What I've Been Reading the Last Two Decades: The Syllabus of My Formation
1974-ish with my mom on our apartment stoop in washington, D.C.: Books have always been my love language.
When I was a junior in high school, my mom read a book that changed my life, The Day I Became an Autodidact. You’ve probably never heard of it. I’m not even positive that’s the actual book. All I know is that in a conversation about how to finish my final year of high school included the word “autodidact” and, unknown to either of us, the term shaped my future.
I’ve mentioned a few times my unconventional education that includes plenty of formal, accredited learning but did not accrue the traditional diploma paperwork that most of my peers have hanging on their walls or stuffed in a box in their attic. In an attempt to make the most financially savvy decision my senior year of high school launched me into a journey of lifelong learning fueled by piles of library books, journals full of notes, and - for the past fifteen years - thousands of blog entries.
As I face my half-century of life in a few weeks, I needed to see in writing the books that have shaped the journey of growing up into myself. You probably won’t be able to see the shifting of the tectonic plates of my life represented in this list. I don’t see it as much as feel the movement, sometimes ground-shaking upheaval, shearing the foundation of my soul into an entirely new landscape. Most of the time, though, it’s a slow convergence of stories, philosophies, and histories spreading through the calendar of my days.
I know I’ve missed many titles and I’ll probably have to create addendums. One of the largest markers of my life, the years that almost 100% of my energy went to giving birth and keeping four children six and under alive, fed, and clothed, my reading life was shaped by endless re-reading of storybooks. Those years were so formational, they transcend reading lists. Around 2001, when my oldest child was ten and my youngest in preschool, I took up reading as if my life depended on it. In some ways, I think it did.
I don’t know yet how I’ll use this list beyond a kind of archive of learning. For now, making a list is a gift in itself.
(Note: I’ve placed an asterisk next to titles that feel the most essential in my journey. I list books more than once when I re-read them in a group context. If you purchase a book through the link, I will receive a small monetary thank you from the bookseller.)
2021
Novels
635. Amor Towles, Rules of Civility: A Novel
634. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Americanah: A Novel
633. Bianca Marais, Hum If You Don’t Know the Words: A Novel
632. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Before We Visit the Goddess
631. Matt Haig, The Midnight Library
Classics / Allegories / Plays
*627 - 630. All 5 Books in the Chronicles of Narnia series on Audible
*626. Isak Dinesen, Babette’s Feast
*625. Madeleine L’Engle, A Wrinkle in Time
624. O. Henry, The Gift of the Magi
*623. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
*622. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers
*621. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
Mysteries
620. Louise Penny, Glass Houses: A Novel (Chief Inspector Gamache Novel)
619. Louise Penny, Kingdom of the Blind: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel
618. Alan Bradley, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: A Flavia de Luce Mystery
617. Alan Bradley, A Red Herring Without Mustard: A Flavia de Luce Novel
616. Alan Bradley, The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag: A Flavia de Luce Novel
615. Agatha Christie, Poirot Investigates (Hercule Poirot Mystery)
614. Agatha Christie, Hercule Poirot’s Christmas
Short Stories / Children’s Books
613. Tomie dePaola, Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland
Poetry
612. Sarah Arthur, Light Upon Light: A Literary Guide to Prayer for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany
611. Sarah Arthur, Between Midnight and Dawn: A Literary Guide to Prayer for Lent, Holy Week, and Eastertide
610. Sarah Arthur, At the Still Point: A Literary Guide to Prayer in Ordinary Time
609. Joyce Carol Oates, The Essential Emily Dickinson: Poems
Essays
*608. Mary Oliver, Upstream: Selected Essays
607. George Saunders, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life
Memoirs
606. Jennifer Worth, Call the Midwife, Volume 3: Farewell to the East End
605. Mindy Kaling, Why Not Me?
Histories / Biographies
604. Witold Rybczynski, A Clearing in the Distance: Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the 19th Century
Social Justice / Critique
603. Latasha Morrison, Be the Bridge: Pursuing God's Heart for Racial Reconciliation
602. Carolyn Custis James, Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women
General Non-Fiction / Personal Growth
601. Beth Kempton, Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year: A Little Book of Festive Joy
600. Katherine May, Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times
599. Kelly Corrigan, Tell Me More: Stories about the 12 Hardest Things I'm Learning to Say
598. Lori Gottlieb, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Disciplines and Practice
597. Cindy Bunch, Be Kind to Yourself: Releasing Frustrations and Embracing Joy
596. Richard Hughes Gibson and James Edward Beitler, Charitable Writing: Cultivating Virtue Through Our Words
595. Patricia Paddey and Karen Stiller, Craft, Cost & Call: How to Build a Life as a Christian Writer
594. Dorothy C. Bass, Receiving the Day: Christian Practices for Opening the Gift of Time
593. Sara Wenger Shenk, Tongue-Tied: Learning the Lost Art of Talking about Faith
*592. Andy Crouch, Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling
*591. Brennan Manning, The Wisdom of Tenderness: What Happens When God's Fierce Mercy Transforms Our Lives
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
590. Marilyn McEntyre, Where the Eye Alights: Phrases for the Forty Days of Lent
*589. W. David O. Taylor, Open and Unafraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life
588. Thomas Cahill, How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe
587. Dane C. Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers
2020
Novels
586. Sarah Orne Jewett, The Country of the Pointed Firs
585. Jennifer Worth, Call the Midwife, Volume 3: Farewell to the East End
584. Maria Semple, Where'd You Go, Bernadette
583. David Benedictus, read by Jim Dale, Return to the Hundred-Acred Wood
*J. K. Rowling, read by Jim Dale, All 7 Books in the Harry Potter series on Audio Book
582. Sorcerer’s Stone, Book 1
581. Chamber of Secrets, Book 2
580. Prisoner of Azkaban, Book 3
579. Goblet of Fire, Book 4
578. Order of the Phoenix, Book 5
577. Half-Blood Prince, Book 6
576. Deathly Hallows, Book 7
Classics / Allegories / Plays
575. J. R. R. Tolkien, The Hobbit: Or There and Back Again
574. Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own
*573. Alan Paton, Cry, the Beloved Country
Mysteries
572. Joan Hess, A Conventional Corpse (A Claire Malloy Mystery)
571. Joan Hess, Damsels in Distress (A Claire Malloy Mystery)
570. Monica Ferris, A Stitch in Time (A Needlecraft Mystery)
