The bookshelves that once filled Father's Day hauls with war narratives and presidential biographies are going quiet. Nonfiction print sales have slipped for four straight years, with categories like biography, current affairs, and business losing readers fast. Publishers point to podcasts and other media as the culprit stealing male readers' attention from long-form nonfiction.

Through May 9, nonfiction print titles fell nearly 8%, while politics and current affairs books dropped 19%, according to Circana BookScan. Business and economics titles are also hurting. Yet celebrity memoirs and religious books still sell, showing the market hasn't flatlined — just shifted sharply away from serious nonfiction aimed at men.

For publishers, the loss of that loyal reader base means rethinking acquisitions and marketing budgets. Dad books built brand trust across generations, and their disappearance signals a deeper shift in how audiences consume information rather than any single format change.