Dave, first off, welcome to our forum. This is a place that will be an enormous learning tool for you, we have some very experienced beekeepers here, and lots and lots of people in their first year, and some that don't even have bees yet. Ask any question that your heart desires, you will get lots of good answers.
That is cool that you are interested in the bees, you will find out that your Dad will soon become under the spell of the honeybee too, just like you will be. The more you learn the more you will want to learn, and wait until you get your first bees, no more fun on this earth. And interesting.
Beekeeping for Dummies is a really good book. You will get many responses from our forum members here, good luck, stay with us and learn. Have a beautiful and wonderful day, love our earth. Cindi