Dan Gookin

Dan Gookin (born 1960) is an American politician and author who is the mayor-elect of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He has served as a member on the Coeur d’Alene City Council. Gookin is best known for writing the first ...For Dummies books, including DOS For Dummies and PCs For Dummies, which established the humorous and accessible style of the long-running For Dummies series.

Gookin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and visual arts from the University of California, San Diego. He has written over 150 computer books. His website provides computer help sections and a blog that is updated several times a week. From 1987 to 1989, he served as editor of ComputorEdge Magazine, a San Diego computer periodical.

Gookin lives in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where he has been active in the local arts community, serving as the artistic director of the Lake City Playhouse. He was elected to a seat on the Coeur d'Alene City Council in November 2011, beating former state representative George Saylor.

He unsuccessfully ran for the Idaho Senate in 2004 as a Libertarian. He is a precinct committeeman for the Kootenai County Republican Party (KCRP). In 2023, members of KCRP questioned Gookin about comments he made on the internet they perceived as critical of Christians and Republicans. Gookin responded saying, "if you have an issue with me in my private life, you can deal with me privately. That’s fine. I’m running for public office here" and affirmed his beliefs in limited government and private property rights.

Gookin appeared as himself on the television series To Tell the Truth, where the panel attempted to determine whether he or another contestant was the author of the first ...For Dummies book.

In November 2025, Gookin was elected mayor of Coeur d'Alene with 34.19% of the vote, with his primary challengers Debbie Loffman and incumbent mayor Woody McEvers receiving 28% and 26.46% of the vote, respectively.