Five sensational reads to give Dad on Father's Day

Part memoir, part “man-ifesto,” this book from Nick Offerman, who portrays Ron Swanson on the TV show Parks and Recreation, will have Dad laughing out loud with funny yet down-to-earth pointers on manly matters. As Offerman reminisces about growing up in small-town America, he dishes up advice on “delicious living,” from the joys of barbecuing to maturing into the best man possible.

Paddle Your Own Canoe, Nick Offerman, $29.

A sweeping multigenerational saga set in Texas that has received masses of critical acclaim. The story begins with the 100-year-old Eli McCullough recounting how Comanches raided his homestead when he was 13, killing his mother and sister and taking him prisoner. Try as he might, Eli’s son, Peter, can’t live up to his father’s larger-than-life adventures, and he rebels against the legacy of violence the family empire has been built upon. Eli’s great-granddaughter, in contrast, grabs hold of her role with gusto—despite being a woman.

The Son, Philipp Meyer, $22.

King’s newest thriller features improbable heroes united in their desire to prevent a mass murder. After a car plows into desperate people lined up at a job fair, killing eight, the culprit escapes, leaving policeman Bill Hodges tormented by his inability to successfully close the case. When he later receives a letter from someone claiming to have been responsible and threatening a deadly assault that will affect thousands, Hodges is determined that, this time, he’ll stop the killer.

Mr. Mercedes, Stephen King, $36.

Sixteen-year-old Franklin Starlight isn’t happy when he receives an unexpected summons from his estranged father. Eldon Starlight is dying, and he has one last request: that his son take him into the mountains so he can be buried in the traditional Ojibwe way. As the two travel toward Eldon’s final resting place, they begin to truly communicate for the first time in Frank’s short life and understand one another. A powerful study by Wagamese of the often fraught relationship between fathers and sons.

Medicine Walk, Richard Wagamese, $30.

An exposé of high-frequency traders, the high-flyers of Wall Street, by Michael Lewis (The Big Short). Lewis investigates how a timing quirk in the system was being worked and how several financiers, including Canadian banker Brad Katsuyama, banded together to reveal the scam. Perfect for anyone following the stock market, or merely fascinated by greed and delusion. 

Flash Boys, Michael Lewis, $33.