My 10 Favorite Books of 2019

I haven’t always been a lover of books, and I never imagined as a kid I’d be doing what I do today—overseeing all-things-books for The Gospel Coalition. No child ever says, “I want to be an editor when I grow up!”

I grew up in a non-Christian family that owned hardly any books. English was my second language. As a kid, I was a little absentminded and required tutoring to help me catch up in several subjects, including reading comprehension and writing. While this isn’t the case for everyone, all changed in my life when the Lord saved me as a 14-year-old: I developed a voracious desire to read God’s Word — as well as anything that could help me grasp this newfound faith. Comprehension wasn’t immediate, of course; much about Scripture and doctrine still puzzled me. But the decisive inward change had occurred.

I want to be careful here. Conversion doesn’t necessarily make one literate, and growth in Christ isn’t measured by how many books one reads. I, for one, did not become a sanctified savant — nor am I today. In fact, some of the godliest people I know hardly read books even though they master—or are mastered by—one Book. But as the late Hughes Oliphant Old showcases in his magisterial The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church (Eerdmans, seven vols.), reading and hearing God’s Word has always marked God’s people. And books have played an indispensable role throughout church history, sparking reformation, converting unbelievers, maturing disciples, and passing on wisdom to the next generation.

As we move into 2020, consider subscribing to TGC’s monthly books newsletter as a way to stay up-to-date with the latest titles and encourage you in your reading goals. For some, it might seem unrealistic, but why not challenge yourself to read 24 books? That’s two books per month. Try devoting 30 minutes each day and you’ll be surprised by how much that adds up over the course a month. Get an Audible account or see if your local library has an audiobook app that you can use for free. And of all the books we can read, let’s recommit to being a Bible people, trembling at God’s Word (Isa. 66:2). If you need a Bible reading plan to follow, consider joining The Gospel Coalition on our Read the Bible initiative.

With each passing year, I love reading everyone’s “Best of” lists—books, films, music. At risk of adding more to the glut of book lists, here are some of the books I most enjoyed in 2019, with a few honorable mentions.

1. Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings (Tor, 2010). It took a Ross Douthat column on the ‘Game of Thrones’ TV show to convince me I had to read more modern-day fantasy writers (and not George R. R. Martin). Friends pointed me to Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archives, and I devoured the three (of a projected 10) volumes in the series. With exquisite character- and world-building (each book is at least 1,000 pages), I’ve found a new favorite fantasy writer who upholds virtue, leadership, and sacrifice — without giving us flat characters. As 2019 ends, I’ve finished two of Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy—another great series. Thankfully, Sanderson is one of the more prolific fantasy novel writers, so I’m eager to keep reading.
2. Peter Leithart, A House for My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament (Canon, 2000). Who knew that a 20-year-old book with such an uninspiring cover and prosaic title could be so riveting? This book is a gem, making the sweep of the Old Testament come alive and the connections rich and evocative. I don’t always agree with Leithart — in fact, I often argued back with him in the margins — but I was spurred on in my Bible reading by having him as a guide. This year I also slowly worked my way through 1–2 Chronicles and Leithart’s new Chronicles commentary (Brazos, 2019). Rather than the panoramic view of the Old Testament forrest, in this recent volume you look at the trees — at some of the most underrated books in the Old Testament. With so many insights into the text, full of biblical-theological connections and brimming with pointed pastoral applications, I wish more commentaries could be written with this kind of verve and zeal.
3. Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder (Algonquin, 2008). My colleague at The Gospel Coalition, Brett McCracken, recommended this book to me. I read it after reading The Coddling of the American Mind and before Free-Range Kids. As 2020 rolls around, I’m committing to letting my children explore more and seek out more creative ways for my family get outside in nature—parks, trails, national parks!
4. Andrew Peterson, Adorning the Dark: Thoughts on Community, Calling, and the Mystery of Making (B&H, 2019). For decades now, Andrew Peterson has combined the rare ability to write moving music that is at once thoroughly steeped in Scripture, personally honest with the weakness and sin that plague us all, and in awe of the gift we have in Christ. I can’t listen to Peterson’s music and not be freshly amazed that Jesus loves me — that even amid suffering, doubt, and sin, I’m part of a redeemed people who belong to him by faith, and he we will bring us home. I eagerly awaited his first foray into non-fiction writing. He reflects on his life making music, the community that has nourished art, the nuts and bolts of writing, and more. In this memoir of sorts, we see Peterson at his vulnerable best — honest with his shortcomings and anchored to the good news that the gospel of Christ is really true. (I interviewed Peterson for The Gospel Coalition.)
5. Matthew Emerson, “He Descended to the Dead”: An Evangelical Theology of Holy Saturday (IVP Academic, 2019). Outstanding work. Emerson convincingly argues for the credal formula found in the Apostles’ Creed where we read that Jesus “descended to the dead.” This isn’t some philosophical category being imported into the text. Instead, this is retrieval theology at its best, showing not only the biblical patterns that undergird this doctrine but also revel in it. (Excellent review of the book here.)
6. Daniel Gordis, Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn (Ecco, 2016). This year I had the privilege of visiting Israel for the first time. If you ever have the opportunity, I encourage you to visit the Holy Land; the spiritual lessons are numerous and potentially life-changing. In preparation for my trip, I read everything I could get my hands on about Jewish history and the modern state of Israel. And Gordis’s one-volume offering was just what I needed. To cover such a complex, contested, and long history in a concise format (yes, 560 pages is concise, given the topic) is a remarkable achievement.
7. David Brooks, The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life (Random, 2019). I read everything Brooks writes and this might be his best offering yet. As I often tell friends, I always want to say more than Brooks but never less. While some readers find his writing a bit sermonic and condescending, I find it refreshing, since he explores existential questions rather than chasing the headline-driven, hot-take of the day. And in this new book, Brooks shares more about his newfound Christian faith, which before now he has been reticent to discuss publicly. Brooks pushes back against the be-true-to-yourself worldview that marks so much of modern secular life, offering a path toward a meaningful life beyond self-fulfillment. Because of this, the book can even serve as useful pre-evangelism.
8. Charles Spugeon, Lectures to My Students. In sitting at Spurgeon’s feet now a second time, I always learn and am challenged. His opening chapters on holiness and prayer are classics. I’m moved by his lecture on earnestness. And even his poorly-phrased chapter on the preacher’s “slender apparatus” (on the mind) is a welcome reminder to read books, people, and ourselves — to take full advantage of all of God’s intended tutors in life. And I especially appreciate how he gets into the nooks and crannies of ministry and preaching, with discussions on illustrations, posture, voice, etc. Some of what he says is dated or carries too much of Spurgeon’s quirks (like preachers needing to have broad chests; or if you don’t know what to preach on, look at nature and some event will remind you of a verse and provide an illustration), but on the whole there is a wealth of ministerial wisdom here, for preacher and non-preacher alike.
9. James Traub, John Quincy Adams: Militant Spirit (Basic, 2016). John Quincy Adams lived a full life. This otherwise enigmatic and recalcitrant figure comes to full life in this biography. We see a principled man with driving ambition who never mastered the art political expediency. Despite his impressive array of political posts, domestic and abroad, this one-term president was admired but never loved. He was rather austere in his public persona and instead chose to reveal his rich interior life in his diary, which he dutifully maintained from the age of twelve at the encouragement of his father. My favorite section of this biography is learning of the sage man who left the presidency (after his defeat to Andrew Jackson in 1828). Rather than retire to private life, he then returned to Washington as a member of Congress (the only president to have ever gone back to the House; Andrew Johnson would serve a short stint in the Senate after his presidency). Adams, a trained rhetorician, defended the enslaved Africans aboard the Amistad with verve and passion, all the way to the Supreme Court, lending his fame to the abolitionist cause. I love well-written presidential biographies and this one hits the mark.
10. William Cohen, The Practical Drucker: Applying the Wisdom of the World’s Greatest Management Thinker (AMACOM, 2013). Taking the “what” of Peter Drucker — the famed creator of the field of modern management theory — and showcasing the “how” amid his 30+ books published over his lifetime. I honestly didn’t expect the level of insight in a derivative book on an author I already enjoy reading. Great achievement and immediately useful in whatever position you’re in within an organization.