569. Louise Penny, The Nature of the Beast (A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel)
568. Louise Penny, A Great Reckoning (A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel)
567. Robert Galbraith, Troubled Blood (A Cormoran Strike Novel)
Short Stories / Children’s Books
566. Jonah Winter, Mother Jones and Her Army of Mill Children
565. Robbie Robertson, Hiawatha and the Peacemaker
Poetry
564. Angela Alaimo O’Donnell, Andalusian Hours: Poems from the Porch of Flannery O'Connor
563. Sarah Arthur, Light Upon Light: A Literary Guide to Prayer for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany
Essays
562. Barbara Brown Taylor, The Luminous Web: Essays on Science and Religion
*561. Wendell Berry, Standing By Words: Essays
*560. Annie Dillard, Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters
559. Christian Wiman, He Held Radical Light: The Art of Faith, the Faith of Art
Memoirs
558. Penny Wiser White, Who Am I? God’s Restoration of Our Lost Identity
557. Anne Lamott with Sam Lamott, Some Assembly Required: A Journal of My Son's First Son
*556. Karen Stiller, The Minister's Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Doubt, Friendship, Loneliness, Forgiveness, and More
Histories / Biographies
555. Amy Carmichael, That Way and No Other: Following God through Storm and Drought
Social Justice / Critique
554. Sheila Wise Rowe, Healing Racial Trauma: The Road to Resilience
553. Ibram X. Kendi, How to Be an Antiracist
552. Isabel Wilkerson, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
*551. Mark Charles and Soong-Chan Rah, Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing, Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery
General Non-Fiction / Personal Growth
550. Phillip Lopate, To Show and to Tell: The Craft of Literary Nonfiction
549. Beth Kempton, Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year: A Little Book of Festive Joy
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Disciplines and Practice
548. Margaret Guenther, At Home in the World: A Rule of Life for the Rest of Us
547. Joan Chittister, Wisdom Distilled From the Daily: Living the Rule of St. Benedict Today
546. Thomas Merton, Contemplation in a World of Action
545. Makoto Fujimura, Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art, and Culture
544. Barbara Peacock, Soul Care in African American Practice
543. Marilyn McEntyre, Speaking Peace in a Climate of Conflict
542. Elizabeth O’Connor, Search for Silence
*541. Larry Warner, Journey with Jesus: Discovering the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius
540. Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, Spiritual Rhythms for the Enneagram: A Handbook for Harmony and Transformation
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
539. Kathleen Norris, Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith
*538. Michelle Van Loon, Moments & Days: How Our Holy Celebrations Shape Our Faith
*537. Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath
*536. Howard Thurman, Jesus and the Disinherited
*535. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian Community
2019
Novels
534. Mary Doria Russell, Children of God: A Novel
533. Maggie O’Farrell, This Must Be the Place: A Novel
532. Jhumpa Lahiri, The Lowland
531. Jennifer Ryan, The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir
530. Bodie and Brock Thoene, The Twilight of Courage
Classic Literature / Allegories / Plays
529. Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
528. Joseph Girzone, Joshua: A Parable for Today
*527. Hannah Hurnard, Hannah Hurnard, Hinds’ Feet on High Places: An Engaging Visual Journey
Mysteries
526. Louise Penny, The Cruelest Month (A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel)
525. Louise Penny, A Rule Against Murder (A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel)
524. Louise Penny, The Brutal Telling (A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel)
523. Louise Penny, Bury Your Dead (A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel)
522. Louise Penny, The Beautiful Mystery (A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel)
Short Stories
521. Gabriel García Márquez, Strange Pilgrims
520. Wendell Berry, A Place in Time: Twenty Stories of the Port William Membership
Poetry
*519. Gerard Manley Hopkins and Margaret R. Ellsberg, The Gospel in Gerard Manley Hopkins: Selections from His Poems, Letters, Journals, and Spiritual Writings
518. Jane Tyson Clement, The Heart’s Necessities: A Life In Poetry
Memoirs
517. Jennifer Worth, Call the Midwife: Shadows of the Workhouse
516. Ruth Reichl, Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir
515. Patricia Hampl, The Art of the Wasted Day
514. Kate Bowler, Everything Happens For A Reason (And Other Lies I’ve Loved)
Histories / Biographies
513. Hans Scholl and Sophie Scholl, At the Heart of the White Rose: Letters and Diaries of Hans and Sophie Scholl
512. Daniel James Brown, The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
Social Justice / Critique
*511. Kathryn Greene-McCreight, Darkness Is My Only Companion: A Christian Response to Mental Illness
*510. M. Daniel Carroll R., Bible and Borders: Hearing God's Word on Immigration
509. John M. Perkins, One Blood: Parting Words to the Church on Race and Love
*508. Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity For Women Worldwide
General Non-Fiction / Personal Growth
507. Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Disciplines & Practices
*506. Madeleine L’Engle, Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art
505. Christie Purifoy, Placemaker: Cultivating Places of Comfort, Beauty, and Peace
504. William A. Barry and William J. Connolly, The Practice of Spiritual Direction
503. Jeannette A. Bakke, Holy Invitations: Exploring Spiritual Direction
502. Margaret Guenther, Holy Listening: The Art of Spiritual Direction
501. Sherry Bryant-Johnson, Therese Taylor-Stinson, and Rosalie Norman McNaney, Embodied Spirits: Stories of Spiritual Directors of Color
500. Janet O. Hagberg and Robert A. Guelich, The Critical Journey: Stages in the Life of Faith
499. Gerald G. May, Care of Mind/Care of Spirit: A Psychiatrist Explores Spiritual Direction
498. Mark E. Thibodeaux, Armchair Mystic: Easing Into Contemplative Prayer
497. Bernard McGinn, The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism
496. Evelyn Underhill, The Spiritual Life: Four Broadcast Talks
*495. Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us
494. Ruth Haley Barton, Invitation to Retreat: The Gift and Necessity of Time Away with God
493. Alice Fryling, Mirror for the Soul: A Christian Guide to the Enneagram
492. Marilyn Vancil, Self to Lose - Self to Find: A Biblical Approach to the 9 Enneagram Types
491. Myra Perrine, What's Your God Language?: Connecting with God Through Your Unique Spiritual Temperament
490. Kathleen Cahalan, The Stories We Live: Finding God’s Calling All Around Us
489. Andy Crouch, Strong and Weak: Embracing A Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing
488. St. Justin Whitmel Earley, The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction
487. Tish Harrison Warren, Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
