The last week or so I have spent some time reflecting on the past year. God has been gracious to show me all I have to be thankful for in 2010, and really in my whole life. So I figured I would take ten posts to count down all I have to be grateful for in the past year.
I love reading and once again this year was able to read a lot of great books. I got through 40 books (in addition to reading through the Bible once again this year. Side note: Although I have spent the last 4 years reading through the Bible for the year, this upcoming year, I am going to slow down and take 2 years to read through it all to hopefully meditate on what I read a bit more). So here are my 10 favorite books I read in 2010. You can also check out last year’s list.
1. This Momentary Marriage by John Piper
This was by far the best book on marriage I have ever read. So many marriage books simply hold out practical solutions to have a better marriage. While these self-help type books can be good, not only do they lack the root for WHY we should have a good marriage, but they can leave the reader feeling discouraged about himself/herself or his/her spouse because so many of these practical suggestions are never fulfilled. In John Piper’s typical style, he does not hold out a lot of practical suggestions in this book. Instead he elevates the purpose and meaning of marriage so high that the reader is left in awe of the sacred covenant God has entrusted them with and in turn overflows with love and service towards his/her spouse.
2. Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller
It was a tough choice between this book and Keller’s The Reason for God (probably the best book on Christian apologetics I have ever read). Keller is one of my favorite writers and speakers and I always walk away form a sermon or book of his so glad I took the time to invest into it. ”Counterfeit Gods” was so good because we all hold up other things in our lives higher than God at some point in time (or in my case, I battle it every day). Whether it is a person, our job, our security, our reputation, etc., none of us are immune from looking to something else besides God for our satisfaction. So this is a book I will re-visit every few years.
3. Womanly Dominion by Mark Chanski
This book really stirred me up to take charge of the areas of life where I can exercise control and be a blessing to others around me. It was one of those books that left me so “psyched up” to go be the woman God has called me to be.
4. A Chance to Die by Elisabeth Elliot
I love biographies. I especially love biographies of people who lived radically for God. And this biography of Amy Carmichael gave me a picture of a woman who did just that. But it was also very real about her weaknesses and struggles, which is what I think makes a good biography. It leaves you with a feeling of hope that God can use anyone for His work and glory.
5. Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
This was my first Gladwell book, although Joe had been telling me for almost 1.5 years I needed to read him. He was definitely right. It was such an enjoyable read, but also stimulating intellectually. Sometimes it seems like I have to pick between an intellectually provocative book or an entertaining book, but this was both. I have three of his books on my list for 2011.
6. Adopted for Life by Russell Moore
If you are a Christian and DO NOT want your heart to break for the thousands of orphans around the world, don’t read this book. This book was a really powerful exhortation for Christians to be supportive of adoption (not necessarily adopting, but supporting it in various ways). It laid out the case of God having a heart for the orphaned because we as Christians were orphaned and He adopted us into His family.
7. You Can Change by Tim Chester
A really powerful reminder of how the gospel is practical in our every day lives to empower us to change. Chester’s four main points in the book were:
1. Keep returnning to the cross to see your sin cancelled and to draw near to God in full assurance of welcome.
2. Keep looking to God instead of to sin for satisfaction, focusing on the four liberating truths of God’s greatness, glory, goodness and grace.
3. Cut off, throw off, put off, kill off everything that might strengthen or provoke sinful desires.
4. Bring sin into the light through regular accountability to another Christian.
8. Consuming Kids by Susan Linn
This was a great read on a topic I have not thought enough about in the past: commercialism aimed at children. The author did a great job of helping the reader to understand where children are very different developmentally than adults in regards to what they can understand about advertising, and hence should not be subjected to the same types of commercialism.
9. Playing the Enemy by John Carlin
This book was a really great way to give thanks to God for the way He equips leaders, like Nelson Mandela, with special gifts and talents to lead people. If you saw the movie “Invictus” based on this book, the book is SO much better. And actually I thought ESPN’s 30 for 30 “The 16th Man” was better than the movie too. As with many movies that are based on books, once I read the book, I find the movie disappointing.
10. Love That Lasts by Gary and Betsy Ricucci
I put a second marriage book on my list because there is a time and a place for a practical marriage book. And this is one of the good ones. It is written by a married couple together, which I think helps lend to its credibility. I have a hard time sometimes reading practical tips from men, as I would think men would have a hard time reading them from women. It is easier to read from someone who is in the same position as you. I would advise that before you read it though to be on guard against envy. This couple sounds like they are pretty amazing with practical ways of celebrating their marriage. So it can be very easy to get down on yourself or your spouse if you don’t read this book with the gospel in view.
