Father’s Day began in 1908 with a church service in Fairmont, West Virginia, honoring men who died in a mining disaster the year before in nearby Monongah. In 1909, Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, suggested creating a national day to celebrate fathers. Inspired by a sermon on Mother’s Day, she wanted to establish a day to recognize her own father, William Jackson Smart, a Civil War veteran who raised six children on his own. With support from local churches, community groups, and the YMCA, the third Sunday in June was chosen and the first official Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910.

Over time, the idea grew in popularity. By the 1930s, businesses and advertisers began promoting Father’s Day commercially with cards and gifts. This helped turn it into a widely recognized celebration. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued a proclamation honoring fathers, and in 1972, President Richard Nixon made Father’s Day an official national observance. Although it is not a federal holiday, it is widely observed as a day to honor fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, and other father figures to recognize their love, guidance, and support. Whether you reflect on someone who shaped your life or thank the father figures around you, the day highlights the positive impact they have on families.

Father’s Day can be celebrated in many ways—from a quiet meal at home to a fun outing or weekend trip. However it’s observed, the heart of the celebration lies in expressing appreciation and gratitude for the vital role fathers play in our lives. Whether you take time to honor a father figure who shaped you or thank someone who fulfills a paternal role in your life, it’s a meaningful occasion to recognize and applaud the positive influence of fathers within their families and communities. By reflecting on the role of fathers, we can draw inspiration from their lives—and even from those who, despite their imperfections, remind us that fatherhood is often a redemptive and admirable journey.

Here are some titles that shine a light on fatherhood, whether through true accounts, humor, or advice, and the important roles fathers play in our lives:

Fatherhood : a history of love and power by Augustine Sedgewick

“A bold and original history of fatherhood, exploring its invention and transformation from the Bronze Age to the present through a collective portrait of emblematic fathers who have helped to define how the world should be ruled and what it means to be a man. Fatherhood is one of the most meaningful aspects of human culture, but we know little about when or where fatherhood first emerged, or even how or why. Despite its enigmatic beginnings, fatherhood has, for centuries, given shape to ideas about the world, defined human experiences, and provided the foundation of patriarchy. The history of fatherhood is not just the story of one of humanity’s great values: caring for those who cannot care for themselves. And it is not merely the story of patriarchy–“the power of fathers”–which is arguably the oldest and most widespread form of social hierarchy and political oppression. It is the story of how these twin strands of history became so entangled that they are often indistinguishable. In Fatherhood, celebrated historian Augustine Sedgewick explains how this style of parenting emerged in the first place, why it has changed over time, and whether it will endure as we know it, despite its extraordinary costs. Told through the lives of emblematic fathers like Aristotle, Saint Augustine, Henry VIII, Thomas Jefferson, Charles Darwin, and Sigmund Freud, this is an ambitious yet intimate look at how masculinity has evolved and how men have come to hold disproportionate power by expanding and reinforcing the power of fathers in times of crisis. Sedgewick, acclaimed for his “literary gifts and prodigious research” (The Atlantic), takes us from the Bronze Age to the present to revolutionize our understanding of fathers and challenge the fictions that have surrounded them for centuries. Fatherhood transforms our understanding of this fundamental idea, experience, and institution, allowing us to better know our past and re-envision our common future.” — Inside front cover texts.

Inspired, not retired : leadership lessons from father to son by Burl Randolph Jr

Because leaders are not developed overnight, this book examines the leadership lessons a highly successful executive leader learned from his father, applied throughout his life, and took into a successful military retirement.

The man of many fathers : life lessons disguised as a memoir by Roy Wood Jr.

“From comedian, Emmy-nominated writer and producer, and former Daily Show correspondent Roy Wood Jr., an unforgettable, laugh-out-loud funny memoir revealing that sometimes the best advice comes from the most surprising teachers. When Roy Wood Jr. held his baby boy for the first time, he was relieved that his son was happy and healthy, but he felt a strange mix of joy and apprehension. Roy’s own father, a voice of the civil rights movement in Birmingham, Alabama, had passed away when Roy was sixteen. There were gaps in the lessons passed down from father to son and, holding his own child, Roy wondered: Have I managed to fill in those blanks, to learn the lessons I will one day need to teach my boy? So Roy looked back to figure out who had taught him lessons throughout his life and which he could pass down to his son. Some of his father figures were clear, like a colorful man from Philadelphia navigating life after prison, who taught Roy the value of having a vision for his life, or his fellow comedians, who showed him what it took to make it as a working stand-up performer. Others were less obvious, from the teenage friends who convinced him to race “leaf boats” carrying lit matches in the middle of a drought to a drug-addicted restaurant colleague who played hoops while Roy scoured dirty dishes to big names in Hollywood, like Trevor Noah and more. In The Man of Many Fathers, Roy shares what he’s learned with humor and heart, delivering the most memorable lessons, such as how to channel anger through a more successful outlet (hint: never ever try to outfox a single mom), how not to get caught snitching (hint: never snitch), and how to become a good man–and a good dad (hint: listen to your fathers).”–Publisher.

