Woman in Real Life

Men are pretty much impossible to buy for, right? Which makes Father's Day a bit stressful for us daughters/sons/wives. But there are always books to buy - with books on pretty much any topic, there just has to be something to please your husband and/or father.

I picked out two books for my husband from DK Canada's Father's Day boutique. The books in the boutique cover topics such as cooking, sports, sailing and wine. And they are 30% off right now, which is always nice.


When selecting a gift, it's important to put aside your own preferences and think about the recipient. For example, you couldn't get me to read these two books in a million years. Yawn. But my husband will love them. That's the beauty of people. Each of us is unique.

My husband has been playing guitar since he was a kid, so I knew he would love The Complete Guitar Manual. It's a step-by-step guide to playing guitar and, while he doesn't need basic instruction anymore, the book also includes advanced techniques, guitar anatomy and guitar history, including details on specific guitar models. Have you ever seen how excited a guitar enthusiast gets when somebody mentions a rare or expensive guitar model?

My husband would honestly buy a new guitar every month if he could. For now, he'll have to settle for the book. It includes a DVD-ROM that shows demonstrations of all the skills and exercises in the book so it will be a great resource if the kids ever want to learn too.

I stopped at the page about "inspirational guitar songwriters" because it had a picture of one of my favourites - Kurt Cobain. Apparently "the definitive grunge-rocker and frontman for Nirvana was no soloist, but penned resonant riffs and unforgettable, driving chord progressions." I don't know about all that, but I do love his songs.



I confess that the only way I can tolerate learning about history is if it's part of a Thomas Hardy novel. My husband, on the other hand, is a history teacher, so it makes sense that he would enjoy this Smithsonian Military History book. It's a definitive visual guide to the objects of warfare. Men seem to like that stuff.

I have to admit the book is kind of cool - it covers everything from the early humans' weapons of wood and stone to the crusading era's armor and swords to today ("The Nuclear Age") and our helicopters, Special Forces weapons and tanks.

Here's the official description: Organized chronologically and by key military technology, Military History: The Definitive Visual Guide to the Objects of Warfare covers the iconic weapons, armor, equipment and battles that have defined war through the ages, showing the impact of changes in military technology on the very fabric of history.

Now I think the best gift I can give my husband is some time to actually read these books!

What's on your list for Father's Day?