486. C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory
485. Carolyn Custis James, Lost Women of the Bible: The Women We Thought We Knew
*484. Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath
2018
Novels
483. Fredrik Backman, A Man Called Ove
482. Adriana Trigiani, The Shoemaker’s Wife
*481. Imbolo Mbue, Behold the Dreamers
480. Celeste Ng, Everything I Never Told You
479. Celeste Ng, Little Fires Everywhere
478. Elizabeth Strout, Olive Kitteridge
477. Leif Enger, Virgil Wander
476. Ryan A. Hill, Henry North and the Gift After Christmas
Classic Literature / Allegories / Plays
*475. Flannery O’Connor, The Complete Stories
*474. Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
Mysteries
*473. Louise Penny, Still Life (A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel)
472. Louise Penny, A Fatal Grace (A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel)
Short Stories
*471. Dylan Thomas, A Child’s Christmas In Wales
470. Jenny Overton, The Thirteen Days of Christmas
469. J. R. R. Tolkien, Letters from Father Christmas
Poetry
468. Abigail Carroll, A Gathering of Larks: Letters to Saint Francis from a Modern-Day Pilgrim
467. Philip Levine, The Last Shift: Poems
Essays
466. E. B. White, Writings From The New Yorker, 1927 - 1976
Memoirs
465. Paul Kalanithi, When Breath Becomes Air
464. Dani Shapiro, Hourglass: Time, Memory, Marriage
463. James Carroll, An American Requiem: God, My Father, and the War That Came Between Us
462. Elizabeth Bard, Picnic in Provence: A Memoir with Recipes
461. John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America
Histories / Biographies
460. Marilyn Nelson, American Ace
459. Marilyn Nelson, My Seneca Village
*458. Marilyn Nelson, Freedom Business: Including a Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, a Native of Africa
457. Uk-Bae Lee, When Spring Comes to the DMZ
456. John Carlin, Mandela and the General
Social Justice / Critique
*455. Bryan Stevenson, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
454. Marilyn Nelson, A Wreath for Emmett Till
*453. Isabel Wilkerson, The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
General Non-Fiction / Personal Growth
452. A. O. Scott, Better Living Through Criticism: How to Think About Art, Pleasure, Beauty, and Truth
451. Ellen Gilchrist, The Writing Life
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Disciplines & Practices
450. Marilyn McEntyre, Make a List: How a Simple Practice Can Change Our Lives and Open Our Hearts
*449. Robert Farrar Capon, The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection
448. Alice Fryling, Seeking God Together: An Introduction to Group Spiritual Direction
447. Rose Mary Doughtery, Group Spiritual Direction: Community for Discernment
446. Kenneth Leech, True Prayer: An Invitation to Christian Spirituality
445. James Bryan Smith, The Good and Beautiful Life: Putting on the Character of Christ
*444. Brian Doyle, A Book of Uncommon Prayer: 100 Celebrations of the Miracle & Muddle of the Ordinary
443. Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile, The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery
*442. Beatrice Chestnut, The Complete Enneagram: 27 Paths to Greater Self-Knowledge
441. Amy L. Sherman, Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good
440. Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Way of the Heart: Connecting with God Through Prayer, Wisdom, and Silence
439. Janet K. Ruffing, Spiritual Direction: Beyond the Beginnings
438. Kathleen A. Cahalan, The Stories We Live: Finding God’s Calling All around Us
437. Julia Gatta and Martin L. Smith, Go In Peace: The Art of Hearing Confessions
436. Parker J. Palmer, Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation
435. James Bryan Smith, The Good and Beautiful Community: Following the Spirit, Extending Grace, Demonstrating Love
434. Margaret Guenther, Toward Holy Ground: Spiritual Directions for the Second Half of Life
433. Richard J. Foster, Freedom of Simplicity: Finding Harmony In A Complex World
*432. M. Robert Mulholland, Jr., The Deeper Journey: The Spirituality of Discovering Your True Self
431. Belden C. Lane, The Solace of Fierce Landscapes: Exploring Desert and Mountain Spirituality
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
430. Jer Swigart and Jon Huckins, Mending the Divides: Creative Love in a Conflicted World
429. Gordon T. Smith, The Voice of Jesus: Discernment, Prayer and the Witness of the Spirit by Gordon T. Smith
428. James B. Janknegt, Lenten Meditations
427. Sarah Arthur, Between Midnight and Dawn: A Literary Guide to Prayer for Lent, Holy Week, and Eastertide
*426. Malcolm Guite, Sounding the Seasons: Seventy Sonnets for the Christian Year
425. Brett Alan Dewing, Take, Eat, Remember, and Believe
2017
Novels
424. Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees
423. Anna Quindlen, Still Life with Bread Crumbs
422. Ann Patchett, Commonwealth: A Novel
421. Brian Doyle, Chicago
*420. Marilynne Robinson, Gilead
419. Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad
418. Rosamunde Pilcher, The End of Summer
417. Wallace Stegner, Crossing to Safety
*416. Wendell Berry, Andy Catlett: Early Travels
415. Amit Majmudar, Abundance
*414. Barbara Robinson, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
413. Ann Tyler, Saint Maybe
Classic Literature / Allegories
412. Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird
*411. C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
410. Ray D. Bradbury, Dandelion Wine
Mysteries
409. Louise Penny, How the Light Gets In (A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel)
408. Louise Penny, The Long Way Home (A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel)
407. Dorothy L. Sayers, The Nine Tailors (A Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery)
406. Dorothy L. Sayers, Murder Must Advertise (A Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery)
405. Rhys Bowen, Evans Above (A Constable Evans Mystery)
404. Rhys Bowen, Evan Help Us (A Constable Evans Mystery)
403. Rhys Bowen, Evanly Choirs (A Constable Evans Mystery)
402. Rhys Bowen, Murphy’s Law (A Molly Murphy Mystery)
401. Rhys Bowen, In Like Flynn (A Molly Murphy Mystery)
Short Stories
400. Plough Publishing Anthology, Home for Christmas: Stories for Young and Old
399. Geraldine McCaughrean, The Jesse Tree
Poetry
398. C. S. Lewis, Poems
*397. Wendell Berry, A Timbered Choir: The Sabbath Poems 1979 - 1997
Essays
396. Brian Doyle, God Is Love: Essays From Portland Magazine
*395. Phillip Lopate, The Art of the Personal Essay: An Anthology from the Classical Era to the Present
Memoirs
394. Melissa Ohden, You Carried Me: A Daughter’s Memoir
393. Wilma Derksen, The Way of Letting Go: One Woman’s Walk toward Forgiveness
392. Tsh Oxenreider, At Home in the World: Reflections on Belonging While Wandering the Globe
391. Amy Poehler, Yes Please
Histories / Biographies
390. Doris Kearns Goodwin, No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II
389. Rebecca Skloot, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Social Justice / Critique
*388. Martin Luther King, Jr., Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?
