2023 Reading List (Part 1)

We are a quarter into the new year! The plants are coming back to life and for those of us in Arizona, the heat looms large in our future. For now, we live in the moment.

Below you can see the books I've read so far this year with my rating for them (5 being the best), along with a brief review. Any book without a number rating has been given to me by the author or publisher.

Click on any of the titles below for a link to buy it.

1. Rising Out of Hatred by Eli Saslow (5). This was a gripping read of the real-life transformation of Derek Black from the future face of White Nationalism to actively working against it. My favorite part of the book is how we see the power of treating our 'enemies' as fellow humans and how that opens doors for growth.
2. Rethinking Sex by Christine Emba (3). I agree with her premise that healthy sex must be based on more than a culture of consent. However, I found her solutions a bit ambiguous and was hoping for more tangible ideas about how to move forward.
3. Walking the Bible by Bruce Feiler (3.5). This is an engaging perspective of the author's journey through the land of the first five books of the Bible. I particularly liked some of the Jewish insights he offers as ways that the early Israelites made sense of their world. 
4. The Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan Watts (3.5). This book is short but dense. Written in 1951, it has passed the elusive 50-year mark. I enjoyed the way the author made me think but I'd need a few more reads of this to grasp more of what he's saying. I most appreciated the way he helps you to be more present in the moment.
5. Signals of Transcendence by Os Guinness. Each chapter follows the journey of someone throughout history and illuminates the turning point that led them to faith in Jesus. Not only do you feel like you get a perspective of each of these fascinating lives, but you also feel like you are reading dozens of books at once as the author seamlessly weaves together his perspective with that of others. I loved it.
6. I'm Still a Ten-Year-Old Boy by Nancy Cartright (3.5). This audiobook is written and read by the voice of Bart Simpson. If you ever grew up watching the Simpsons she will take you on a fun ride behind the scenes.
7. A Confession by Leo Tolstoy (4). This was a moving look into the spiritual awakening of Leo Tolstoy in his own words. His analogy of life in a pit involving a dragon (with other details) is worth reading the book for.
8. Put Your Ass Where Your Heart Wants to Be by Steven Pressfield (2). This book is filled with comically short chapters and seems like it tries too hard to nuance a simple premise. The author has a proven library of writings he draws upon which is what ultimately makes this work.
9. Phosphorescence by Julia Baird (4). This meandered around a bit and was tough to follow at times. Nonetheless, I get the feeling I would really like the author and thoroughly enjoy a conversation with her. This wisdom and perspective of the book were so profound that at times I felt I was reading a classic from the past rather than something written in 2021.
10. Torture and Eucharist by William T. Cavanaugh (4). This is not an easy read, both for the academic style in which it's written as well as the heaviness of the subject matter. But it was an enlightening look at how the church in Chile found its voice in the midst of an oppressive regime.
11. Leadership: In Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin (3). This book compares and contrasts the leadership of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson. There was nothing profoundly new about any of them but it was a helpful perspective to compare them as she does.
12. Courage is Calling by Ryan Holiday (4.5). Reading this book is like drinking a mental Red Bull. It will give you wings and motivate you to tackle the hard things in your life. Easy to read and yet lots to think about.
13. The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy (4). Despite the obviousness of the title, I did not anticipate the singularity of the narrative in advance. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it again for greater appreciation. This is a thoughtful look at the process of dying that is equal parts beautiful and sad.
14. Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh (3). I anticipated liking this more than I did. It was reflective and interesting but fell short of anything significantly moving for me. It's been around for more than 50 years so it's stood the test of time.
15. Curveball by Pete Enns. Enns is a Biblical Professor and scholar (and fellow Yankee fan!) and yet comes at his faith in a way that always feels refreshing and freeing to me. You realize early on in the book that he isn't your normal Bible scholar when he recounts the story of talking to his refrigerator about whether Abraham was a real person. This latest book may be my favorite of his yet.
16. Babylon by Paul Kriwaczek (4). I was surprised by how much I liked this book. It offers a great look at one of history's most significant early cultures and how it affects so much of history. The ways the book helps make sense of the Biblical narrative were also fascinating.
17. After Evangelicalism by David P. Gushee (4.5). This book is so good! It felt like I was hanging out with a longtime friend. I enjoyed how he offers a new way forward for the church in light of where we've been. 
18. Tombstone by Tom Clavin (4). I'm a junkie for Tombstone history and this one delivered. Strikes a great balance of telling the important parts of the story while also adding perspective to make it even more intriguing. It also doesn't get lost in some of the tedious backstories that sometimes happen in books like these.
19. Wine for Normal People by Elizabeth Schneider (2). I actually liked this book, but the title is super misleading (it's her brand). I don't know any normal people that are interested in this level of detail when it comes to wine! Felt more like a wine textbook to save for future reference.
20. The Prophetic Imagination by Walter Brueggemann (5). This was my 9th read of this book and the first one of the year.
21. Delta-V by Daniel Suarez (4). A sci-fi story that explores the merits of mining materials in space. You realize that if this became reality it could truly alter the future for humanity on earth.
22. Critical Mass by Daniel Suarez (4). This is the follow-up book to Delta-V. Both stories are incredible in themselves and they invite you to consider other options for humanity's future.
23. Robot Theology by Joshua K. Smith. Joshua offered to send me a copy of his book and I was stoked to work my way through it. It isn't a long book, but I realized early on that he is much smarter than me and I would need to go slow to process his arguments. While this may seem like a strange topic, I agree with his premise that "Robots serve as a new media to discuss the ancient questions of philosophy and theology."
24. And a Bottle of Rum by Wayne Curtis (3). This book explores the ways in which rum has been enjoyed and the role its played culturally over the years. This isn't a drink I regularly enjoy but the book made me want to try!
25. Henry VIII by Tracy Borman (3.5). This focuses on the men in Henry's life and the relationship he had with them. This is one of the weirder periods of history, and this book shows how power can distort how a person treats those around him.
26. Exhalation by Ted Chiang (5). I was totally caught off guard by the brilliance of this book. It's a collection of fictional stories that sneakily challenge your thinking. If you're anything like me, you'll keep running these stories in your mind long after you've finished the book.
27. The Forgotten Creed by Stephen J. Patterson (5). This is an encouraging look at what might be the earliest creed of the Christian church. What if Paul was quoting a creed when he mentions in Galatians 3 that there is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female?
28. Cattle Kingdom by Christopher Knowlton (3). I bought this as an overflow of my love for Tombstone previously mentioned. It's a bit broad, but it helped me understand some of the ways in which the west was made into what we know it as today.
29. Pasta, Pane, Vino by Matt Goulding (2.5). Matt is a great writer, and I suspect he could make your mouth water for a kid's meal at your local restaurant. This was a bit hard to follow at times, but he definitely shows off some of the charms of dining in Italy.