(no subject)

[nonionay]

And in other news, I've successfully turned my dad onto John Scalzi. This is exciting for many reasons. Mainly that I successfully predicted my father's tastes and got him something cool for his birthday (usually I get him smoked salmon, and he's happy with that). I think this might be my new game-- figuring out books that both me and my dad will like. Stuff I know he likes:

a) clearcut good guys/bad guys. My dad likes escapist stuff that's not like the real world.
b) Heinlein and golden age science fiction
c) adventure
d) Alan Dean Foster (seriously, he owns like every single one of Foster's books. I grew up never knowing Foster was best known for writing in other people's worlds)

Any suggestions for new authors to try out would be appreciated.

But most importantly...

I have found a point of intersection between my world and my dad's. I wish I was more into science fiction like he is, so I can talk to him about his favorite writers. When I told him Lois McMaster Bujold was the GOH at the first Norwescon I attended, he perked up, "really?" But I didn't get to see her there. Yet, when I squee over seeing Charles DeLint, my dad's all, "Who?"

I know that all I need to do to impress my dad is be myself and do what I love, but hey, I want to impress him someday by introducing him to his favorite authors.

So the list of books I've given my dad, all of which he liked:

Old Man's War - John Scalzi

Rocket Science -- Jay Lake

A Wrinkle in TIme - Madeline L'Engle (The guy's 67 years old. I forget that even YA books that were classics before I was born were missed by him.)

The Golden Compass - Philip Pullman (Afterwards, he went right out about bought the rest of the series. Now I don't have to buy them!)

I think I gave him The White Mountains, but I don't remember. I think I've been giving him mostly classic YA because I'm never sure where his squick level lies with sex and stuff.

Oh yeah, and he read A Storm of Swords and Foucault's Pendulum because he knew how much I loved them. His main reaction was, "wow, they're long."

Anyway, that's enough of me being happy about bonding with my father.

Comments

[jaylake.livejournal.com]

I am in good company. That's cool.

[criada.livejournal.com]

I think yours was actually the first I gave my dad in my quest to share books.

On a side note - when I saw your comment in my inbox, where all comments are tossed together, I thought you were on the post before this one. I was momentarily confused. Yes! We are those who link to wearable vending machines!

[phewfighter.livejournal.com]

Have you tried any Harry Harrison? He's just full of clearcut adventure. The Eden Trilogy (West of, Return to and Winter in) were among the first books my dad and I shared. I mean, humans alongside evolved dinosaurs... that's something for everyone. I recall even some interspecies sex, so you might be interested in taking a gander yourself.

And if not that, there's always Deathworld, though that might just be too simplistic.

[criada.livejournal.com]

>> I recall even some interspecies sex,

Hey, I'm a sado-masochist, not a Furry. :-P
Now, if they tied the dinosaur up first...

I'm pretty sure my dad likes Harry Harrison, or has at least read him. I'm the one that needs to read that. There's so much classic stuff I need to read-- Bradbury, Heinlein, Asimov. I like Philip K Dick and Alfred Bester, but I think those are too weird for Dad. I'll probably ask him for recommendations. (That's how I ended up reading The Fountainhead. Not sure why. My dad doesn't like Ayn Rand)
He tends to read authors he knows, and I want to hook him up with new ones. That, I realize, is why I'm giving him so much classic YA.