Father’s Day Book Recommendations
It’s June 1, so Father’s Day is just under three weeks away. With all of the events taking place right now in our world, there is no better time to study history. So why not pick up one (or several!) of these books for your dad or chosen father figure? Note: I’ve linked to all of these books on Amazon for simplicity (just click the titles), but I highly encourage you to buy from local businesses. They could use your support right now!
Is your dad a fan of ancient civilizations and the Roman Empire? Perhaps Gladiator or 300 is on his list of top movies? Consider Alaric The Goth: An Outsider’s History to the Fall of Rome by Douglas Boin.
2. Is your dad interested in the contemporary fight over Confederate Monuments or eager to learn about the long-term implications from the Civil War? I’ve got two selections. Searching for Black Confederates by Kevin Levin (you can buy a personalized copy here) and The False Cause: Fraud, Fabrication, and White Supremacy in Confederate Memory by Adam Domby.
3. Is your dad a fan of presidential history? That’s ok, lots of people of are! Perhaps he’s read about Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, FDR - basically all the really famous guys and is looking for something different? Consider Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President by Candace Millard.
4. Is your dad an American Revolution buff? The Boston Massacre is in every textbook and every course on the run up to the Revolution, but my guess is your dad would learn a lot from The Boston Massacre: A Family History by Serena Zabin.
5. I would be remiss if I did a list of books for Father’s Day and didn’t include mine. The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution explores how Washington created the cabinet when faced with diplomatic and domestic crises. My hope is that your dad would learn a lot about a very public, but often-overlooked institution and why it’s so important. If you buy a copy and would like a personalized book plate for your dad, email me (drlindsaychervinsky [at] gmail [dot] com) by June 14 to get it by Father’s Day!
6. While protesters march across the country, perhaps your dad would like to read about two very influential, very different leaders of the Civil Rights Movement? The Sword and the Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. by Peniel Joseph is a good choice.
7. Is your dad a fan of James Bond and spy craft? The Special Operations Executive (SOE) inspired the Bond books and movies, but it also sent in a crew of 40 women who parachuted behind enemy lines to help arm and organize the resistance. The D-Day Girls: The Spies Who Armed the Resistance, Sabotaged the Nazis, and Helped Win World War II by Sarah Rose tells this remarkable story..
8. Is your dad curious about this current political moment and looking for an accessible read that will explain the trajectory of political power and the political parties? How the South Won the Civil War by Heather Cox Richardson has helped me understand the role of power, money, and oligarchy in this country. Richardson also does a great job showing how these movements rise and fall, and the parallels in historic moments.