I'm not sure specifically which novel Nick Hornby published in 1998 without looking it up. There are several well - known novels by him like 'High Fidelity' but I'm not certain if that was the one from 1998.
In the classic Christmas story 'A Christmas Carol', the main character Ebenezer Scrooge could be considered a 'dad' figure in a way. His name is Ebenezer Scrooge.
The dad's name in A Christmas Story is Mr. Parker. He plays an important role in the story with his unique personality and interactions with the family.