It’s December, which means another year in the books. Literally. Before sharing my favorite reads from 2024, let me share thoughts on reading goals and reading formats.
On Reading Goals
I’ve long since ditched numerical goals for reading. Reading more books doesn’t mean more wisdom or more transformation in your life. In other words, Ecclesiastes 12:12–14 is still in the Bible. I read books to help me fulfill my calling as a disciple of Christ, husband, father, and servant of God. I also read to learn about the human experience. I also read for fun—reading is a gift to be enjoyed!
[One topic I’ve enjoyed has been on praying the Psalms. I’ll share more on that in 2025, but for now I’d love you to take a five-minute survey on your experience praying the Psalms.]
On Reading and Book Formats
People often tell me, “I don’t know how you read so much.” Let me tell you how.
I read what I can in spare time, often small pockets here or there. I usually read on my phone, often a Kindle book or audiobook. Much spare time comes when driving, doing yard work, working out, etc. Little pockets of time add up quickly!
This year I read roughly 50 books. Here are the formats I utilized:
- Physical book (35%) – I don’t have as much time to sit down with a book, but this is by far the deepest and most impactful type of reading I can do.
- Kindle or Logos digital book (25%) – I often use the Voiceover feature on my phone to read books to me. I love being able to copy-and-paste notes into Apple Notes and keep book highlights with me.
- Audiobook (40%) – I’m blessed to have a wonderful local library with a huge audiobook collection. I also am a Spotify member and get 10 hours per month of premium audiobook listening. Between the library and Spotify, I never need to pay for an audiobook.
Also see my top reads of 2023, 2022,2021,2020,2019,2018,2017,2016,2015,2014, and2013.
Top Books of 2024
1. How to Stay Married: The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told by Harrison Scott Key
I laughed. I teared up. I I couldn’t believe how the author told what must have been the most painful story of his life (his wife cheating on him with a “cargo-pants wearing handyman”) in such a humorous, vulnerable, and ultimately beautiful way. The author deeply understands many truths about God and the gospel. (He also wrestles with doubt, different theology than myself, and some misunderstandings or mischaracterizations of various strands of Christianity.) But what Harrison Scott Key has done in this book is amazing.
It reminded me of reading Daniel Nayeri’s book Everything Sad Is Untrue, just swap out the poop jokes for ones related to realities of marriage, including sex (I give this book a PG-13 rating for that reason and for language).
This was a book I couldn’t wait to finish to see how it ended, but one I didn’t want to finish because it was so entertaining and profound. It made me want to love my wife better, hug my kids tighter, and be a funnier writer. (Harrison Scott Key can find a funny way to say anything, no matter how serious or painful.)
I probably give too many five star reviews to books. Without a doubt, this one earned it.
2. Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential by Tiago Forte
Tiago Forte has written an easy to read and insightful book on the what, why, and how of keeping a “second brain” of notes that can serve you in all areas of life, especially creative endeavors.
I read How to Take Smart Notesby Sonke Ahrens, which had a lot of helpful information (especially on learning and productivity) but ultimately frustrated me by not sharing examples and answering my biggest questions about his method. I wish I had read Forte’s book instead, although I’m glad I read both. I also wish I had read this in seminary and taken the method to heart even though I am grateful that I have used many of the principles in my hodge-podge note system that has worked well for me over the years.
Forte not only shares specific details of a method he recommends, he shared wise insight on being a productive creative. (The one line that hit me like a ton of bricks was: “Shift as much of your time and effort as possible from consuming to creating.”)
If you’re a knowledge worker like a writer, teacher, or pastor, read this book and take it to heart. You won’t have to rely on your first brain as much and a properly-cultivated second brain will help you bear more fruit in nearly every endeavor.
3. Redeeming Sex in Marriage: How the Gospel Rescues Sex, Transforms Marriage, and Reveals the Glory of God by Scott Mehl
Some Christian books on sex are all theological and not practical. Some are the other way around. And some of the practical ones share way too much weird and/or unhelpful information (and diagrams 😱😱😱). Redeeming Sex in Marriage is a gift to the church since Dr. Scott Mehl is able to present a faithful (and glorious!) theology of sex as the foundation for practical principles.
Mehl frames his theology of sex with the question “Why did God create us as sexual beings?” before providing five reasons:
1. Sex is a means of covenantal union. (Essential/Relational purpose)
2. Sex is a means of mutual pleasure. (Essential/Relational purpose)
3. Sex is an expression of marital love. (Essential/Relational purpose)
4. Sex can bring new life. (Blessed purpose)
5. Sex is a shadow of our relationship with Christ, as his church. (Transcendent purpose)
One strength of Mehl’s book is his depth of understanding of the variety of problems we face and how the gospel speaks to these problems. The result is a realistic, but hopeful book that will drive readers to hope in God and cherish their spouses more.