Any favorite books to share that you read in 2010?
Good list Erin. I haven’t read them all but I heartily agree with the ones I have read. Counterfeit Gods, and You can Change. Thanks for the recommendation about the others. some have been on my “gotta get to list.” You helped pushed them higher towards the top. But then God often pushes others to the top first.
I have lists that work like that too. I make a “loose” list for the year knowing that God may stir me to read something else!
Thank you for a positive post about books. Having just finished (last night) one of the worst books I have read recently, I was not only feeling down about what I had just read, I felt like my precious time was wasted and I was violated. I was mostly angry with myself, a big-time history buff, because I should have known better than to read a work of historical fiction regarding the turning point of American History. And having recently read a mediocre biography about a very interesting American president and historical “character” I am even more “sore” from the experience. The next book on my list to read was another work of American historical fiction, that I now can’t bring myself to start given the bad taste still in my mouth and am tempted to read a mindless Grisham novel that I can put away in a couple of days and not have to think about it. Every now and then I need one of those.
That being said, I did read some really good books last year. Upon your recommendation, I read Adopted For Life and really enjoyed it as well. Though I have not read any of his books, David keeps trying to get me to read Gladwell too, and I have not, as yet. Maybe this year. Late last year, because David forbade me from purchasing another paper book because I had filled every available shelf in our house, garage and guest house (he got me a Kindle for Christmas—problem solved), I did re-read some of my favorites that I had on hand and those top 10 were:
His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis. This is my favorite Washington biography!
Hamlet, by Shakespeare
King Lear by Shakespeare
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
Absolom! Absolom! By William Faulkner (I actually got on a Faulkner kick and re-read four of his books this year. He is just pure literary genius!)
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemmingway
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This year, I would like to re-read the Lord of the Rings trilogy and am thinking reading the Narnia books to the kids (or having Isabelle help me read them aloud to the other kids) since they have enjoyed the movies. Doing that would “kill two birds with one stone” as the kids would get their story time and I could re-read this great series. Actually, that might be three birds since it would take care of Isabelle’s reading as well.
As for first time reads, for 2010, my five favorites were:
Unbroken: A WWII Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. I loved this book so much that I could not put it down and read it in about 2.5 days. I hear a movie is being made, based upon this book, and I look forward to seeing it, but as you said, most movies don’t do a book justice. I won’t spoil the story for anyone, because it is that great, that unbelievable, that moving, that well-written, that I think everyone should read this book (before a movie comes out).
American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson by Joseph J. Ellis (I think I have read almost all of Ellis’ works, including his most recent on the letters between John and Abigail Adams, and he is one of my favorite historical writers/biographers.)
The Virtues of War: A Novel of Alexander the Great by Steven Pressfield
Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae by Steven Pressfield
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
Thank you for reminding me of all the great literary works and stories I had read last year! And for your great suggestions!
Alex,
Awesome list and thoughts as always! Every time I post a reading link, I am hopeful you will come and give your thoughts.
So glad to hear you enjoyed Adopted For Life.
We are also about to start The Chronicles of Narnia again. I read them about 2.5 years ago and would like to repeat them every couple of years. Wonderful read-alouds and Joe and I enjoy them so much! I also have Lord of the Rings on my list for this year!
I have His Excellency: George Washington still on my to-read list after your recommendation of that one before, so I hope to get to it this year. I also read Love in a Time of Cholera and really enjoyed that one as well. His writing style is so unique!
Hope you enjoy the Kindle. I was planning on posting on my new Kindle here in the next week or so
Also, if I might make a suggestion on a video based on one of your books (really a plug for a neice)….Consuming Kids: The Commercialism of Childhood. A few years ago, my neice, Adriana Barbaro, wrote, directed and produced this video, available at Mediaed.org.
http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=134
Oh, and I am glad you liked Garcia-Marquez. He is one of my favorites, even though his characters and their actions can be “alarming,” I just love his writing. I would avoid the movie though. The imagery is lost, though the movie is still beautiful in its setting. Those who haven’t read the book seem to like it, but those who have read the book realize all that is missing.
And I am liking my Kindle.
I posted my list on the blog for the year, and I’m trying to be sure to read most of those books, though we are going through a big change at our agency, so some of them might end up replaced with something similar in style. My goal really is to be more deliberate about reading a variety of books, so I’m trying to hold the list as a guide rather than “it.”