387. Dorothy Day, The Reckless Way of Love: Notes on Following Jesus
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Disciplines & Practices
386. Krista Tippett, Speaking of Faith: Why Religion Matters — and How to Talk About It
*385. Marilyn McEntyre, Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies
384. Phyllis Tickle, The Graces We Remember: Sacred Days of Ordinary Time
383. Phyllis Tickle, Wisdom in the Waiting: Spring’s Sacred Days
382. Alan Fadling, An Unhurried Life: Following Jesus’ Rhythms of Work and Rest
*381. Anthony Bloom, Beginning to Pray
380. Marva J. Dawn, Keeping the Sabbath Wholly: Ceasing, Resting, Embracing, Feasting
379. Phyllis Tickle, What the Land Already Knows: Winter's Sacred Days
378. James Bryan Smith, The Good and Beautiful God: Falling in Love with the God Jesus Knows
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
377. Michael Frost and Christiana Rice, To Alter Your World: Partnering with God to Rebirth Our Communities
376. Susan H. Swetnam, A Season of Little Sacraments: Christmas Commotion, Advent Grace
375. Gordon T. Smith, Evangelical, Sacramental, and Pentecostal: Why the Church Should Be All Three
2016
Novels
374. Ernest Cline, Ready Player One
373. Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See
*372. Colm Tóibín, Brooklyn
371. Patrick Taylor, An Irish Country Village
370. Jostein Gaarder, The Christmas Mystery
369. Jan Karon, Shepherds Abiding (Mitford Series)
368. Elin Hilderbrand, Winter Street
*367. Shusaku Endo, Silence
Classics / Allegories / Plays
*366. G. K. Chesterton, The Spirit of Christmas: Stories, Poems, Essays
365. Willa Cather, Death Comes for the Archbishop
Mysteries
*364. Alexander McCall Smith, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
363. Alexander McCall Smith, Tears of the Giraffe (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency)
362. Robert Galbraith, Career of Evil (A Cormoran Strike novel)
361. Rhys Bowen, The Twelve Clues of Christmas (A Royal Spyness Mystery)
Memoirs
360. Frank McCourt, Angela’s Ashes
359. Karen Hesse, Out of the Dust
358. Barbara Kingsolver, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
357. Shauna Niequiest, Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table With Recipes
356. Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez with Hope Edelmen, Along the Way: The Journey of a Father and Son
*355. Christie Purifoy, Roots and Sky: A Journey Home in Four Seasons
*354. Mary Karr, The Liars’ Club: A Memoir
353. Mary Karr, Cherry
352. Tobias Wolff, This Boy’s Life: A Memoir
Social Justice / Critique
*351. Ta-Nehisi Coates, Between the World and Me
350. J. D. Vance, Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
349. David Dark, The Sacredness of Questioning Everything
General Non-Fiction / Personal Growth
348. David Sloan Wilson, The Neighborhood Project: Using Evolution to Improve My City, One Block at a Time
347. Alice Leccese Powers, Ireland in Mind: An Anthology: Three Centuries of Irish, English, and American Writers in Search of the Real Ireland
346. Brené Brown, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
345. Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within
344. Daniel Taylor, Creating a Spiritual Legacy: How to Share Your Stories, Values, and Wisdom
*343. Mary Karr, The Art of Memoir
342. Kaley Ehret, The Merry Little Christmas Project: Five Words that Will Transform Your Christmas
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Disciplines & Practices
*341. Kathleen Norris, Dakota: A Spiritual Geography
*340. C. Christopher Smith, Reading For The Common Good: How Books Help Our Churches and Neighborhoods Flourish
*339. C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain
338. Peter Scazzero, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It's Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature
337. Peter Scazzero, The Emotionally Healthy Leader: How Transforming Your Inner Life Will Deeply Transform Your Church, Team, and the World
*336. Geri Scazzero and Peter Scazzero, The Emotionally Healthy Woman Workbook: Eight Things You Have to Quit to Change Your Life
335. C. S. Lewis, A Grief Observed
*334. Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society
333. Mark Buchanan, The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath
332. Norman Wirzba, Living the Sabbath: Discovering the Rhythms of Rest and Delight
*331. Eugene Peterson, Take and Read: Spiritual Reading -- An Annotated List
330. Stephen A. Macchia, Crafting a Rule of Life: An Invitation to the Well-Ordered Way
*329. Johann Christoph Arnold, Why Forgive!
