Great Nonfiction for Dads and Grads
We are well into dads and grads season, but if you’re still looking for a last-minute gift for someone in your life or yourself as a dad or grad, here are a few options inspired by the season.
What My Father and I Don’t Talk About edited by Michele Filgate
Sometimes, Father’s Day sucks. Maybe your father has passed away or perhaps you’re no contact with your dad. Maybe you want to be a dad but can’t. This holiday can come with a lot of multifaceted feelings. Michele Filgate gets that. After the success of her anthology What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About, she’s back with another group of authors writing about their complex relationships with their dads. Among the featured writers are Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Jaquira Díaz, Isle McElroy, and Susan Muaddi Darraj.
Gather at the River: 25 Authors on Fishing edited by David Joy and Eric Rickstad
I grew up following my dad to fishing spots across Appalachia and the Midwest. When I saw Gather at the River, I immediately thought of him. This collection of essays by 25 different writers examines their relationship with fishing. These essays explore love, loss, family, relationships, and more. But they all delve into this one question: why do we come to the water? These fish tales feature writers like Ron Rash, J. Drew Lanham, Silas House, and Gabino Iglesias.
The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer
I’m a nature-loving girlie who also happens to love a beautifully packaged book. High school or college graduate me would have loved this perfect little book by Indigenous scientist Robin Wall Kimmerer. She asks readers to learn from the humble serviceberry, a tiny fruit that provides so much to its ecosystem, which supports it in turn. The vibrant illustrations by John Burgoyne accompanying the text make the book even more special.
Navigate Your Stars by Jesmyn Ward
There are many different published commencement speeches out there, but one of my favorites is the one that Jesmyn Ward gave at Tulane University in 2018. Ward is the first of her family to graduate from college, and in her speech, she described how her success truly began with respect for herself and respect for others. Of course, like all of Ward’s work, it’s beautifully written. The book is illustrated by Gina Triplett.
You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave or over on Instagram @kdwinchester. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.
Happy reading, Friends!
~ Kendra
The following comes to you from the Editorial Desk.
It’s Pride Month, and while we celebrate queer literature here all year long, we go especially rainbow bold in June. This week, we’re excited to take a look at the favorite queer books of beloved queer authors.
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It’s Pride month, which is the perfect excuse to buy and read a bunch of queer books. One method I really enjoy for finding new books is to take the recommendations of my favorite authors. Carmen Maria Machado hasn’t led me astray yet. Unfortunately, I don’t have these authors on speed dial, but luckily, they usually have shared their recommendations publicly.
Below I’ve put together queer book recommendations from 11 beloved queer authors. Some are from interviews where they discussed their favorite books, and others are book blurbs. Both the authors’ works and the books they recommend cover a wide spectrum of genres and formats, including graphic novels, literary fiction, poetry, biographies, horror, sci-fi, YA fantasy, and more, so there’s something for every kind of reader.
Akwaeke Emezi recommends…
Vagabonds! by Eloghosa Osunde
“Some of the most spectacular writing I’ve ever encountered in my life… Vagabonds! brought me to tears because it gave me a world in which my country could be home again.”
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