Top 10 Books of 2019
C.S. Lewis once said, “In reading great literature I become a thousand men and yet remain myself. Like the night sky in the Greek poem, I see with a myriad eyes, but it is still I who see. Here, as in worship, in love, in moral action, and in knowing, I transcend myself; and am never more myself than when I do.”
Anyone who has read an impactful book can resonate with the truthfulness in Lewis’ words. Reading helps us better see the world and our place in it by looking through a different set of spectacles. In a culture saturated with micro-content from social media, podcasts, and blogposts, a full-length book takes long enough to work on us—and in us. I’m hoping this post inspires you to read more in 2019 and gives you a few suggestions to add to your list.
So without further adieu, here are the the best books I read this year.
1. The Fellowship: The Literary Lives of the Inklings
by Philip Zaleski & Carol Zaleski
My fascination with Lewis, Tolkien, and the Inklings grows stronger every year, and this book did not disappoint. It’s part biography, part literary criticism, and was probably the most well-written book I read this year.
“Fantasy, then, was in Oxford’s blood, and it is no wonder that the major Inklings experimented in so many fantastic sub-genres…their passion arose, in part, from the sheer excitement of the genre, the intoxication of entering the unknown and fleeing the everyday. Fantasy literature was, for the Inklings, a pathway to this higher world and a way of describing, through myth and symbol, its felt presence. Fantasy became the voice of faith. And it made for a cracking good story.”
2. J.I. Packer: An Evangelical Life by Leland Ryken
J. I. Packer is a giant and modern day Puritan, and I thought Ryken honored his legacy well. This biography was unique in regard to its structure. Ryken provides a brief chronology of Packer’s life, but then turns his focus on Packer the man, by highlighting major themes that marked his life. Those themes include: The Bible, the Puritans, writing, Anglicanism, and theology. Packer’s definition of theology is gold:
“Packer saw three functions for theology—(1) to deepen our understanding of the Bile, God, people, the church, and the world, (2) to control the thinking and living of Christians, and (3) to enable Christians to communicate their faith in mission and evangelism. Packer conceived of theology as an activity, and to drive the point home, he spoke of “theologizing”—a verb more than a noun. Theology consists of discovering and explicating what already exists, especially the nature of God as reveled in the Bible.”
3. The Pastor: A Memoir by Eugene Peterson
I’ve wanted to read this book for years, and I’m so glad I finally got around to it. Peterson describes his life-long calling as a pastor and the all the joys and sorrows that come along with it. Peterson spent a large portion of his life living in Montana and his description of the landscape made me want to book a trip there soon. The man could flat out write!
“While being a pastor certainly has some practical components, the pervasive element in our two-thousand-year pastoral tradition is not someone who ‘gets things done’ but rather the person placed in the community to pay attention and call attention to ‘what is going on right now’ between men and women, with one another and with God—this kingdom of God that is primarily local, relentlessly personal, and prayerful ‘without ceasing.'”
4. Adorning the Dark: Thoughts on Community, Calling, and the Mystery of Making by Andrew Peterson
Adorning the Dark was my most fun read of 2019—and this one was actually published in 2019. A theme for several of the books I read this year was a sense of place. Peterson talks a lot about his Tennessee home and community of artists he does life with. His emphasis on persevering in writing and creative work was inspiring.
“Jesus said, ‘In my Father’s house are many rooms’ (John 14:2). Could it be that those rooms are inner chambers in the heart of God, each of which has an individual’s name on it? If this is true, and I’d like to believe it is, then all I have to do is tell about my Lord and my God. Because I know him intimately, uniquely, it may be a revelation, in a sense, of the secret things of the Father. This is part of my calling—to make known the heart of God.”
5. To Trace a Rising Sun: God, The Gospel, And Your Life in This Age by Stephanie Quick
Score one for an Indie writer. I came across a Desiring God blogpost by Stephanie Quick and followed the rabbit trail to her books. This book is filled with Scripture and sweeping Biblical theology. Her emphasis on the brevity of life and the call to take the Gospel to the nations will light a fire in Christians to fulfill the Great Commission.
“The Scriptures burden us with this ultimatum: Jesus is either everything the prophets, apostles and He Himself say He is, or He is nothing at all. As Charles Spurgeon so simply put it, ‘If Christ be anything, He must be everything.’ He must be.”
6. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
by Anne Lamott
I read several books on writing this year, and this was my favorite of the lot. Lamott’s prose, practical advice, and humor made this a page turner—I finished it in 24 hours.
“I heard a preacher say recently that hope is a revolutionary patience; let me add that so is being a writer. Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don’t give up.”
7. The Life of Martyn Lloyd-Jones
by Iain Murray
Martyn Lloyd-Jones is one of my heroes, and this one volume biography by Iain Murray was thorough yet accessible. The providence of God in Lloyd-Jones story is truly incredible.
“My whole life experiences are proof of the sovereignty of God and his direct interference in the lives of men. I cannot help believing what I believe. I would be a madman to believe anything else—the guiding hand of God! It is an astonishment to me.” —MLJ
8. The Kingdom of God and the Glory of the Cross
by Patrick Schreiner
I absolutely love Biblical theology and tend to gravitate toward writers that help me trace the major themes and contours of Scripture culminating in the person of Christ. If you are looking for an introduction to Biblical theology, all of Short Studies by Crossway are worth reading.
“From beginning to end, the Scriptures present the story of the kingdom. If you grasp the nature of the kingdom, then the Scriptures can be seen as a coherent narrative rather than a disparate collection of stories…Only when we connect the dots from the first page of the Bible to the last do we begin to see that on every page the kingdom concerns the King, his people, and their place. And at the center of this kingdom plan stands a wooden cross covered in blood.”
9. Working: Researching, Interviewing, Writing
by Robert Caro
I read a New York Times interview with Robert Caro and it prompted me to read this book. It’s incredible. Caro’s life and working habits are fascinating. After reading about the commitment he has to his craft, I was motivated to devote more attention to my particular callings. I might pick up The Power Broker or start his mammoth biography on Lyndon Johnson this year to read more of his writing.
“I can’t start writing a book until I’ve thought it through and can see it whole in my mind. So before I start writing, I boil the book down to three paragraphs, or two, or one—that’s when it comes into view.”
10. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
by J.R.R. Tolkien
It’s not wise at all to put Tolkien last on a reading list, but this was a re-read so I think it’s okay. It’s been about ten years since I’ve read these cover to cover, and I’m committed to not letting that much time pass before I read them again. Tolkien will forever be in a class by himself.
Honorable Mention: Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire
by J.K. Rowling
I’m afraid I’ll never finish the Harry Potter Series. My unpopular opinion: the books are great, but I think they’re too long and get bogged down at times. I’ll see if I catch a second wind and finish them in 2020!
