But for this year I have managed to pare my favorites down to ten, all the way from the Almost-Best to the Best. As you will see, my reading tastes vary widely.
10. Nine Writers to Read by Douglas Wilson - Wilson just plain knows how to write and so it's a delight to read him. In this book, he suggests nine writers of the last century or so (both Christians and non-Christians) who were masters of their craft. As a writer, I found this book profoundly helpful.
9. Is Anybody Out There? by Mez McConnell (my review here) - Here's what I said of Mez's memoir, "Is Anybody Out There? is a fast-paced, hard-to-put-down, heartbreaking, grace-saturated, powerful read. Mez has an incredible testimony to share - not of his greatness, though, but of God's glory."
8. The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes - This is a fairly short Puritan work that is wonderfully encouraging. Whoever says Puritans are dour, joyless downers needs to pick up Sibbes.
7. On Writing Well by William Zinnser - This is the most transformative book for me as a writer I've ever read. The first section especially honed in on some deeply wise and practical advice while inspiring me with fresh insights on the craft of writing well.
6. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell - Gone With the Wind is an epic. It's a book not for the faint of heart - my copy rang in at over a thousand pages. But it encapsulates some of the basest and most fundamental themes of humanity - sin, heartache, mercy, redemption, jealousy, love, forgiveness, and frustration.
5. The Little Prince by Antoine de-Saint Exupery - This was a gorgeous book, beautifully illustrated, marvelously written. I cannot wait for the movie to come out in March.
4. Heaven by Randy Alcorn - Heaven is one of the few books I can confidently say changed my life. This is what the cover says, "We all have questions about what heaven will be like and after twenty-five years of extensive research, Dr. Randy Alcorn provides the answers. In the most definitive book on heaven to date, Randy invites you to picture heaven the way the Scriptures describes it -- a vibrant and psysical New Earth. Free from sin, suffering and death and brimming with Christ's presence, wondrous natural beauty, and the richness of human culture as God intended it. This is a book about real people with real bodies enjoying close relationships with God and each other, eating, drinking, working, playing, traveling, worshiping, and discovering on a New Earth. Earth as God created it. Earth as He intended it to be."
3. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - This one was a wow. It was easily the best fiction book I read this year - maybe ever. The incredible story, the vivid characters, the themes of race and reconciliation, they all weave together to make for an unforgettable read.
2. The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Butterfield - I would love to meet Dr. Butterfield one day. I would love to sit down with her and just talk about life. Her memoir made me feel like she's my friend already. This is her story - her story of tenured professorship at Syracuse, her lesbian lifestyle, her hostility to Christianity, and the beautiful story of God's irresistible grace in drawing her to Himself and changing her forever. It is wondrous.
1. Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin - This one definitely changed my life. I didn't agree with everything he wrote and sometimes I felt the harsh sting of his words, but there's no denying it - John Calvin was a genius, and he loved God. This was his mangum opus, and I am a better Christian for reading it.
What were the best books you read this year?
1. Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin - This one definitely changed my life. I didn't agree with everything he wrote and sometimes I felt the harsh sting of his words, but there's no denying it - John Calvin was a genius, and he loved God. This was his mangum opus, and I am a better Christian for reading it.
What were the best books you read this year?