For the second month in a row, I'm pleased to share a "bonus list" of recommended reads. All of the books on this list were published in 2019. (5.0) The Time is Now: A Call to Uncommon Courage by Joan Chittister (Convergent Books, 2019) (4.5) Can I Get a Witness?: Thirteen Peacemakers, Community-Builders, and Agitators for Faith and Justice edited by Charles Marsh, Shea Tuttle, and Daniel P. Rhodes (Eerdmans, 2019) (4.5) Platform: The Art and Science of Personal Branding by Cynthia Johnson Read More …
Books
Book Recommendations – March 2019 (#1782)
For March I'm sharing my traditional list of the best books I read over the last 30 days that were published this year alongside a bonus list of books I read recently that were published between 2015 and 2018. (5+) Outlandish: An Unlikely Messiah, a Messy Ministry, and the Call to Mobilize by Derek Penwell (Chalice Press, 2019) (5.0) Unsettling the Word: Biblical Experiments in Decolonization edited by Steve Heinrichs (ORBIS, 2019) (4.5) The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Read More …
Book Recommendations – Bonus List for February 2019 (#1777)
Over the last few years, I've typically shared a list of book recommendations on a monthly basis. Since I didn't read many books published in 2019 until January I didn't share my first list on the year until the first day of February. With so many wonderful books being published early in 2019, I've decided to share a second February list - a bonus list. Over the last two weeks, I read several new books worth recommending. The following volumes were all published in 2019. (5.0) Empty Read More …
Book Recommendations – February 2019 (#1775)
Reading new books is something I've done with regularity for the better part of a decade. This list features the best books I read during January that were published in 2019. (5.0) Losing My Religion: A Memoir of Faith and Finding by William C. Mills (Resource Publications, 2019) (4.5) The Right Story: A Brief Guide to Changing the World by Bernadette Jiwa (Perceptive Press, 2019) (4.0) Twelve Lies That Hold America Captive: And the Truth That Sets Us Read More …
Top 10 Books of 2018 (#1766)
My ninth annual listing of the top books of the year features the ten best books published in 2018. All books appearing on this year's list received a rating of 5 stars (or 5+ stars) on one of my monthly book recommendations lists. Author Title Diana Butler Bass Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks Elena L. Botelho and Kim R. Powell The CEO Next Door: The 4 Behaviors that Transform Ordinary People into World-Class Leaders Virginia Eubanks Automating Read More …
Book Recommendations – November 2018 (#1762)
My sharing of good books on this blog have evolved from traditional book reviews to book ratings. In recent months I've shared a list of 8-12 books I read the prior month that were published in the current year followed by some additional detail about the top 2 books. This month, 4 books share the top spot with ratings of 4.5. Rather than extending my commentary to this larger number, I'm simply providing a list. (4.5) How I Found God in Everyone and Everywhere: An Anthology Read More …
Book Recommendations – October 2018 (#1757)
This month's list of the best books I've read over the last 30 days that were published this year is among the most diverse. (5.0) Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life by Eric Klinenberg (Crown, 2018) (4.5) Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridharadas (Knopf, 2018) (4.5) Healing Our Broken Humanity: Practices for Revitalizing the Church and Renewing the World by Grace Read More …
Book Recommendations – September 2018 (#1754)
This month's list of the best books I've read over the last 30 days that were published this year is filled with authors who have never before appeared on my blog. (5+) Loving and Leaving a Church: A Pastor's Journey by Barbara Melosh (Westminster John Knox Press, 2018) (4.5) 8 Steps to High Performance: Focus On What You Can Change (Ignore the Rest) by Marc Effron (Harvard Business Review Press, 2018) (4.0) Solus Jesus: A Theology of Resistance by Emily Swan and Ken Wilson Read More …
Book Recommendations – August 2018 (#1749)
I was fortunate to read many books (published in the last twelve months) worth recommending over the last month. (5.0) The Most Beautiful Thing I’ve Seen: Opening Your Eyes to Wonder by Lisa Gungor (Zondervan, 2018) (4.5) Outside the Lines: How Embracing Queerness Will Transform Your Faith by Mihee Kim-Kort (Fortress Press, 2018) (4.5) Never Stop Learning: Stay Relevant, Reinvent Yourself, and Thrive by Bradley R. Staats (Harvard Business Review, 2018) Read More …
Book Recommendations – July 2018 (#1742)
I was fortunate to read many books (published in 2018) worth recommending over the last month. (5.0) Love Undocumented: Risking Trust in a Fearful World by Sarah Quezada (Herald Press, 2018) (4.5) A House United: How the Church Can Save the World by Allen Hilton (Fortress Press, 2018) (4.0) Thriving in the Fire: Coaching Through the Conflicts of Change by Felix C. Villanueva (FirstStep Publishers, 2018) (4.0) Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Read More …