Another book, less silly, but still funny?
May 9, 2016 6:13 PM   Subscribe

I need book gift suggestions again - this time for a young man...

Two years ago I asked this question. The answers really helped. Same family, this is the youngest boy, but not the youngest child. I'd like a small, preferably funny book to include a gift certificate in.

I would most like something along the lines of "common sense" - in general, he reminds me of the sort who would need to post a "can I eat this" question, and I'd like him to stay alive after he moves out of the house. :)

So - common sense, how to adult, not eating things that will kill you sort of thing?
posted by hilaryjade to Shopping (7 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: The U.S. Army Survival Manual has been one of my go-to gifts for young dudes. It's kinda fun to read and, heck, it may come in handy someday. Seems like a good opportunity to write a playful note about surviving the real world :)
posted by missjenny at 6:22 PM on May 9, 2016


Help, My Apartment Has A Kitchen! (And then you include a Foodler gift card)
posted by robocop is bleeding at 6:53 PM on May 9, 2016 [1 favorite]




How young is young? I'd be inclined to get a teenager something like Cracked.com's De-Textbook, which is well-researched knowledge/facts disguised as fun. It's possible though that anything in that series may contain minor references to adult themes like strong language or a mention of drugs/sex. If that's a concern, a classic I enjoyed as a kid was How to Lie with Statistics, a good fun read for learning how to think analytically rather than accepting "facts" at face value.
posted by veery at 7:20 PM on May 9, 2016


Response by poster: Sorry - should have been more clear about age. He is 18 & graduating from high school.
posted by hilaryjade at 8:28 PM on May 9, 2016


Best answer: Rules of Thumb: A Life Manual, by Tom Parker
Thing Explainer, by Randall Munroe
The Teenager's Guide to the Real World, by Marshall Brain
posted by at at 10:39 AM on May 10, 2016 [1 favorite]


Is he headed to college? If so, then maybe something like The Freshman Survival Guide: Soulful Advice for Studying, Socializing, and Everything In Between would be a good idea.

If he's just headed out into the wide world, I recommend Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps. It's aimed a little bit more at recent college grads than at high school grads, but is great otherwise. You can get a sense of the content and tone from the Adulting blog.
posted by Jaclyn at 1:00 PM on May 10, 2016


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