Every year I give my ***?ther a paperback ***? a stocking stuffer, ****? I’m stumped for a ****?d ****?k this year. Can you give a recommendation?

He is a 70-something retired military man with very conservative values, so nothing too racy, minimal bad language. He tends to like historical novels — he was a Michener ***?n, for example. I ****?t to give him something which is a ***?n read and ***?irly ****?d quality literature or interesting non-fiction, ****? nothing overtly political or polarizing. So no Bill O’Reilly, no “Left Behind,” etc.

Previous ****?ks that went over well were “Cold Mountain” and “Memoirs of a Geisha”. An Oliver Sacks ****?k went over like a lead balloon, though.

Thanks for any suggestions!
- RayF