I can see Redeeming Sex in Marriage being life-changing and life-giving for many couples trying to enjoy the wonderful (yet sometimes challenging!) gift of intimacy. I don’t do pre-marital counseling or marriage mentoring, but if I did, this would be on my short list of books to use.
4. The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett Graff
I first heard of the 9/11 attacks that day as a sophomore in high school. A class clown ran in our classroom and said to turn the TV on because people were swan diving out of the World Trade center in New York. I had no idea what that meant. As my Spanish teacher turned the TV on, we soon knew. And my teacher with tears in his eyes said that our lives would forever change that day.
The Only Plane in the Sky is a powerful book. It helped me experience the horrors of the infamous day with the people who lived (and died) through it. It made me want to hug my family that much tighter and pray unceasingly for the return of Jesus. It also made me thankful for the brave and selfless souls that sacrificed themselves to save others.
If you’re going to read this book, listen to the audiobook for the real clips from that fateful day and 45 different voice actors. You will feel like you’re experiencing the events of 9/11 in real-time.
Another great book by the same author is When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day.
5. Working: Researching, Interviewing, Writing by Robert A. Caro
As a man, Robert Caro is both fascinating and humble. As a writer, he is incredibly thorough and passionate. I’ll probably never read his long tomes on Robert Moses or LBJ, but I find his angle for both fascinating: learning how these two men came to hold so much power.
Caro’s book Working tells the backstory of Caro’s writing career and details much of what went into the books that make his legacy.
Shout out to the unsung hero of Caro’s career: his wife, who believed in his writing dreams even if they didn’t always put bread on the table in the early years. (And as Jared Kennedy reminded me on Goodreads, “She sold the house!!!”)
6. Two Books on Charles Spurgeon
Spurgeon: A New Biography Arnold A. Dallimore
Fantastic. I can’t believe I didn’t read this sooner. Dallimore captures the gifting, humility, earnestness, and impact of one of the great preachers from Church History. Spurgeon’s story made me long for a deeper walk with Christ, grateful for all a great preacher (and his church) could accomplish for the Lord, and rejoice how modern technology can help take that to the ends of the earth.
I also reflected on how in God’s providence I’ve been blessed in countless ways by a strong gospel-proclaiming church community that is bearing fruit around the world. Praise be to God.
Susie: The Life and Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon, wife of Charles H. Spurgeon by Ray Rhodes Jr.
I read this right after Dallimore’s masterful biography on Spurgeon—a great choice. Ray Rhodes does a great job explaining Spurgeon’s better half; her faith, her love for Charles, her health battles, and her ministry of books (and surprisingly, church planting!).
Before my mom died, she joked that she wanted to have brunch with Susie Spurgeon in heaven. Now I know why.
One story that has stuck with me is how Susie never could visit Spurgeon’s favorite vacation spot in Mentone, France with him due to her poor health. But a few months before Spurgeon’s death, God gave Susie enough health to go with her husband and enjoy the vacation together.
7. The Path to Being a Pastor: A Guide for the Aspiring by Bobby Jamieson
I’m not in an official pastoral role right now, but I do want to grow in usefulness to the Lord and fan into flame a pastoral gifting. This book is filled with wisdom; the perfect blend of speaking to the heart, the head, and the hands for those aspiring to pastor. Highly recommended!
8. Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms by Justin Whitmel Earley
A great blend of encouraging stories and practical recommendations to help make your household more intentional and worshipful. I love the author’s realistic emphasis on the messiness of families and parenting.
9. Loving Your Wife as Christ Loves the Church by Larry McCall
I went through this with the men’s group I lead at church.
McCall doesn’t share anything ground breaking, but our time in the book proved a needed reminder on a key command for Christian husbands that has wide-ranging spiritual and practical implications. Highly recommended for every husband.
10. Conscience: What It Is, How to Train It, and Loving Those Who Differ by Andy Naselli and J.D. Crowley
Biblical, clear, and insightful. As the authors promise from the outset, reading this book is a “buy one, get ten free” offer because the topic of conscience touches on so many other issues like “salvation, progressive sanctification, church unity, evangelism, missions, and apologetics” (15). I found myself reflecting on dozens of past experiences with greater clarity after reading. Every Christian would benefit from reading this, and it should be required reading for pastors, elders, and missionaries.
Other Great Reads
Urban Legends of Theology: 40 Common Misconceptions by Michael Witmer
I really enjoyed this book. Wittmer is biblical, insightful, culturally-aware, and funny. Most readers will have a few things (or many things) corrected in reading this book.
I especially liked the chapters “I Am Enough”, “The World Is Not Our Home”, and “We Should Forgive Others for Our Own Good”. Here’s my two-cent summary of the chapter “The World Is Not Our Home”: God created humanity for this planet, and we will enjoy the new earth, a restored version of the current earth, for all of eternity. But God didn’t create us for this planet under the curse of sin. We are pilgrims and sojourners on this earth riddled with sin and problems. A helpful nuance!
