too much time on the computer doing WHAT?
As for me, when I was 17 I had my girlfriend in the back seat of my '67 Camero I bought with my own money while working. I was already over guns and books and moving on to other things. Course, I got the gun back when I went into the Army the next year. Now, I had 33 guns until that unfortunate boating accident. I still reload though just in case I find them again when a Republican is president.
Does he have the computer game Civilization?
If not, you should get the latest version. You are a famous ruler from history and and your own civilization starts in the Stone Age and progresses through each stage of development in agriculture, technology, culture, religion, trade, government. You meet other important historical leaders along the way, from all different continents and periods of history.
You can win by conquest, diplomacy, cultural or scientific dominance or just outlasting the other rulers.
There is plenty of reading in it, as there is background info on things like architecture and inventions, and quotes by famous figures are included. The music is also historical.
I think it is a great way to teach the achievements of Western Culture, and it is conservative-friendly. Representative government and economic freedom are valued, and faith is part of life.
Everybody in my family plays it occasionally, except me. For some reason it stresses me out to be in charge of a civilization. I worry about my citizens too much. But we have all learned something from it.
OK. I spoke with He Who Has An Xbox. He said that he totally agreed with what I wrote. He also said the odds of your grandson reading, if he doesn’t want to...are great, even if you got him a book.
One tip He Who Has An Xbox said...if you REALLY WANT to get him a book, find out what kind of games he’s playing. If they’re science fiction, the odds are better that he “may” read a science fiction book. Ditto with “fantasy” games. (whatever that is...).
He Who Has An Xbox has spoken. :)
Believe it or not, perhaps magazine subscriptions would be a very good idea to give. I started sending my first cousin many magazine subscriptions that I happened to get for free, and he now tells me that his 2 boys, both teenagers, now fight to see who gets to read which one first when they arrive each month.
I like the idea of books for your grandson, but the ones you’ve picked out are pretty heavy going for someone who at present doesn’t read much. I read a lot of Heinlein as a kid, and when I finally encountered Ayn Rand, her ideas were not so much revolutionary to me as “old home week” since Heinlein had already covered the same territory, only with more interesting action.
So I will echo the suggestion of Heinlein’s “Starship Troopers” (the very good book, not the execrable movie), or his novel, “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.” Also any of Heinlein’s “juvenile” books such as “Tunnel in the Sky” (but avoid anything published after about 1961, when he struck out in a new direction).
Terry Pratchett, a modern fantasy novelist, is pretty conservative in his outlook, and your grandson might enjoy the fantasy angle. I suggest “Night Watch” or “Guards! Guards!”
Also I was surprised at how libertarian/conservative the recent novel “The Hunger Games” is. Your grandson might actually read that since some of his friends may have read it.
Ditto married21’s suggestion on the Civilization game. Sounds like a good prospect. Remember, if he won’t crack open the book or take a peek at the game, he won’t get anything out of it at all! Best of luck!
If he doesn’t read books, don’t buy him books... they’ll sit on the shelf.
I’m with the “get him a gun” crowd. Ruger 10/22, perfect!
MONEY or a gift card. I have a 17 year old and she picks out her own gifts and I wrap them.
A tank of gas for his car.
What kind of computer games does he play? The subject matter of the games may help in deciding what kind of books to get him.
As a gamer and a reader I tend to cover the same subjects in my gaming and reading. If he plays a lot of sports games, then a good book covering the sport or sports, science fiction, then a good Science Fiction book, Fantasy, then a good Fantasy book, historical, then a good history book on the same subject, the same applies to any subject.
Once we (ie: Freepers) known the subject matter, then we can give you better suggestions.
Also, if he is interested in something on the computer, chances are he’ll be interested in it off the computer. So again, if we know the subject matter, we might give you some ideas to get him out into real life.
Get him socks, he’ll remember this Christmas forever........
“Chicken soup for the teen age soul”. Different books for the various age categories. latest publication 8/12 Amazon
No matter how much I think I’m “hip” to what I think they want, I’m pretty much clueless, just as most adults were when I was that age ; ),
As an avid reader, I appreciated some of the books I received as Christmas presents and then again, some not so much. And I can’t tell you how many really fugly sweaters I got from my grandmother that soon ended up in the Salvation Army bin.
IMO, a Christmas gift should be given in the spirit of giving something to someone that they really want and will appreciate, not giving a gift that the giver perceives that the recipient should appreciate based on what the giver likes.
I am however thinking of giving my 19 year old college student great niece who holds two part time jobs to pay her tuition and keep her car crappy used car running, a AAA membership and perhaps a gift card for gasoline. I think that would be appreciated and would be very practical.