Hi there. I’m a big reader but have been striking out HARD when it comes to book recs/gifts for my husband. His birthday is coming up and I’m hoping to gift him a book a month this year, which was fun in theory but now I’m terrified that I’m going to blow it.
He has loved:
Erik Larson, but has read all his stuff
David Grann
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne
Sapiens by Yuval Harari (I know the research is shoddy in this one, but he LOVES it and I’ll gladly take recs for something better!)
Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
Most things by Bill Bryson
James by Percival Everett
What are your recs for this guy? Thank you!
by Ordinary_Trick7300
13 Comments
Has he read anything by Mary Roach or Jon Krakauer?
Birds Without Wings by Louis deBearniers is wonderful historical fiction similar in style to A Gentleman in Moscow. I LOVED IT. The storytelling is tender and humorous and the WWI Türkiye history was compeletely unknown to me and fascinating.
Endurance by Alfred Lansing is truly incredible and a page turner if he hasn’t read it. I’m also reading Say Nothing about the Troubles right now, and it’s up there too.
The Indifferent Stars Above, by Daniel James Brown
Ben Macintyre books are great for Erik Larson fans. Double Cross is amazing (I am SHOCKED this one isn’t a movie or series yet!), so is The Spy And the Traitor and also Rogue Heroes.
He may also like Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe. I read that one based on this board’s recommendation and it was every bit as good as they said it was.
The Spy and The Traitor by Ben Macintyre and if the soviet vibes are working, do Red Notice & Freezing Order by Bill Browder. I’m a big Larson reader and these are all tops for me.
Anything by:
Buddy Levy
Nathanial Philbrick
Candice Millard
David McCullough
I am also a big Erik Larson fan. A few of my non-Larson non-fiction favs :
Endurance by Alfred Lansing
The Boys in the Boat or The Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James Brown. I know The Indifferent Stars Above gets a lot of love on reddit, but I enjoyed The Boys in the Boat so much more.
The Family or The Children’s Blizzard by David Laskin
Try any book by Timothy Egan. The Dust Bowl one was used a lot in the Burns documentary.
Any books by Nathaniel Philbrick should appeal to him, especially Travels With George.
Empire of Pain and Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
The Escape Artist by Jonathan Freedland
True Grit by Charles Portis
In the Distance by Hernan Diaz
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
North Woods by Daniel Mason
The Overstory by Richard Powers
Underground Railroad, Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
Sea Biscuit if he hasn’t already read it
River of Doubt – Candice Millard
Endurance – Alfred Lansing
Buddy Levy’s books about the arctic are fantastic