Welcome to a fun take on Five Things, in honor of Father’s Day! We are joined by novelists Beau LโAmour and Ryan Pote, each of whom share books and movies with connections to their dads.
From Beau LโAmour: Five Books and Movies I Shared with My Father
From before I could comprehend until I started driving myself to school at 16, my father read aloud to my sister and I at the breakfast table and on car trips across the American west.ย Sometimes it was books he had to read for work, sometimes it was novels he had grown up with and wanted to share.ย Growing up in Hollywood we also went to a lot of movies โฆ this list could go on and on!
The Three Musketeers โ For a kid, the 1950 Lord Sudley translation is vastly better than Pevearโs more scholarly 2006 version.ย Alexandre Dumas classic adventure deserves to be fast paced and exciting.ย Itโs a great example of how much fun 19th century literature can be.ย Dumasโ father, the son of a slave, and renowned for his immense strength, rose to become one of Napoleonโs generals only to be broken by unjust imprisonment clearly inspired many of the heroes created by his son.
The Martian Chronicles โ a collection of short stories, not all of them consistent, by the great Ray Bradbury. Ray was a friend of ours. Neither he nor my father could drive so they would stroll from bookstore to bookstore in Beverly Hills and Westwood until my mother arrived to take them home. This 1950 collection about mankindโs clumsy colonization of Mars evokes a childlike wonder no matter the age of the reader. For a kid discovering what language can do, Bradbury opens the door to a magical fantastical world.
Lost Trails, Lost Cities by PH Fawcett โ Following the disappearance of his father and older brother in 1925, Brian Fawcett edited P.H. Fawcettโs manuscripts and letters documenting his explorations in the Amazon. Too often kids are only exposed to history as written by scholars; this is one of thousands of firsthand accounts by those who actually did the thing. And given recent archeological discoveries Fawcett looks to have been broadly vindicated in his search for a lost civilization.
The Wind and the Lion (1975, John Milius) โ Morocco 1904. A historic hostage crisis is reshaped into a mythic adventure. An American widow (Candice Bergin) and her two children are kidnapped by a Berber warlord (Sean Connery). American President Teddy Rooseveldt (Brian Keith) is ready to send in the Marines, an act that just might trigger a World War. Itโs grand, romantic, funny, and poignant, with amazing writing, performances, and a score to die for. One of my fatherโs favorites.
Shane (1953, George Stevens) โ a drifter befriends a family of homesteaders trying, unsuccessfully, to leave his gunfighter past behind. The story is told through the eyes of the familyโs young son who idolizes both his father (Van Heflin) and Shane (Alan Ladd). He watches the uncomfortable world of adults reveal itself piece by piece. I grew up in Alan Laddโs house, though he died when I was very young. On weekends the adults would often spool up his old movies to keep the youngsters occupied. Shane was one of my favorites.
From Ryan Pote: Five Recommendations of Books/Films Perfect for Any Dad
My father wasnโt much of a reader. He worked long hours and preferred the easy glow of the television to the quiet of a book. But movies? That was our shared language. Friday nights meant blockbuster, dim lights, and stories that pulled us out of the everyday. Those nights still shape how I think about fatherhood. Here are five recommendationsโbooks and filmsโthat Iโd hand to any dad looking for stories that challenge the mind, stir the heart, or quietly honor what it means to show up for your family.
Sphereย (book by Michael Crichton and the 1998 film)
Crichtonโs novel is a master class in propulsive, intelligent storytelling: an underwater research station, a mysterious alien sphere, and a psychological descent that questions reality itself. The film, with Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, and Samuel L. Jackson, captures the same creeping dread and delivers top-notch acting. Creepy, mind-bending sci-fi that sparks great conversations. My dad and I returned to it more than onceโthe tension always had us glancing at each other like, โYou catching this?โ
Cinderella Man (2005 film)
Russell Croweโs portrayal of Jim Braddock, the Depression-era boxer who fights for his family, remains one of the most honest depictions of fatherhood on screen. With Renee Zellweger and Paul Giamatti, itโs not just a sports storyโitโs about pride, sacrifice, and doing whatever it takes so your kids donโt go hungry. My father watched it in silence, but I could feel the quiet recognition. Essential viewing for any dad whoโs ever pushed through exhaustion for his children.
The Never Ending Story (1984 film)
A lonely boy discovers a book that pulls him into a fantasy world threatened by โThe Nothing.โ Flying luck dragons, epic quests, and a powerful message about the strength of imagination. My dad and I watched this when I was young, and its blend of wonder and melancholy stayed with us. Itโs a gentle reminder that fathers help keep wonder alive even when real life feels heavy.
The Chronicles of Narnia series (films, beginning with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 2005)
Snow-covered lampposts, a brave lion, and children stepping into destiny. These stories mix adventure, sacrifice, and moral courage in ways that feel timeless. As a father, you see Aslanโs protective choices through new eyes. Cold nights watching these with my dad turned into warm memories and conversations about doing the right thing when itโs hardest.
The Lord of the Rings (books by J.R.R. Tolkien and Peter Jacksonโs film trilogy)
J.R.R. Tolkien crafted one of the greatest works of modern literatureโan epic of ordinary heroes carrying impossible burdens so others might live in peace. Peter Jacksonโs films bring that world to life with unmatched scale and heart: Frodoโs quiet courage, Samโs unbreakable loyalty, Aragornโs sense of duty. My dad loved the sweeping battles and the quieter moments of resolve. For fathers, the story asks the same question we all face: Will you carry what you must for the next generation? Few tales answer it with such power.
These five cross genresโsci-fi tension, boxing grit, fantasy wonderโbut they all circle back to responsibility, courage, and connection. Whether you read Sphere together or queue up Cinderella Man on a rainy evening, youโre building more than entertainment. Youโre creating memories and passing on lessons that your kids will carry long after the screen goes dark
Beau LโAmour is a writer, art director, and editor. He has written and produced several films, including USA Networkโs The Diamond of Jeru. Since 1988 he has been the manager of the estate of his father, Louis LโAmour.
Ryan Pote is a twelve-year veteran Navy helicopter pilot and mission commander who was part of a joint interagency special operations task force (JIATF). He did three deployments during Operation MARTILLO countering narcotics smuggling throughout Central and South America.
Ryan then served as a search and rescue pilot for the US Navy Experimental Test Wing and NASA. After getting out of the Navy, he was a federal investigator for five years on prototype aircraft development programs. He currently works for the Navyโs Unmanned Aerial Systems Test and Evaluation Unit.
Before the Navy, he lived and worked in Hawaii as a PADI SCUBA Instructor and lab tech researching algal-biofuels for Shell Oil. Ryanโs been the director of an oil company, a bartender, and even a live musician. He attended college at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and earned a masterโs degree in US History and Teaching from Ashland University.
Ryan volunteers his time as a judge for the Clive Cussler Adventure Writerโs Competition. He lives with his wife and children in New England.
