My dad is about to turn 91, he’s always loved books - but they have to be what he calls ‘real’ (in other words, non-fiction). I want to get him something for Christmas but I’m struggling to think what to get him. He loves nature, geography, that sort of thing - before now books of interesting maps have also been a hit. The trouble is, these days he needs books that aren’t too big and heavy, don’t have lots of text to read (50/50 words and pictures is ideal), or where the images aren’t too small. He used to sit and study maps, but I don’t think he can really do that now.
Does anyone have any ideas?
I’ve been looking at ‘Bob the Robin’, but I don’t know if that’s too much intensive reading. I found an Almanac on Amazon but not too sure. I was also looking at the ‘Spring’ and ‘Winter’ books by Val McDermid and Michael Morpurgo, but it’s hard to judge when you can’t see them in person.
If anyone has any suggestions (or if you’ve read any of these books) that would be really appreciated!
Are there any local books on the history of his town/village, either where he lives or where he grew up, with old pictures? Would that sort of thing be an idea?
A few years ago I read Robin Ince’s The Importance of Being Interested and loaned it to my mum and grandmother (she’s in her nineties). She said some of the science was beyond her but she enjoyed it, which to be honest was what I thought too. I can’t remember it being anything other than normal-sized text but there might be an audiobook.
If you’ve got the budget, would he like an e-reader? My grandmother loves her Kindle because she can increase the text size and brightness.
I’ve tried audio books but I don’t think he likes the idea - he loves Bill Bryson and when he was in hospital a couple of years ago I bought him one of his books on cd and a little player so that he could sit up in bed and listen to it. I don’t think he did though - he doesn’t like tech or things with buttons these days! He’s much more of a ‘flick through a book’ old school type!
It’s very difficult, up until he had his hospital stay (shingles, totally knocked him for 6) he was fit as a flea - walked for miles, full of energy and interest. Now he has to walk with a frame or use a wheelchair and seems to have suddenly gotten old. I mean he’s 90, he’s old, but recently he’s become old, old and he needs things to engage his interest.
I bought him a book of photos from the air for Father’s Day which he enjoyed, and also a book about roundabouts which was very much up his street He quite likes quirky (he also liked Boris Johnson’s Churchill book, but I’ll gloss over that!!)
My partner got the book ‘Norwegian Wood, Chopping, Stacking and drying the Norwegian Way’. If he even has a passing interest in wood, trees, logs, wood burners, real fires, outdoors etc. he may like it. It has stats and which wood is best for heating and lots of other info.
My partner is a tree surgeon so he really enjoyed it but so did a few of our friends who have no interest in logging at all.
I bought my grandmother some audio CDs a few years ago and she has listened to precisely none of them… I know what you mean. I have some elderly relatives who didn’t seem old until suddenly they did. It’s hard. I hope you find him some good reads!
have you had a look on bookshop.org ? it is an online bookshop populated by independent bookshops, who get a percentage of the sales.The bookshops write their own reviews so you get a good sense of what the book is like, and they won’t recommend bad books (booksellers code!) When you said Geography i thought of Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall - he writes a lot on geography, and there is a children’s version too, which i read when I was working in a children’s bookshop - which might fit the picture/text criteria.
Thanks Jo - I haven’t heard of that site, it sounds like a great idea and I’ll definitely take a look!
The book you mentioned might be a bit heavy going for dad, he struggles to concentrate on lots of text - but it’s up my husband’s street, so I’ll add that to the Christmas ideas list. Great find, thank you!
My friend bought her Mum this. Absolutely stunning photos and a real insight about life in a very remote location inside the Arctic circle. Polar night (eternal dark) lasts 4 months……
He quite likes quirky (he also liked Boris Johnson’s Churchill book, but I’ll gloss over that!!)