I recommend this book for all believers. It could be useful for preachers as well as they correct their theology and think about including “debunking urban legend” asides in their preaching.
Counsel for Couples: A Biblical and Practical Guide for Marriage Counseling by Jonathan D. Holmes
A great introductory book to the challenging-yet-important topic of marriage counseling from a biblical counseling perspective. Highly recommended if you’re wanting to start counseling couples.
Why We Love Football: A History in 100 Moments by Joe Posnanski
Posnanski is my favorite sportswriter. And while I’m 10x the baseball fan that I am of football, Why We Love Football did everything I hoped it would.
How to Tell the Truth: The Story of How God Saved Me to Win Hearts—Not Just Arguments by Preston Perry
An encouraging book on evangelism filled with instructive and motivational stories. Recommended! (True story that I’m sure Preston Perry has forgotten, but we played basketball at a conference in Chicago during free time. We played against a bunch of young teenagers and I had a major height advantage. Preston realized this and called me a “secret weapon” on the basketball court. That was the first and last time I’ve ever been called that!)
Raising Kids in a Screen-Saturated World by Eliza Huie
A helpful, short book that instills wisdom for parents about tech use. Recommended! My biggest takeaway is that often the question people ask about giving smartphones to kids is when is the right time? Just as important is the question how should we introduce devices to kids? What boundaries, rules, and guidelines will we have? How much accountability and how will it be enforced?
Dinner with the King: How King David’s Invitation Shows Us God’s Love by Paul Tautges
A solid, gospel-centered treatment of the Mephiboseth story. Engaging for kids and encouraging for adults. Recommended. I’m looking forward to other titles in this P&R series that tells the stories of minor Bible characters.
Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren’t Growing Up by Abigail Shrier
Shrier shares the dirty underbelly of bad therapy and thinking prevalent in our culture today. While I’m not qualified to speak on details of her arguments, the main idea came through clearly: bad therapy can make psychological problems worse. And we’re living in an epidemic of bad therapy, especially in the younger generations.
Note: Shrier doesn’t write from a Christian perspective. Bob Kellemen wrote a helpful critique: 10 Biblical Counseling Concerns About “Bad Therapy”.
The Secret Place of Thunder: Trading Our Need to Be Noticed for a Hidden Life with Christ by John Starke
I needed this book, and I know many more do as well.
We live in such an age of performance, leading Starke to quip that “performance has become more important than reality.” In The Secret Place of Thunder, John Starke encourages us to embrace our hidden lives with Christ.
My biggest takeaway is that a hidden life in Christ isn’t a life buried and lost, but rather is more like a seed in the ground (what he calls ‘a fruitful dormancy’). God does His life-giving work in us as we spend time in the secret place of communion with Him and living for His priorities, even when it means not being noticed as much by others. In other words, losing your life is painful but worth it because you gain a better, more enduring life.
I’ll be chewing on the ideas in this book for a long time.
Spy the Lie: Former CIA Officers Teach You How to Detect Deception by Philip Houston, Michael Floyd, Susan Carnicero
3.5 stars. A helpful guide to spotting potential indicators (or clusters of them) that someone may be lying. It’s hard for me to know exactly what to do with some of the information (other than ask probing questions) but I’m glad I know it now.
I found examples of O.J. Simpson and Anthony Weiner (the disgraced politician) especially illuminating. I’ll probably never watch a White House Press Secretary the same way after reading this. 😂
An Open Door: A True Story of Courage in Congo by Maud Kells, Jean Gibson
An Open Door is a fantastic missions autobiography that traces the life and ministry of a women of great faith and courage. Maud Kells saw God lead and answer prayer in amazing ways as she, a medical missionary, ministered in Congo during both wartime and peace. I wouldn’t call this a “must read”, but if you want an engaging missionary biography that will build your faith, this is a good one.
The Parables of Jesus: Short Stories, Timeless Truths Tyler Van Halteren
Spurgeon once said, “Give yourself to reading.’…Renounce as much as you will all light literature, but study as much as possible sound theological works… and expositions of the Bible.”
This children’s book on the Parables falls in the last category, and I’m so glad the Lithos Kids team put it together. I read and re-read it with my five-year-old and loved the clear explanation of Jesus’ parables and the compelling images. So did my daughter.
This book has a premium price, but considering you can spend $15 on a book with 1/10 of the pages, the value this book delivers is unmatched (except by other Lithos Kids titles!). If you want to follow Spurgeon’s advice and give yourself to reading expositions of the Bible with your kids, The Parables of Jesus is a great place to start.
I also enjoyed what I read of the Ask Pastor John book, Daily Doctrine by Kevin DeYoung, and StoryCraft by Jack Hart, a really helpful book about writing narrative non-fiction.