Sunday, May 27, 2012

What to give for Father’s Day?


How about travel—to another place and time

Books are great gifts. For a few dollars, they provide hours of entertainment that can be enjoyed anywhere. A good book sheds life’s tensions as it transports the reader to another place and time. Of course, I’m biased. I write books and hope you’ll pick one of mine as a Father’s Day gift. But even if you don’t, all books bring unique pleasure. 

Here’s a tip on how to give a really appreciated gift. Think about the interests of your father or grandfather. If you give a book that matches their hobby or genre preference, then it will show that you have put thought into the gift to make it personal.

What about books in this age of e-Readers? First, a Kindle or other e-Reader is a great gift in itself. If your father already owns an e-Reader, you can gift a specific book. Actually the recipient is not restricted to the selected title because the amount of money can be used to buy anything. I buy so many books for my Kindle that I personally appreciate it when my kids send me an Amazon gift card. Since they live across the country, it saves them money because shipping has gotten expensive. To many it may seem impersonal, but except for writing, reading is my greatest pastime. Besides, I’ll get the personal touch from the phone call.