ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The idea of honoring fathers on a special day during the year was conceived a century ago by a young girl who wanted to show her father how much she appreciated him. One hundred years later, families are still honoring dads for all the great things they do, but selecting the perfect gift can sometimes be a daunting task. To assist customers, Borders' expert buyers recommend the following books, music and movies, as well as other items, which dads are sure to love.
"Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of U.S. Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan" by Doug Stanton - From the author of "In Harm's Way" comes the dramatic account of a small band of Special Forces soldiers who secretly entered Afghanistan immediately following the September 11 attacks and rode to war on horses against the Taliban. An amazing piece of clear, unbiased journalism - and our top book pick for dads.
"American Lion" by Jon Meacham - A well researched, well written and entertaining book about Andrew Jackson's years in the White House by Newsweek editor and bestselling author Jon Meacham. A Pulitzer Prize winner and one of the bestselling presidential biographies in recent years.
"The Forever War" by Dexter Filkins - A remarkable chain of events that begins with the rise of the Taliban in the 1990s, continues with the attacks of 9/11 and moves on to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, all chronicled by award-winning New York Times correspondent Dexter Filkins.
For sports fanatic dads
"Red and Me" byBill Russell and Allan Steinberg - Bill Russell, a five-time MVP and star center on the Boston Celtics, tells of his deep friendship with his coach Red Auerbach - one of the greatest coaches in sports history - and the impact each had on the other's life. A must read for any basketball fan.
"WWE Encyclopedia" by Brian Shields and Kevin Sullivan - A beautiful, high-end gift, this title highlights all things WWE, including hundreds of wrestlers from the 1960s to today. Features 500 full-color images throughout. The dad who's a fan of wrestling will be impressed.
"Are You Kidding Me" by Rocco Mediate and John Feinstein - This book chronicles one of the most dramatic showdowns in golf history: the battle between Mediate and Tiger Woods at the June 2008 U.S. Open.
For ponderous and industrious dads
"The Drunkards Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives" by Leonard Mlodinow - The cover itself is fetching enough, but inside the pages of this great read there is an interesting exploration of the role randomness plays in our lives. From wine ratings to home run records - this book poses a fascinating challenge to some long-held beliefs.
"Public Enemies" by Bryan Burrough - A definitive account of the 1930s crime wave that brought criminals like John Dillinger to America's attention. A feature movie based on this book that stars Johnny Depp opens in theaters July 1.
"ShopClass As Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work" byMatthew B. Crawford -This book rekindles the rewarding experience of making and fixing things with our hands.
For dads who find humor in everything
"The Final Four of Everything" by Mark Reiter and Richard Sandomir - Using the art of "bracketology," the authors celebrate everything that's great, bad, surprising or silly about our American way of life.
"The Man's Book" by Thomas Fink - Answers to every man's burning questions - like how to tie a tie, mix a martini and what the difference is between a bock beer and a bitter beer - can be found within the pages of this book.
"The Maxims of Manhood" by Jeff Wilser - "Man laws" that every living, breathing, beer-drinking, football-worshiping guy must put into practice.
For grill-master-want-to-be-dads
"Weber's Way to Grill" by Jamie Purviance - Indispensable insight and tips for great outdoor grilling. It's an all-in-one master class on outdoor cooking with tried-and-true recipes accompanied by hundreds of color photographs.
"Serious Barbeque" by Adam Perry Lang - Learn everything it takes to become a grill master, from choosing the perfect grill and other tools, cooking with wood and charcoal and selecting, preparing and cooking a great cut of meat. The book contains mouthwatering recipes that will leave family and friends begging for more.
"Barbecue! Bible: Sauces, Rubs and Marinades" by Steven Raichlen - Boasting 200 international grilling recipes with chili-fired rubs, lemony marinades, buttery bastes, savory sauces, mops, slathers, sambals and chutneys, Raichlen shows readers what it takes to grill everything from a simple steak to an exotic kabob - perfectly.
For dads who devour fiction
"The Bourne Deception" by Eric Van Lustbader and Robert Ludlum- Picking up where "The Bourne Sanction" left off, the formidable Jason Bourne is back and he's trying to elude an assassin while an American jetliner is shot down over Egypt by what seems is an Iranian missile.
"Pygmy" by Chuck Palahniuk - Best described as "The Manchurian Candidate" meets "South Park," this hilarious novel is about a group of foreign-exchange students who arrive in a Midwestern city determined to unleash "Operation Havoc." The story is narrated by a 13-year-old agent named "Pygmy."
"City of Thieves" by David Benioff - Set in Leningrad during World War II, this book tells the story of Lev and Kolya, two young Russian men arrested by the Nazis and given a chance to save their lives if they can find one dozen fresh eggs for a powerful colonel to use in his daughter's wedding cake. It is a page-turning novel that is enthralling, funny and extremely memorable.
"The Last Child" by John Hart - The story of a young boy's hunt for his missing twin sister, and the sinister secrets he uncovers in his North Carolina hometown.
For movie-buff dads
"Nature's Most Amazing Events" - A veritable visual feast from the producers of "Planet Earth," the documentary features such things as the monsoons in India, the annual flooding of the Okavango Delta and a Pacific plankton bloom - all meticulously photographed in razor-sharp clarity.
"Woodstock: Three Days of Peace & Music"- A re-mastered two-disc DVD celebrating the greatest rock concert in history. The Ultimate Collector's Edition DVD contains extended music footage and supplemental historical content all wrapped in faux leather "stash" bag.
For dads who enjoy musical notes
The Dave Matthews Band's "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King" - Hailed by Billboard Magazine as the Dave Matthews Band's best album yet.
"MichaelBubleMeetsMadisonSquareGarden" - A combination CD and DVD that documents the days leading up to the biggest show of Michael Buble's career.
Additional Gift Items
Dads and granddads who enjoy a nice dark roast will savor 6th Avenue Bistro Blend and the Post Alley Blend from Seattle's Best Coffee located within Borders.
Borders also offers beautiful moleskin and leather journals for dad as well as the perfect complement to any journal - an enamel pen and pencil set arranged in a gift box.
For dads who want to enjoy their books digitally, there's the Sony Reader Digital Book. It features an interactive touch screen display and built-in light - and holds up to 350 digital books.
About Borders Group, Inc.
Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE: BGP) is a leading retailer of books, music and movies with approximately 25,000 employees. Through its subsidiaries, the company operates more than 1,000 stores worldwide primarily under the Borders(R) and Waldenbooks(R) brand names. For online shopping, visit Borders.com. For more information about the company, visit www.borders.com/media.