328.Charles E. Moore, Called to Community: The Life Jesus Wants for His People
327. Madeleine L’Engle, Bright Evening Star: Mystery of the Incarnation
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
326. Pope Francis, The Church of Mercy: A Vision for the Church
*325. Walter Brueggemann, The Prophetic Imagination
324. Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Genesee Diary: Report from a Trappist Monastery
*323. Bobby Gross, Living the Christian Year: Time to Inhabit the Story of God: An Introduction and Devotional Guide
322. Wendy M. Wright, The Vigil: Keeping Watch in the Season of Christ's Coming
321. Jessica Snell, Let Us Keep The Feast: Living the Church Year at Home
2015
Novels
320. Marilynne Robinson, Lila
319. Joan Didion, A Book of Common Prayer
318. Libby Koponen, Blow Out the Moon
317. Marilynne Robinson, Housekeeping
316. Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams
315. Jacqueline Winspear, The Care and Management of Lies: A Novel of the Great War
314. Jan Karon, In the Company of Others (Mitford Series)
313. Jan Karon, Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good (Mitford Series)
Classic Literature / Allegories / Plays
312. Graham Greene, The Power and the Glory
311. Thornton Wilder, Our Town: A Play in Three Acts
Mysteries
310. Jeffrey Allen Mays, The Former Hero
309. Jacqueline Winspear, Elegy for Eddie (Maisie Dobbs Mystery)
308. Jacqueline Winspear, Among the Mad (Maisie Dobbs Mystery)
307. Jacqueline Winspear, Leaving Everything Most Loved (Maisie Dobbs Mystery)
Poetry
*306. Christian Wiman, Every Riven Thing: Poems
305. Garrison Keillor, Good Poems for Hard Times
Essays
*304. Wendell Berry, The Art of the Commonplace: The Agrarian Essays of Wendell Berry
Memoirs
303. Christian Wiman, Ambition and Survival: Becoming A Poet
*302. Nancy J. Nordenson, Finding Livelihood: A Progress of Work and Leisure
301. Margie Haack, The Exact Place: A Search for Father
300. Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
299. Kay Bruner, As Soon as I Fell: A Memoir
*298. Joan Didion, The Year of Magical Thinking
297. Joanna Rakoff, My Salinger Year
Histories / Biographies
296. Douglas Brinkley, Cronkite
General Non-Fiction / Personal Growth
295. Alexandra Horowitz, On Looking: A Walker's Guide to the Art of Observation
*294. Tamar Adler, An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Disciplines & Practices
293. Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon, The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door
292. Walter Brueggemann, The Practice of Homefulness
*291. Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
*290. N. T. Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church and Participant’s Guide
289. Greg Pennoyer and Gregory Wolfe, God for Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Lent and Easter
*288. John Pattison and C. Christopher Smith, Slow Church: Cultivating Community in the Patient Way of Jesus
287. Tim Chester and Steve Timmis, Everyday Church: Gospel Communities on Mission
*286. Paul Sparks, Tim Soerens, and Dwight J. Friesen, The New Parish: How Neighborhood Churches Are Transforming Mission, Discipleship and Community
2014
Novels
*285. Mary Doria Russell, The Sparrow
284. Patrick Taylor, An Irish Country Doctor
283. Joyce Dennys, Henrietta's War: News from the Home Front 1939-1942
282. John Green, Paper Towns
281. Lisa Graff, A Tangle of Knots
280. Beatriz Williams, A Hundred Summers
Classic Literature / Allegories / Plays
279. L. M. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
278. Georges Bernanos, The Diary of a Country Priest
277. G. K. Chesterton, Selected Stories
*276. Alan Paton, Cry, the Beloved Country
275. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles
Mysteries
274. Robert Galbraith, The Cuckoo’s Calling (A Cormoran Strike Novel)
273. Robert Galbraith, The Silkworm (A Cormoran Strike Novel)
Poetry
272. Christian Wiman, The Long Home: Poems
Essays
*271. Thomas Lynch, Bodies in Motion and at Rest: On Metaphors and Mortality
270. Philip Zaleski, The Best Spiritual Writing 2010
269. Simon Armitage, Walking Home: A Poet’s Journey
Memoirs
268. Micha Boyett, Found: A Story of Questions, Grace, and Everyday Prayer
*267. Ann Patchett, This is the Story of a Happy Marriage
266. Heather Harpham Kopp, Sober Mercies: How Love Caught Up with a Christian Drunk
265. Luci Shaw, Adventure of Ascent: Field Notes from a Lifelong Journey
*264. Karen Swallow Prior, Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me
263. Elizabeth Cohen, The Family on Beartown Road: A Memoir of Love and Courage
*262. Christian Wiman, My Bright Abyss: Meditation of a Modern Believer
261. Wendy Welch, The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap: A Memoir of Friendship, Community, and the Uncommon Pleasure of a Good Book
*260. Doris Kearns Goodwin, Wait Till Next Year: A Memoir
Histories / Biographies
259. Stanley Kunitz with Genine Lentine, The Wild Braid: A Poet Reflects on a Century in the Garden
258. Craig Brown, Hello Goodbye Hello: A Circle of 101 Remarkable Meetings
257. Susan Wise Bauer, The Story of the World, Early Modern Times
256. Erich Segal, The Class
255. Simon Winchester, The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary
254. G. K. Chesterton, St. Francis of Assisi
General Non-Fiction / Personal Growth
253. Scott Russell Sanders, Staying Put: Making a Home in a Restless World
*252. Rick Steves, Rick Steves' Ireland 2014
251. Bryan Garner and David Foster Wallace, Quack This Way: David Foster Wallace & Bryan A. Garner Talk Language and Writing
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Disciplines & Practices
250. Eugene H. Peterson, Holy Luck
249. Richard J. Foster, Sanctuary in the Soul: Journey into Meditative Prayer
248. Flannery O’Connor, A Prayer Journal
*247. Henri J. M. Nouwen, Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
246. Mark Galli, Beyond Smells and Bells: The Wonder and Power of Christian Liturgy
