The 7 best books for Father’s Day when you don’t know what the heck else to buy.

I pride myself on being a pretty good present giver.     

I try to pick up small cues throughout the year so when it comes time to buy a present I’m not wracking my brain for ideas.

However, Father’s Day is one I somehow always struggle with. 

For my Dad’s birthday and Christmas I am pretty good, but come Father’s Day and *poof* – all my good ideas have been used, or escaped my brain and I'm stumped.

My brain when I try to think of a Father’s Day gift idea. Image: Giphy.

I hate buying the ‘typical’ Father’s Day presents because I don’t feel like they are very personal: socks, tools, chutney, a mug, wallet. 

They all feel a bit meh to me. So this year I’ve tried to think about something my Dad will really like and enjoy. And I think the solution is books.

Stay with me. I know giving a book may not be the first thing you think of for Father’s Day. But with such a wide variety, and the entertainment (or cooking inspo) it can provide the giftee inside that cover, I’ve discovered it’s actually the perfect fail-safe present.

Here are a few that I recommend for every kind of dad, partner, uncle, grandfather or father figure in your life. 

For the one that loves crime and cartel shows: The Deep

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The Deep by Kyle Perry is the perfect gift if your Dad can’t get enough of shows like Breaking Bad, Narcos, The Wire and any other crime dramas. It’s a thriller set on the rugged coast of Tasmania and is about modern-day pirates, family bonds and betrayals. 

It’s based around the Dempsey family, who have run a drug ring in their small town for generations, using the fishing industry and the deadly ‘Black Wind’ as a cover-up.

It’s an absorbing and fast-paced read: the story takes so many twists and turns, it’s perfect for the guy who doesn’t read that much, but of the 2 books they'll read this decade, this needs to be one of them.

For the one who loves to cook: Flavour

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Ottolenghi is having a bit of a moment lately after we've seen him recently this season on Masterchef.

So forget new tools: swap it for a good cookbook and you’ll be thanking yourself later if the guy you're gifting lives (and cooks) under the same roof as you. 

Yotam Ottolenghi’s book Flavour is full of incredible recipes heroing vegetables. He's a flavour genius, and the book is full of innovative and damn good ideas that'll have it permanently open on the giftee's kitchen bench. 

Perfect for the guy that loves to cook, or needs an extra push or some inspiration in the kitchen to get started. 

For the ones that loves a political drama: The President’s Daughter 

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Instead of buying your dad new socks, or something uneventful he'd likely be buying himself anyway… swap it for an enticing political drama instead, like this thrilling plotline. 

It's known that not even the Bible outsells James Patterson.

Patterson and Bill Clinton have partnered together again to bring us The President’s Daughter (yes, the actual ex-president Clinton). They're an unlikely duo, but have co-written a novel before, The President Is Missing, which was also a #1 New York Times bestseller.

And it’s full of drama, action and a high volume of references to military hardware: James Patterson’s speciality. 

For the one who loves a classic "whodunnit": The Thursday Murder Club

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The Thursday Murder Club follows the story of 4 unlikely friends in a retirement village (all pushing eighty) who meet every Thursday to discuss unsolved crimes. Then one day, they suddenly find themselves in the middle of their first live case. 

It’s perfect for the guys in your life who love a classic crime show, quirky characters and doesn't take themselves (or life) too seriously. Don't be buying them Cluedo; get this book instead.

For the one who's a little nerdy: Project Hail Mary

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Project Hail Mary is a science fiction book by Andy Weir about a sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission (and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish: no biggie). 

This book is perfect for the lovable self-proclaimed nerdy guy in your life who enjoys an interstellar story, a will-he-succeed-or-won't-he mission or scientific facts. This guy doesn't need another space pun printed on a t-shirt: he needs this book from you.

For the one who loves a good drop of wine: Stalin's Wine Cellar

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For the guy who's already got all the bottles of wine in his collection (and you have no idea what drop to buy him next), just get him this book instead. 

It’s been called “a wild, sometimes rough ride in the glamorous world of high-end wine”, and is a riveting read about a massive underground cellar of over 40,000 bottles hidden in Georgia, the former Soviet state. What makes the story even more unexpected is its discovery by a couple of Sydney wine merchants.

Your dad, partner or family member will be impressed that you found such an entertaining read about wine he can pair while drinking some of his own. Winning.

For the one with little kids: Bluey: My Dad is Awesome

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Forget your typical school gift stall, this book is perfect for any Dad or partner of yours with little kids obsessed with Bluey. It’s a loveable and heartwarming story, like anything Bluey is really, and will give them all the feels. 

So before you reach for your classic Father’s Day present this year, think about swapping it for a solid read instead (that you can always borrow back!). 

Feature Image: Supplied.