After seeing someone’s Facebook post last year with the list of books they read, I decided that this year I would keep track for myself. In addition to listing the books, I thought it might be helpful to share a few notes along the way in case you are interested in checking one of them out for yourself. I haven’t included any of the various commentaries utilized for sermons or writing in the last year, but that might become its own post. The list below is split into two sections: fiction and then non-fiction.

Fiction:

Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry

People in my circles have been talking about this book (and series) by Wendell Berry for years. Every year I think I will read the book and this year I finally did. Berry is known for his support of the family farm and simpler ways of living and that is communicated in this book through the form of a novel. I enjoyed the book and will probably read others in the series, but my overly high expectations for the book may have affected my experience of it.

Recommend? Yes

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

I did a review of this book on my blog last year here. It has become my new tradition to re-read this book every year around Christmas. I still love it. If you have only seen stage adaptations of this book, you have not experienced its brilliance. Read the book. I might also recommend listening to an audio version of the book read by a good British voice actor.

Recommend? Definitely.

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

I remember reading Oliver Twist when I was a student, and I have an ongoing love for A Christmas Carol, but beyond that I was not very familiar with Dickens’s work. I decided to explore some other Dickens novels. David Copperfield was an absolute delight. Dickens’s characterization of the “bad guys” in the first nine or so chapters of the book was as effective as anything I have ever read or seen. I felt righteous anger toward the adults in his early life. Among the things I liked so much about this book is that it not only told a powerful story, but it inspired the pursuit of virtue and increased my hatred of evil.

Recommend? You should definitely read this book.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Because of my interest in David Copperfield, I was directed to Demon Copperhead, a modern retelling of the Dickens tale by Pulitzer Prize winning author Barbara Kingsolver. The concept of Kingsolver’s book is quite interesting, retelling the Copperfield story in modern times set in Appalachia. It features all the brokenness of the foster care system and the drug epidemic that has been so devastating to rural communities. Unfortunately, this book did not inspire me in the same way Dickens’s David Copperfield did, but only left me feeling dirty and sad. If you’re only going to read one of these two books, read David Copperfield…twice.

Recommend? No

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

To be honest, I started this book in 2022 and read most of it then, but didn’t finish it until this year. In short, Tolstoy is a master story teller. The sheer scope of this work boggles my mind. Some of the book flows beautifully, other parts of it drag. The last 150 pages or so are pretty terrible (in my humble opinion), and I don’t know why his editor didn’t help him out more. In any case, I was glad I read it and I recommend it, but if you are only going to read one of his books, I would recommend Anna Karenina.

Recommend? Yes, for those with the ability to endure.

Watership Down by Richard Adams

A fantastic tale about a group of rabbits and the struggle for survival. We listened to this book on a long car trip with our kids and most of us enjoyed most of the book. There are some excellent life and leadership lessons to be gained from the book, but it’s also just a nice story.

Recommend? Yes

Pretty Birds by Scott Simon

I can’t remember how I found this book, but it tells the story of a teen girl in besieged Sarajevo in the early 1990’s. She is recruited to become a sniper and the story follows the ups and downs of the life of a teen girl in such a devastating set of circumstances. I found the book pretty interesting because I knew very little about the conflict, but it’s not a book I would read again.

Recommend? Probably not.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

If you haven’t already read this book, you need to do so. If you only read it when you were a student, you need to re-read it as an adult. This Pulitzer Prize winning book tells the story of Atticus Finch, a southern lawyer committed to justice and exemplifying virtues we would all like to see more of in our day. Like David Copperfield, I found this book freshly inspiring me to be a better man. I love books like that.

Recommend? Definitely.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

This title begins a stretch of Cormac McCarthy books I read this year. My friend Greg mentioned that his favorite book was The Road, and since I respect him, I decided to give it a read. The book follows a father and son as they journey on foot across a post-apocalyptic America. To say this book is dark is putting it mildly. If you’re familiar with McCarthy’s more famous work, No Country For Old Men, you’ll have a pretty good idea of the vibe. But it’s not darkness for the sake of darkness. Having read six of his works now, McCarthy uses the dark themes as a backdrop for the light of redemption to shine more brightly. It’s not there neatly tied up with a bow, but when you see glimpses of light breaking through the darkness you may start to feel a thrill of hope. McCarthy won the Pulitzer Prize for The Road and I think it was well-deserved.