245. Wendy M. Wright, The Rising: Living the Mysteries of Lent, Easter, and Pentecost
*244. Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook
2013
Novels
243. David James Duncan, The River Why
*242. Rosamunde Pilcher, Winter Solstice
241. Kate Morton, The Secret Keeper
*240. Jennifer Worth, Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times
239. Rosamunde Pilcher, Coming Home
238. Wendell Berry, A World Lost
*237. Wendell Berry, Jayber Crow
236. Lauren Graham, Someday, Someday, Maybe: A Novel
235. Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for A Day
234. Paul D. Smith, Jason and the Draconauts
233. Rosamunde Pilcher, September
232. Jean Rhys, Wide Sargasso Sea
231. Marilynne Robinson, Home
Classic Literature / Allegories / Plays
230. Sigrid Undset, Kristin Lavransdatter
229. H. G. Wells, The War of the Worlds
228. Ray D. Bradbury, The Golden Apples of the Sun
227. G. K. Chesterton, The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare
Poetry
*226. Mary Oliver, Thirst: Poems
*225. Seamus Heaney, Opened Ground: Selected Poems, 1966-1996
224. Eavan Boland, An Origin Like Water: Collected Poems 1967-1987
*223. Billy Collins, Horoscopes for the Dead & Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems
Essays
222. Susan Orlean and Robert Atwan, The Best American Essays 2005
221. E. B. White, Here is New York
Memoirs
220. Alice Ozma. The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared
219. Molly Wizenberg, A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table
218. Mary McCarthy, Memories of a Catholic Girlhood
*217. Luci Shaw and Madeleine L’Engle, Friends for the Journey
216. Rod Dreher, The Little Way of Ruthie Leming: A Southern Girl, a Small Town, and the Secret of a Good Life
215. Ashley Cleveland, Little Black Sheep: A Memoir
214. Julia Child and Alex Prud'homme, My Life in France
Histories / Biographies
213. Helen Gardner, Art of T. S. Eliot
212. Terry Pindell, A Good Place to Live: America’s Last Migration
211. William J. Bennett, The Real Saint Nicholas: Why He Matters to Christmas
General Non-Fiction / Personal Growth
210. Lynda Barry, One! Hundred! Demons!
*209. William Zinsser, On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction
208. William Zinsser, Writing Places: The Life Journey of a Writer and Teacher
207. Mason Currey, Daily Rituals: How Artists Work
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Disciplines & Practices
206. Dorothy C. Bass, Receiving the Day: Christian Practices for Opening the Gift of Time
*205. Anne Lamott, Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers
204. Philip Zaleski, The Best Spiritual Writing 2013
*203. Eric O. Jacobsen, Sidewalks in the Kingdom: New Urbanism and the Christian Faith
202. William Zinsser, Going On Faith: Writing As A Spiritual Quest
201. Henri J. M. Nouwen, Here and Now: Living in the Spirit
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
200. Eugene H. Peterson, Tell It Slant: A Conversation on the Language of Jesus in His Stories and Prayers
199. Paula Huston, Simplifying the Soul: Lenten Practices to Renew Your Spirit
2012
Novels
198. Madeleine L’Engle, Certain Women
197. Madeleine L’Engle, Camilla
196. Veronica Roth, Divergent
195. J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
194. J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
193. Jan Karon, Out to Canaan (Mitford Series)
192. Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Classics / Allegories / Plays
191. Henry David Thoreau, Walden
190. Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience
189. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance and Other Essays
188. Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Bring me a Unicorn: Diaries and Letters of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 1922-1928
Mysteries
187. Agatha Christie, Three Blind Mice and Other Stories
Short Stories
186. Wendell Berry, Watch with Me: And Six Other Stories of the Yet-Remembered Ptolemy Proudfoot and His Wife, Miss Minnie, Née Quinch
Essays
185. Annie Dillard, Holy the Firm
*184. Jane Kenyon, A Hundred White Daffodils: Essays, Interviews, the Akhmatova Translations, Newspaper Columns, and One Poem
183. Wendell Berry, Another Turn of the Crank: Essays
Memoirs
*182. Brennan Manning, All Is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir
181. Tony Woodlief, Somewhere More Holy: Stories from a Bewildered Father, Stumbling Husband, Reluctant Handyman, and Prodigal Son
180. Mary E. DeMuth, Thin Places: A Memoir
179. Andrea Palpant Dilley, Faith and Other Flat Tires: Searching for God on the Rough Road of Doubt
178. A. J. Jacobs, The Know-It-All: One Man's Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World
Histories / Biographies
177. Leonard S. Marcus, Listening for Madeleine
General Non-Fiction / Personal Growth
176. Heather Sellers, Page After Page: Discover the Confidence & Passion You Need to Start Writing & Keep Writing No Matter What!
175. Heather Sellers, Chapter After Chapter: Discover the Dedication & Focus You Need to Write the Book of Your Dreams
174. Michael Hyatt, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World
173. Seth Godin, Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us
172. Nina Amir, How to Blog A Book: Write, Publish, and Promote Your Work One Post at a Time
171. Marc Ostrofsky, Get Rich Click!: The Ultimate Guide to Making Money on the Internet
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Disciplines and Practices
170. Barbara Brown Taylor, An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith
*169. Dawn Eden, My Peace I Give You: Healing Sexual Wounds with the Help of the Saints
168. Dan Allender, The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse
167. Lauren F. Winner, Mudhouse Sabbath: An Invitation to a Life of Spiritual Discipline
*166. Dan B. Allender, Sabbath
165. John Dyer, From the Garden to the City: The Redeeming and Corrupting Power of Technology
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
*164. Henri J. M. Nouwen, Can You Drink the Cup?
