Great New Books – May 2023 (#2046)

The best new books I’ve read in the last 30 days are listed below.

(5+) Poverty, By America by Matthew Desmond (Crown, 2023)
(5.0) The Generosity Crisis: The Case for Radical Connection to Solve Humanity’s Greatest Challenges by Nathan Chappell, Brian Crimmins, and Michael Ashley (Wiley, 2023)
(4.5) 7 Principles for Living Bravely by Denise L. Eger and Neil G. Thomas (TKG Communications, 2023)
(4.5) God the Bestseller: How One Editor Transformed American Religion A Book at a Time by Stephen Prothero (HarperOne, 2023)
(4.0) Shaky Ground: What to Do After the Bottom Drops Out by Traci Rhoades (Morehouse Publishing, 2022)
(4.0) Holy Friendships: Nurturing Relationships That Sustain Pastors and Leaders by Victoria Atkinson White (Fortress Press, 2023)
(4.0) Discovering Fire: Spiritual Practices That Transform Lives by Roger Wayne Wolsey (Quoir, 2023)
(4.0) Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most by Miroslav Volf, Matthew Croasmun, and Ryan McAnnally-Linz (The Open Field, 2023)

Poverty, By America

Poverty, By America isn’t just the best book I’ve read this year, it’s also the most unsettling. As someone who has spent more than a decade working with Americans living in poverty, I’m well aware of the challenges this population faces and how these have changed in recent years. Until now, however, I had never experienced a deep and data-driven dive into how government aid benefits the affluent more than those living in poverty. The American system is broken; it is designed to keep people in poverty. Matthew Desmond’s explores this truth masterfully, and, more importantly, proposes real world, actionable solutions for individuals and the country.

Welcome Back

Three authors on this month’s list have been mentioned previously on So What Faith.

I rated Roger Wolsey’s first book: Kissing Fish: Christianity for People Who Don’t Like Christianity (2011).

Miroslav Volf is a prolific author. I reviewed two of his books: Captive to the Word of God: Engaging the Scriptures for Contemporary Theological Reflection (2010) and A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good (2011).

Neil G. Thomas is the Senior Pastor of my home church: Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ in Dallas, Texas. Prior mentions include