Recommend? Yes, if you don’t mind being slightly disturbed.

No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy

More people are probably familiar with the movie adaptation of this book that won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Though it may be cliche to say it, the book is better than the movie…and I loved the movie. It’s the story of an old school lawman, a sociopathic killer, and a poor guy who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Excellent writing.

Recommend? Yes, but be prepared for violence.

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

Set in the American frontier in the 1800’s and filled with violence. See comments on previous two McCarthy titles.

Recommend? Eh….very slight yes?

All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

The first Novel in McCarthy’s “Border Trilogy,” All the Pretty Horses follows a 16-year-old boy who leaves his family’s ranch and heads to Mexico with a friend to become cowboys. See previous comments about McCarthy’s books. I will say that this book stood out in that it was less violent than his other works.

Recommend: 50/50.

Child of God by Cormac McCarthy

This book follows the life of a violent outcast and serial killer in 1960’s Tennessee. It’s too much.

Recommend: No.

Outer Dark by Cormac McCarthy

Another novel set in an Appalachia-like setting. Given that the title is based on the Biblical conception of hell as “outer darkness,” you can probably guess this book is not cheery.

Recommend: No.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare (L.A. Theatre Works Production)

This is a dramatized rendition of Shakespeare’s timeless story of revenge, corruption, and murder. Absolutely fantastic classic work and the retelling of it was wonderful.

Recommend? Definitely.

Macbeth by William Shakespeare (L.A. Theatre Works Production)

This is the second of four L.A. Theatre Works productions I devoured this year. I think it is probably my favorite of Shakespeare’s works. A powerful story of the dangerous and destructive effects of unchecked ambition.

Recommend? Definitely

The Crucible by Arthur Miller (L.A. Theatre Works Production)

The powerful tale of a witch-hunt set in Salem, Massachusetts and the ways in which hysteria and fear can grip a community. Miller masterfully mirrored the anti-Communist hysteria of the United States in the 1950’s. The retelling of it here is very good.

Recommend? Yes.

The Grapes of Wrath by Jon Steinbeck (L.A. Theatre Works Production)

Set in the Great Depression, this is the compelling story of the Joad Family’s trek from dustbowl Oklahoma to the hope of a new life in California. Steinbeck is a master storyteller and his work is worth reading. This is a great adaptation of it in a dramatized performance.

Recommend? Yes.

East of Eden by Jon Steinbeck 

I believe this was my favorite novel of 2023. I was amazed at Steinbeck’s ability to play on the themes of Genesis 1-4 in this book. Steinbeck captures the reality of our fallen condition but also the possibility of redemption and forgiveness. Perhaps what makes this book so compelling is the way it captures both the glory and the brokenness of our human condition. I look forward to re-reading it again in the future.

Recommend? Definitely.

Chronicles of Narnia (books 1-6) by C.S. Lewis

Several years ago I read all seven of the Chronicles of Narnia books to our kids. This year, we made it through the first six before life got too busy. We will try and complete book seven soon. These books are great to read by yourself, but even better to read with your children. It’s easy to find gospel themes in each book and to help your kids make connections between these beautiful stories and The Beautiful Story.

Recommend? Yes.

Non-Fiction:

Remaking the World: How 1776 Created the Post-Christian West by Andrew Wilson

In this book, Andrew Wilson (pastor and PhD historian) highlights seven major developments from the year 1776―globalization, the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution, the Great Enrichment, the American Revolution, the rise of post-Christianity, and the dawn of Romanticism―and explains their relevance to social changes happening today. The book is absolutely fascinating, filled with interesting facts and compelling analysis. Every time I read from the book, something that I read would come up in my next conversation without fail. An incredible work that I plan to re-read this year.

Recommend? Definitely.

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt 

Although this work was written in 2012, it is as relevant today as ever. Like Wilson’s book above, this is another book that I found myself frequently referencing in conversation as I was reading it. It’s a fascinating read by a non-Christian author that would probably benefit all Americans as we head into another election year.

Recommend? Yes.

Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution by Carl Trueman

Many of you will be familiar with Trueman’s denser volume: The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self. I have only read portions of that volume, but as I understand it, this is a shorter version without nearly as much philosophy, which I appreciated. It also goes a little deeper into practical application than the longer work. Trueman does an excellent job helping us understand how we got where we are as a culture with our fixation on identity politics, as well as how the church should respond.

Recommend? Yes.

Running for my Life: One Lost Boy’s Journey from the Killing Fields of Sudan to the Olympic Games by Lopez Lomong

This is the autobiography of an American Olympic distance runner who emigrated to the United States after escaping the killing fields of Sudan. It is a gripping story and Lomong’s faith shines through the darkness of his experience. As a runner, as an American, as a Christian, I loved this book.

Recommend? Definitely.

The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance by David Epstein

Like a couple of the other titles on this list, I talked about this book constantly as I was reading it. It is filled with interesting facts about the relationship between nature, nurture, and athletic performance. If you enjoy athletics either as a participant or a spectator, you will probably find this book as fascinating as I did.

Recommend? Yes.

12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You by Tony Reinke

I read this book and had my son read this book in preparation for getting him his first phone. We ended up going with a Wisephone which you can read about here. Reinke does not advocate for getting rid of your smartphone, but he does call us to be intentional and to ask difficult questions about the ways it may be impacting us negatively. It is not my favorite book on technology, but I think pretty much everyone could benefit from giving this one a read.

Recommend? Yes.

The Destruction of Jerusalem by Josephus

This is a section of the much longer Works of Josephus. It recounts the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Romans from the perspective of the first century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus. It’s an interesting extra-biblical account of a biblical event.

Recommend? Yeah.

The Common Rule by Justin Whitmel Earley

I am frequently looking at my life and asking, “Am I living it right?” Justin Whitmel Earley’s book helped provide some fresh filters for answering that question. Ever since reading Steve Macchia’s Crafting a Rule of Life: An Invitation to the Well-Ordered Way nearly ten years ago, I have been honing my own rule of life. Earley’s book is a thoughtful, gospel-centered invitation to order your life around the things that matter most to you. I am working on a review of the book that I will post on this blog soon (I hope).

Recommend? Definitely.

Finding Jesus in Israel by Buck Storm

This was an entertaining tale of one man’s journey to Israel. If you’ve traveled to Israel, you will appreciate many of the references in this book. If you haven’t traveled there, listening to the book might spark your interest.

Recommend? Eh…50/50

All My Knotted-Up Life: A Memoir by Beth Moore

Let me start by saying that listening to Beth Moore read this book herself is probably the right way to experience it. Hearing her tell her story in her own words, and just as importantly, in her own accent, made for a powerful combination. Beth has been a lightning rod of controversy over the last several years, and some of the treatment she has endured is downright shameful. If you love Beth Moore, you will love this book. If you do not like Beth Moore’s ministry, this book should help you get a better understanding and appreciation for who she is as a person and follower of Jesus. I came away from it with a deepened respect for her.

Recommend? Yes.

Alexander the Great by Philip Freeman

This is the first authoritative biography of the great Macedonian king written for a general audience in a generation. It was fascinating! There are so many connections between Alexander the Great and Jesus that I just constantly found myself saying, “Wow!” If you enjoy ancient history, you will enjoy hearing the story of this extraordinary individual whose fingerprints are still on this world we live in.

Recommend? Yes

The Good Neighbor: the Life of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King

Upon reflection, I think I read this book before 2023, but I never wrote anything about it so I’ll include it here. I remember watching Mr. Rogers as a child, but I don’t remember being particularly smitten by it. As I recall it now, I think it was mostly of interest to me as a marker of time when I was at the babysitter’s indicating that it was almost time to eat. But after seeing the movie of his life on a flight, I decided to dig deeper by reading the book. I’m glad I did. Fred Rogers was a truly gifted and caring individual who brought a great deal of peace into the lives of many children. He was also a creative and innovative thinker with a resolute commitment not to do anything that could possibly be of harm to children, even if it negatively impacted his bottom line. I found this book inspiring.

Recommend? Yes

Paul: A Biography by N.T. Wright

I read this book several years ago, but re-read it this year in preparation for leading a Biblical tour to Greece and Turkey. Tom Wright is a magnificent Pauline scholar, probably the foremost of our day. In this book he retraces the footsteps of Paul and helps us get inside his life and the times in which he lived. I found the book added fresh insight into my understanding of Acts and the Pauline epistles.