*163. N. T. Wright, The Meal Jesus Gave Us
2011
Novels
162. Jan Karon, Home to Holly Springs (Mitford Series)
161. Michelle Hoover, The Quickening
*160. Leif Enger, Peace Like A River
Classic Literature / Allegories / Plays
159. Walker Percy, The Moviegoer
*158. T. S. Eliot, The Waste Land and Other Poems
157. Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth
Short Stories
156. Edna Ferber, Roast Beef, Medium
155. Edna Ferber, Pink Tights & Ginghams
Poetry
154. Susanna Childress, Jagged With Love
153. Luci Shaw, The Secret Trees: Poems
*152. Wendell Berry, A Timbered Choir: The Sabbath Poems 1979-1997
Memoirs
151. Madeleine L’Engle, The Summer of the Great-Grandmother (Crosswicks Journal, Book 2)
150. Alice DeWolf Pardee, Grandma Wears Blue Jeans
*149. Eugene Peterson, The Pastor
*148. Mary Karr, Lit
General Non-Fiction / Personal Growth
147. Rebecca McClanahan, Word Painting: A Guide to Writing More Descriptively
*146. Marilyn McEntyre, Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies
145. Julia Cameron, The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation Into the Writing Life
144. Suzanne Rhodes, The Roar on the Other Side: A Guide for Student Poets
*143. Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer, The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Disciplines and Practices
*142. Kathleen Norris, The Quotidian Mysteries: Laundry, Liturgy and "Women's Work"
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
*141. Joan Chittister, The Liturgical Year: The Spiraling Adventure of the Spiritual Life
*140. N. T. Wright, The Challenge of Easter
*139. James K. A. Smith, Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation
*138. Todd D. Hunter, The Accidental Anglican: The Surprising Appeal of the Liturgical Church
*137. Eugene Peterson, Practice Resurrection: A Conversation on Growing Up in Christ
136. Tim Chester, A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community, & Mission Around the Table
*135. Advent and Christmas Wisdom from G. K. Chesterton
2010
Novels
*134. Shusaku Endo, Silence
133. Madeleine L’Engle, The Joys of Love
132. Wendell Berry, Hannah Coulter
131. Chaim Potok, My Name Is Asher Lev
*130. Jhumpa Lahiri, Unaccustomed Earth
*129. Marilynne Robinson, Gilead
128. Madeleine L’Engle, The Small Rain
127. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter (most of the series)
Classics / Allegories / Plays
*126. C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle
125. C.S. Lewis, Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold
Short Stories
124. Richard Peck, A Season of Gifts
Memoirs
*123. Madeleine L’Engle, A Circle of Quiet
122. Madeleine L’Engle, Two-Part Invention: The Story of A Marriage
121. Madeleine L’Engle, The Irrational Season
Histories / Biographies
120. Jonathan Rogers, Saint Patrick (Christian Encounters Series)
119. Robert Clark, Dark Water: Art, Disaster, and Redemption in Florence
*118. Gene Logsdon, The Pond Lovers
*117. Sally Fitzgerald, The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O’Connor
116. Matthew B. Crawford, Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into the Value of Work
General Non-Fiction / Personal Growth
115. Erin Bried, How to Sew A Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew
114. Erin Bried, How to Build a Fire: And Other Handy Things Your Grandfather Knew
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Disciplines and Practices
*113. Edith Schaeffer, The Hidden Art of Homemaking
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
*112. W. David O. Taylor, For the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts
111. Brett McCracken, Hipster Christianity: When Church and Cool Collide
110. James F. White, The Sacraments in Protestant Practice and Faith
109. Maggi Dawn, The Writing on the Wall: High Art, Popular Culture and the Bible
108. Walter Brueggemann, Celebrating Abundance: Devotions for Advent
107. Walter Wangerin Jr., Preparing for Jesus: Meditations on the Coming of Christ, Advent, Christmas and the Kingdom
2009
Novels
106. Annie Dillard, The Maytrees
105. Jeffrey Overstreet, Cyndere's Midnight: A Novel (The Auralia Thread #2)
*104. Madeleine L'Engle, Meet the Austins (Book One of The Austin Family Chronicles)
103. Madeleine L’Engle, The Moon by Night (Book Two of the Austin Family Chronicles)
102. Madeleine L’Engle, The Young Unicorns (Book Three of the Austin Family Chronicles)
*101. Madeleine L’Engle, A Ring of Endless Light (Book Four of The Austin Family Chronicles)
Classics / Allegories / Plays
100. Homer, The Odyssey: The Fitzgerald Translation
*99. Flannery O'Connor, The Violent Bear It Away
98. Jane Austen, Persuasion
97. O. Henry, The Selected Stories of O. Henry
Mysteries
96. Daniel G. Keohane, Solomon's Grave
Essays
*95. Annie Dillard, Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters
Memoirs
*94. Kathleen Norris, Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer's Life
93. A. J. Jacobs, The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible
Histories / Biographies
92. Brad Gooch, Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Discipline and Practices
*91. Robert Farrar Capon, The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
*90. Robert E. Webber, Ancient-Future Worship
*89. Robert E. Webber, Rediscovering the Missing Jewel, Alleluia! Series
88. Robert E. Webber, Renew Your Worship, Alleluia! Series
87. Robert E. Webber, Encountering the Healing Power of God: A Study in the Sacred Actions of Worship, Alleluia! Series
86. Robert E. Webber, Enter His Courts With Praise, Alleluia! Series Music and the Arts in Worship
*85. N. T. Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church
*84. Plough Publishing Anthology, Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter
2008
Novels
83. Khaled Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns
82. Garrison Keillor, Pontoon: A Novel of Lake Wobegon
81. Jeffrey Overstreet, Auralia's Colors (The Auralia Thread #1)
80. Leif Enger, So Brave, Young, and Handsome
Classics / Allegories / Plays
79. Mario Vargas Llosa, Wellsprings (Richard Ellmann Lectures in Modern Literature)
Essays
78. David Sedaris, When You Are Engulfed in Flames
Memoirs
77. Ruth Reichl, Tender at the Bone: Growing Up At the Table
76. Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
75. Anne Lamott, Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith & Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith
74. Michael Perry, Population: 485 - Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time
