his garden finds a delicate worm, a beetle in shining armor, and a leaf-green mantis and shares these treasures with his young daughter. "Lovely double-page, impressionistic oil paintings...provide a picturesque setting for this simple, straightforward description of a special parent/child outing."

A Perfect Father's Day by Eve Bunting; illustrated by Susan Meddaugh

Children's picture book. "I'm taking you out for Father's Day," Susie tells Dad. "First we'll go for lunch." "Good," Dad says. "May I drive?" "Certainly," Susie says. She chooses the restaurant, and pretty soon Dad can see that she's filled this special day with treats--treats for both of them! When they get back home, Mom's final surprise (that isn't really a surprise at all) is a perfect ending for the perfect day.

Because Your Daddy Loves You by Andrew Clements; illustrated by R.W. Alley 

Children's picture book. A day spent with a young child at the beach is filled with many minor dramas—a lost shoe, a ball that floats too far out into the water, a drippy ice-cream cone. These can be frustrating events for both child and parent, but the daddy in this book finds a way to fix each problem, lovingly and patiently. Why? Because he loves his little girl, of course! This spot-on pairing of words and images is a warm, reassuring, and humorous tribute to dads everywhere.

I Love My Daddy by Sebastian Braun

Children's picture book. Sometimes daddies are loud and playful. Other times they are quiet and compassionate. And they are always loving. Sebastien Braun's appealing text and charming illustrations follow a day in the life of a bear and his bear cub in this celebration of the bond between father and child.

I'd love to hear your recommendations for great books for dads.

Happy reading,

Angela