Father's Day Archives

Trophy Son

by Douglas Brunt

Imagine Andre Agassi's Open meets Lauren Weisberger's The Singles Game. Anton Stratis isn't good at anything but tennis; his parents, both Olympic athletes, are just fine with that. This coming-of-age story tracks his life on the court from his youth, and his rise to the top, all while under his father's oppressive thumb.

Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right

by Arlie Russell Hochschild

Years before Trump was a presidential candidate, Berkley sociologist Arlie Hochschild decided she wanted to better understand the political divide in this country. So she left her liberal California home and traveled into the heart of Tea Party territory. This wouldn't be a book if she wasn't surprised by what she found. This isn't a perfect book (as in, the author occasionally lapses into stereotypes about some political viewpoints and the people who hold them), but it's a good one, and extremely timely.

Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free

by Hector Tobar

Ann Patchett called this the best book she read in 2014, a fabulous book club pick, and a moving true story. That's enough for me. When Chile's San Jose mine collapsed in August 2010, thirty-three miners were trapped beneath thousands of feet of rock for 69 days—longer than anyone thought they could survive. While they were still trapped in the mine, the men agreed that if they told their story, they would only do it together. On their release, they entrusted Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tobar with its telling.

My Year of Running Dangerously

by Tom Foreman

I'm intrigued by this one because the ratings are about as good as they get. From the publisher: "As a journalist whose career spans three decades, CNN correspondent Tom Foreman has reported from the heart of war zones, riots, and natural disasters. He has interviewed serial killers and been in the line of fire. But the most terrifying moment of his life didn't occur on the job - it occurred at home, when his 18-year-old daughter asked, "How would you feel about running a marathon with me?" I keep hearing the audiobook is fantastic.

Fields of Battle: Pearl Harbor, the Rose Bowl, and the Boys Who Went to War

by Brian Curtis

From the publisher: "In the wake of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the 1942 Rose Bowl was moved from Pasadena to Durham, North Carolina, out of fear of Japanese attacks on the West Coast. It remains the only Rose Bowl game to ever be played outside of Pasadena. As the players and coaches prepared for the game, America was preparing for war. Shortly afterward, many of the players and coaches entered the military and would quickly become brothers on the battlefield. In one powerful encounter on the battlefield, OSC’s Frank Parker saved the life of Duke’s Charles Haynes as he lay dying on a hill in Italy. It was a game created by infamy and a war fought by ordinary boys who did the extraordinary."

The Dry

by Jane Harper

"You lied. Luke lied. Be at the funeral." Federal Agent Aaron Falk is summoned home with these words after his best friend Luke dies in a heartbreaking murder-suicide, turning the gun on himself after killing his wife and 6-year-old son. Falk obeys—but he can't believe his best friend could have done such a thing, and so he starts digging, dragging long-buried secrets back to the surface. The setting is the drought-ravaged Australian Outback, and the brittleness and heat are almost palpable. Imagine an Australian Tana French, and you've got this stellar debut about right. (Psst—we're talking with the author in the MMD Book Club this summer.) Publication date: January 10.

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It

by Chris Voss

Daniel H. Pink calls this fascinating and practical: "From the pen of a former hostage negotiator—someone who couldn't take no for an answer—which makes it fascinating reading. But it's also eminently practical. In these pages, you will find the techniques for getting the deal you want."

Chain of Title: How Three Ordinary Americans Uncovered Wall Street’s Great Foreclosure Fraud

by David Dayen

The New York Times Book Review warns, "Prepare to be surprised, and angry… the homeowners' stories are emotional roller coasters. Dayen skillfully narrates a slow reveal and sprinkles in some lively metaphors."

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster

by Jon Krakauer

Krakauer climbed Mt. Everest while on assignment for Outside Magazine in 1996, which would become the deadliest year in the history of the mountain. 8 people died on the mountain the day Krakauer himself summited; 15 died that season. Krakauer made it back down to tell the tale of what it was like on the mountain that May. A first-class adventure story.

Father's Day