Recommend? Yes

On Tennis by David Foster Wallace

This is a collection of five essays that David Foster Wallace wrote on the subject of tennis across his career. The writing is incredible. He is clear, concise, and sometimes hilarious. If you love tennis and enjoy good writing, this collection of essays is a must. I have re-read this book multiple times and always enjoy it.

Recommend? Yes.

Jonathan Edwards: A Life by George Marsden

This is the definitive biography of America’s greatest theologian. I have loved Jonathan Edwards since discovering him in college, but my love and respect for him grew even more after reading this book. It is not a hagiography, but the honest retelling of this man’s life cannot help but encourage and inspire those of us who love and serve the same God.

Recommend? Definitely.

Man of Sorrows, King of Glory: What the Humiliation and Exaltation of Jesus Mean for Us by Jonty Rhodes

As I said in my review of this book here, if you love Jesus Christ, you will find yourself savoring him as you consider, perhaps for the first time, the fact that he did more than simply “die on the cross for your sins.” He absolutely did that as Rhodes makes clear. But he also rose for you, he ascended for you, he reigns for you, and he is coming again for you. Using the traditional threefold office of prophet, priest, and king as categories, Rhodes helps us reflect more deeply on the full breadth of Christ’s work. This book is short and packed full of theological goodness.

Recommend? Yes.

The Memoirs and Remains of Robert Murray M’Cheyne by Andrew Bonar

I first read portions of this book probably 15 years ago, and recently re-read it near the end of this year. M’Cheyne’s good friend Rev. Andrew Bonar wrote the biography after M’Cheyne passed away at the tender age of 27. But though M’Cheyne did not burn long for Christ, he burned bright and continues to leave his mark on all those who know of him. This book is one part biography, one part personal correspondence, one part sermon collection, and one part published works by M’Cheyne. Several years ago, our family visited M’Cheyne’s grave in the churchyard of St. Peter’s in Dundee Scotland where M’Cheyne ministered for his short life. I was moved by seeing the sight of the resting place of this young man whose personal piety, pursuit of Christ, and pursuit of his sheep oriented his whole existence. After re-reading, I found myself freshly inspired to follow his good example. M’Cheyne also had a burning heart to see the Jewish people brought into the Kingdom through faith in Jesus.

Recommend? Yes.

Dismissing Jesus: How We Evade the Way of the Cross by Douglas Jones

I read this book toward the end of the year and had mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, Jones does a tremendous job of laying out the case that the way of the cross and the way of Mammon are fundamentally opposed, and more of us are walking the way of Mammon than we realize. At the same time, some of his thoughts on the atonement, war, and economics don’t quite line up with my own biblical understanding. The book aims to be disruptive and I would say it succeeds at that level. Having said that, I would not put this book in the hands of any Christians who are not already well-grounded in the faith and discerning.

Recommend? Only for a small set of mature Christians.

Leadership and Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box by The Arbinger Institute

This leadership book has sold more than two-million copies for good reason. Much like the kind of parabolic stories you might find in a Blanchard or Lencioni book, Leadership and Self Deception tells a fictitious story about a man facing problems at work and home. What he discovers is that the problem is not primarily the people around him, but that he is trapped in the “box” of self-justification. I found this book to be eye-opening and relevant in dealing with some of my own leadership challenges. If you read the book, you will begin to see the wisdom of its insights all around you.

Recommend? Yes.

A Concise Guide to Macroeconomics: What Managers, Executives, and Students Need to Know (2nd ed.) by David A. Moss 

I read this textbook as part of the Program for Leadership Development at Harvard Business School. Having studied business in college–finance–I really enjoyed the opportunity to revisit the basic principles of macroeconomics. The book is required reading in many HBS courses and for good reason. Moss helpfully demonstrates how output, money, and expectations are the three pillars on which macroeconomics rests. From there, he gives helpful insights into the banking system, U.S. monetary policy, the basics of macroeconomic accounting, and the impact of exchange rates. If you’ve studied economics before and are looking for refresher, you’ll appreciate this book.

Recommend? Yes, but only for people with some fundamental business education.

Hopefully you saw something in this list that piqued your interest to read in the new year. Happy reading!