Summer has arrived for most of us, even if the official start date is still a few days away. Hopefully, you are enjoying the slower pace of life, particularly if it is spent by a cool body of water. And, of course, slower pace means more time for reading. Below are some books that I have enjoyed in the first half of 2023. I know this is repetitive but remember the caveats: I am an eclectic reader, so not everything here will be to everyone’s liking and a recommendation does not mean I endorse everything in the book.
Strange Rites by Tara Isabella Burton. Much has been written about the rise of the Nones, those who don’t identify with any specific organized religious group. Some have surmised that this means people are becoming less spiritual or interested in spiritual matters. Burton’s book shows that the religious/spiritual impulse is still strong and demonstrates how that impulse is manifesting itself in various ways in today’s society.
Good and Beautiful and Kind by Rich Villodas. What is wrong with the world and, more importantly, what is wrong with us as individuals? Villodas spends the first half of the book answering these questions and broadening an understanding of the nature of sin. The second half deals with how the gospel transforms lives broken by sin and restores us to God’s original intention.
Reading for the Love of God by Jessica Hooten Wilson. Simply put, this is a defense of reading as a spiritual practice.
Strange New World by Carl Trueman. The author wrote a book titled The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self. It went over most people’s heads. So this work is his attempt to popularize the main points of the earlier work. If you want to know the roots of the expressive individualism that dominates so many of our current conflicts, I know of no better entry level work than this.
Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation by Colin Hansen. This one hit close to home as I was reading it and finishing it in the days just prior to Tim’s death. Not a biography in a strict sense, this book looks at the people, institutions, and books that influenced Keller’s thinking on a number of issues. If you have benefited from Tim’s ministry (books, sermons, etc), I encourage you to read this book and perhaps pick up some of the books mentioned to read for yourself.
The Battle for Middle Earth by Fleming Rutledge. A non-fiction work examining The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Making extensive use of Tolkien’s correspondence, Rutledge shows the Story under the story and how it reflects the theological emphases of the Biblical narrative. Fascinating stuff.
Fiction recommendations: If you are tired of me pushing The Chronicles of Narnia on you, then let me suggest Lewis’ Space Trilogy. More adult in style, these three books have a lot to say about our current moment. Also, for some easy reading, consider Dorothy Sayer’s Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries or the Adam Dalgliesh series by P.D. James
Looking forward: How to Stay Married (Key), Self-Made (Burton), Losing Our Religion (Moore), How Far to the Promised Land (McCaulley), How to Know a Person (Brooks).
Happy Reading!!