Ghostbuster’s daughter : life with my dad, Harold Ramis by Violet Ramis Stiel

“From the daughter of Ghostbusters star Harold Ramis comes a hilarious and heartwarming account of his life, work, and legacy. Most of us know Harold Ramis as the filmmaker and actor who brought warmth and humor to the big screen in classics like Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Groundhog Day, and National Lampoon’s Animal House. To Violet Ramis, he was best known as an amazing father, confidant, and friend. In Ghostbuster’s Daughter, Violet reflects on the life and legacy of her father, providing readers with an extraordinarily candid and insightful look into the man who helped shape modern American comedy. Funny, endearing, and vulnerable, Ghostbuster’s Daughter takes readers into the personal life of an American comedy icon, from his humble roots in Chicago and his ascension into Hollywood superstardom to his personal philosophies on life, love, and filmmaking. While the book serves as a comprehensive biography of her father’s filmmaking career, Ghostbuster’s Daughter is also an homage to their special father/daughter relationship. Violet weaves anecdotes about her father’s unique and devoted parenting style among stories of her own unconventional upbringing, ultimately allowing readers to see a more vivid portrait of the man behind the camera. An incredibly personal biography as well as a charming family story for the ages, Ghostbuster’s Daughter is an intimate look at one of America’s preeminent comedy filmmakers”–

Let her fly : a father’s journey by Ziauddin Yousafzai

“A moving and inspirational story with a deeply personal look into the Yousafzai family, “Let her fly” traces Ziauddin Yousafzai’s life journey. From an unconfident, stammering little boy living in a mud house in a mountainous region of Pakistan to a man who has broken with regressive social norms, Yousafzai has proven that there are many faces of feminism. As an educator, a family man, and an activist, Yousafzai has championed positive changes in all aspects of his life, be it empowering his daughter, Malala, to be a global leader, fighting for girls’ education around the world, or teaching his sons the value of equality. With humor and sincerity, Yousafzai describes his life in Pakistan before the Talibanization of the Swat Valley; through scenes of his sons, Khusal and Atal, flying kites on the roof of their home; to his progressive partnership with his wife, Toor Pekai, and their challenge of raising children in an unfamiliar country. After Malala was shot by the Taliban, the Yousafzai family was completely uprooted from Pakistan and forced to start over in the United Kingdom. Now Yousafzai expresses the complex pain and joy of his return, six years later, to his beautiful homeland. “Let her fly” is an intimate family portrait by the father of one of the most remarkable leaders in the world today. For the first time, readers will learn how an ordinary man from rural Pakistan started a school with the express mission to educate young women for a bright future and became an activist and a global leader in his own right. Ziauddin and Toor Pekai have set a singular example for parents who hope to empower their children to make a difference. “Let her fly” will resonate with anyone who has ever cared for a child as Ziauddin Yousafzai shares what he’s learned from his children and what he hopes to teach the world”–Dust jacket.

I will do better : a father’s memoir of heartbreak, parenting, and love by Charles Bock

The novelist Charles Bock was a reluctant parent, tagging along for the ride of fatherhood, obsessed primarily with his dream of a writing career. But when his daughter Lily was six months old, his wife, Diana, was diagnosed with a complex form of leukemia. Two and half years later, when all treatments and therapies had been exhausted, Bock found himself a widower–devastated, drowning in medical bills, and saddled with a daunting responsibility. He had to nurture Lily, and, somehow, maybe even heal himself. I Will Do Better is Charles’s pull-no-punches account of what happened next. Playdates, music classes, temper tantrums, oh-so-cool babysitters, first days at school, family reunions, single-parent dating, and a citywide crippling natural disaster–were minefields especially treacherous for Charles and Lily because of their preexisting vulnerability: their grief. Charles sought help from friends, family, and therapists, but this overgrown, middle-aged boy-man and his plucky child became, foremost, a duo–they found their way together. By turns comical and heartbreaking, I Will Do Better does not shy from moments of sadness, anger, or awkwardness. It’s the remarkable journey of two defiant and wounded people, and their personal growth in the name of love.

Talk with her : a dad’s essential guide to raising healthy, confident, and capable daughters by Kimberly Wolf

“In Talk with Her, fathers learn that “communication” with daughters doesn’t mean having “big” conversations all the time. The author covers nineteen fundamental topics defining a daughter’s life with information fathers need to address them, including body positivity, gender and sexual identity, negative peer influence, academic achievement, and financial literacy. For each topic, the author provides background knowledge, including cutting-edge research, expert perspectives, and terminology to help bring topics into focus; goals to help focus fathers on deeper, more lasting impacts; talking points for conversations; and specifics on what to say and what not to say”–

I wish my dad : the power of vulnerable conversations between fathers and sons by Romal J. Tune

Helps fathers, and their sons move through the past to find deep connection in the present.

Sober dad : the manual for perfectly imperfect parenting by Michael Graubart

“Admit it. You’ve been looking for that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show everyone the great man you know you are. Well, congratulations. That moment is here. You are a parent (or you’re about to become one). A father! A sober dad. If the word sober led you to pick up this book, you are on the right track. You know you want to be a sober dad. Physically sober. Emotionally sober. Here’s your guide to giving up being a “guy” and to becoming a better man, so that you become a better dad. You aren’t going to get everything right. Everything isn’t going to be perfect. Perfectly imperfect is okay. Your role as a dad will last a lifetime. You’ll soon see that perfection isn’t the point. Showing up, being present, getting up, and trying again with your eyes wide open and crystal clear– that’s what counts. That’s what separates the guys from the sober dads. Those are the things your kids will remember.”–Amazon.com.