Let’s face it: the best gift you and your family can probably get Dad this Father’s Day is to leave him alone. But if you’re determined to give him a token of appreciation even after he says “I don’t need anything” for the 10th time, we’ve done what we usually do to lend you a hand: some gear, find figure out what’s good and then report back on the things we think the gift recipient might like.
Whether you celebrate your father a father, or you are a father yourself and try to give others an idea of what they can get youWe’ve put together some last-minute Father’s Day gift ideas below.
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An Ars-approved book he can settle into
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cover art for Project Greetings†
Ballantine Books
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Cover art for Jason Schreier’s latest deep dive into the gaming industry, Press Reset†
Grand Central Publishing
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Yes that’s a door handle on the front of A medium-sized book of boring car triviabut do you know that? That door handle?
Jonathan Gitlin
Any number of books can hold Dad’s attention, but if you need a prompt, a few works we reviewed from Ars Orbiting HQ recently do the job positively.
Project Greetingsfor example, is the latest from the Martian author Andy Weir, and like that hit, it’s about a lonely human in a desperate space-based predicament who must solve problems with science. Here, however, the fate of the solar system is at stake, and our hero is joined by an unexpected partner. In many ways it’s like a buddy movie, with punchy dialogue, unpretentious prose, and a consistent dedication to logic and science. (Not surprisingly, it’s fast shall be a movie, with first man Ryan Gosling in the lead role.) Don’t expect rich character studies, but if Dad felt like it… the Martian as film or novel, Project Greetings must be a treat. And when he’s done, Dad can read the 5000-word screed on xenolinguistics, the book that inspired my colleague Lee Hutchinson. For a non-fiction choice, we recently praised Press Reset: Ruin and Recovery in the Video Game Industry, the latest from video game investigative journalist Jason Schreier. Being go inside games help with this, but at the core, Press Reset is a light-hearted but impressive web of stories that connects working people – the people who make the games we play are punished by the unbridled instability of an erratic industry. Inside, you’ll find all the expected dramatic anecdotes from a book that delves deeper into the internal tensions of high-money gambling companies. But amid the tales of high human costs, Schreier leaves room for real nuggets of optimism and potentially healthier paths forward. For those interested in gaming or the state of modern labor in general, Press Reset is both entertaining and enlightening.
Finally, for the gearheads among us, consider: A medium-sized book of boring car trivia from the satirical British car site Sniff Petrol. It’s… more or less exactly what the title suggests, minus the “boring” part. It’s short and, unsurprisingly, a bit Eurocentric, but nevertheless packed with fascinating anecdotes about car names, prototypes, engines and the like. To give you an idea, a little describes how Ford Edsel dealers were saddled (ahem) with grooming nearly 1,000 literal ponies. For under $6, it’s a fun and witty dive for auto geeks hungry for new party trivia. If all goes well, note that Sniff Petrol recently released a second volume with even more ambiguities about driving.
†Jeff Dunn, Senior Commerce Editor
Ars Approved Books
A tumbler suitable for a bartender or an expedition member
High Camp Kolven
Whether Dad enjoys camping, hiking, golfing or just having a picnic, a High Camp Flask is an excellent companion for hydration or libations. Twenty-four-hour hot and cold cups have become relatively common among millennials, but these particular flasks are designed more for sitting down and enjoying a drink, alone or with others, than replacing a plastic water bottle.
Available in 750ml (enough for a bottle of wine) or 325ml, the 750ml seamlessly has two magnetically attached cups on the ends, while the 325ml has only one. The grip of the magnets on the cups is satisfying and strong, and in our use, the cups only came off when we intentionally removed them. The design is stylish and also feels durable, forged from stainless steel in bronze, silver or bronze and made in the style of a six-shooter. It’s a great look, somewhere between professional bartender and Bear Grylls adventurer, adding grip and style to the cups and the overall aesthetic of the bottle.
You can also get a custom engraving, and the company says it spends 3 percent of its product costs on 10 nonprofits, including Black Lives Matter, Earthjustice and Defenders of Wildlife. The engravings look and feel good and can contain images and text. Additionally, at the time of writing, several flasks are on sale for Father’s Day.
†Corey Gaskin, senior commercial writer