73. Rick Bragg, All Over but the Shoutin'
General Non-Fiction / Personal Growth
72. Daniel H. Pink, A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Disciplines and Practices
*71. Brennan Manning, Abba's Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging
70. Anthony De Mello, Awareness: Conversations with the Masters
*69. Frederick Buechner, Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale
68. Thomas Moore, Care of the Soul: A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life
*67. Andi Ashworth, Real Love for Real Life: The Art and Work of Caring
66. Luci Shaw, Breath for the Bones: Art, Imagination, and Spirit: Reflections on Creativity and Faith
*65. Andy Crouch, Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling
*64. Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
63. Dan Kimball, They Like Jesus But Not The Church: Insights from Emerging Generations
62. Eric Michael Bryant, Peppermint-Filled Pinatas: Breaking Through Tolerance and Embracing Love
61. Bruce Shelley, Church History in Plain Language
*60. C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
*59. Greg Pennoyer and Gregory Wolfe, God with Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas
*58. Plough Publishing Anthology, Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas
2007
Classics / Allegories / Plays
*57. Elie Wiesel, Night
Essays
*56. Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
Memoirs
*55. Annie Dillard, An American Childhood
Poems
54. Luci Shaw, Accompanied by Angels: Poems of the Incarnation
General Non-Fiction / Personal Growth
53. David Bayles, Ted Orland, Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
*52. Annie Dillard, The Writing Life
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Disciplines and Practices
*51. Madeleine L’Engle, Walking On Water: Reflections on Faith and Art
*50. Eugene H. Peterson, Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading
*49. Leland Ryken, The Christian Imagination: The Practice of Faith in Literature and Writing
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
48. Robert E. Webber, Worship is a Verb: Eight Principles for Transforming Worship
47. Steve Turner, Imagine: A Vision for Christians in the Arts
*46. Robert E. Webber, Worship Old and New
2006
Novels
45. Amy Tan, The Joy Luck Club
Classics / Allegories / Plays
44. Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
*43. Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre
Memoirs
*42. Donald Miller, Searching For God Knows What
*41. C.S. Lewis, Surprised By Joy: The Shape of My Early Life
General Non-Fiction / Personal Growth
40. Andy Stanley, Visioneering: Your Guide for Discovering and Maintaining Personal Vision
*39. Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Disciplines and Practices
38. Michael Card, Scribbling in the Sand: Christ and Creativity
37. John Eldredge, Waking the Dead: The Secret to a Heart Fully Alive
36. Brennan Manning & James Hancock, Posers, Fakers, & Wannabes (Unmasking the Real You)
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
*35. Eugene Kennedy, The Choice to Be Human: Jesus Alive in the Gospel of Matthew
2001 - 2005
Novels
34. Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner
33. Jan Karon, At Home in Mitford, A Light in the Window, These High, Green Hills ( The Mitford Series)
32. Jeff Berryman, Leaving Ruin
31. Walter Wangerin, The Book of the Dun Cow
Poetry
*30. Luci Shaw, Polishing the Petoskey Stone: Selected Poems
Memoirs
*29. Frederick Buechner, Telling Secrets
*28. Frederick Buechner, The Sacred Journey: A Memoir of Early Days
*27. Frederick Buechner, The Eyes of the Heart: A Memoir of the Lost and Found
*25. Frederick Buechner, Now and Then: A Memoir of Vocation
24. Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality
Social Justice / Critique
24. Franky Schaeffer, Sham pearls for Real Swing: Beyond the Cultural Dark Age - A Quest for Rennaissance
General Non-Fiction / Personal Growth
*23. Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
22. Tom Rath, Strengths Finder 2.0
21. Gordon MacKenzie, Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool's Guide to Surviving with Grace
Spiritual Non-Fiction / Spiritual Disciplines and Practices
20. Nicholas Wolterstorff, Art in Action: Toward a Christian Aesthetic
*19. Henry Cloud, Boundaries: When to Say Yes, When to Say No, to Take Control of Your Life
*18. Henry Cloud, Changes That Heal: Four Practical Steps to a Happier, Healthier You
17. Erwin Raphael McManus, Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul
*16. Dan Allender, To Be Told: Know Your Story, Shape Your Future
*15. Andrew Comiskey, Strength in Weakness: Healing Sexual and Relational Brokenness
14. Frederick Buechner, A Room Called Remember: Uncollected Pieces
*13. Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out
*12. Brennan Manning, The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus
*11. Brennan Manning, A Glimpse of Jesus: The Stranger to Self-Hatred
*10. Brennan Manning, The Wisdom of Tenderness: What Happens When God's Fierce Mercy Transforms Our Lives
Theology and Church / Worship and Liturgy
*9. Bryan Chapell, Christ-Centered Worship: Letting the Gospel Shape Our Practice
8. Sally Morgenthaler, Worship Evangelism
*7. Rory Noland, The Heart of the Artist: A Character-Building Guide for You and Your Ministry Team
6. Nancy Beach, An Hour on Sunday: Creating Moments of Transformation and Wonder
5. Robert E. Webber, Planning Blended Worship
*4. Robert E. Webber, Ancient-Future Faith: Rethinking Evangelicalism for a Postmodern World
3. Frank Burch Brown, Good Taste, Bad Taste, and Christian Taste: Aesthetics in Religious Life
2. Nancy DeMoss, Lies Women Believe: And the Truth That Sets Them Free
1. Roy Hession, The Calvary Road
Family Favorites from before I started keeping dates
Madeleine L’Engle, The Twenty-Four Days Before Christmas: An Austin Family Story
Madeleine L’Engle: The Wrinkle in Time Quintet
C. S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia
Jerry West and Helen S. Hamilton, The Happy Hollisters
Kate Douglas Wiggin, The Birds’ Christmas Carol
George Selden, The Cricket in Times Square
Walter Farley, The Black Stallion Adventures
Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
E. B. White, The Trumpet of the Swan
Barbara Robinson, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Unlisted: All the books I read in the first two decades of my life before barely reading much for the dozen or so years my four kids were small…