Honorable Mentions

• Alastair Roberts and Andrew Wilson, Echoes of Exodus: Tracing Themes of Redemption Through Scripture (Crossway, 2019). So much I love about this book. It is beautifully written with a forward-moving drive and cadence. Some of the specific Exodus “echoes” might be a stretch for some, but it’s clear that this redemptive theme is peppered throughout Scripture. In some ways, I felt this was too short of a book; I would’ve given the authors 100 more pages to unpack. Still, this is a devotionally rich book that will cause you to worship the God who rescues us from slavery to sin and will one day take us home to the Promised Land. (Good review of it at TGC.)
• Francis Schaeffer. True Spirituality: How to Live for Jesus Moment by Moment (Tyndale, 2001). We must do the Lord’s work in the Lord’s way. If you’re like me, the conclusion will hit you like a pile of bricks — fleshly organization is not sufficient; as God’s people, we the church need the Spirit’s power to carry out the gospel.
• Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place (Bantam, 1971). The simplicity of devotion to Jesus, especially with such a cruel and callous backdrop, is at once moving and convicting. Let’s pray for more of this kind of Christian experience — an abiding love for Christ, a childlike trust in God’s Word, and selfless service of others.
• Justin Whitmel Earley, The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction (IVP, 2018). This book is a balm for weary Christians, offering an array of “rules” (or habits) that can be life-giving — individually and to those around us. While much of this deeply resonated with me, I wish the gospel had been made more clear. (For example, “[Jesus] lived the good life we are all trying to live. He did it all. He sacrificed everything. . . . He finished the work on the cross so you could rest. He let the world break him so it doesn’t have to break you. He rose from the grave so all your aspirations won’t end in the grave.”) Devoid of an explicit gospel foundation (of substitutionary sacrifice), I’d be concerned that the fruit of Christian living would eclipse the root that nourishes and gives it life. Still, the practicality of these habits — e.g., one meal with others, Scripture before phone, curate media to four hours, sabbath — have the potential to form us into the kind of people who are alive to God and present to each other. In a word, a beautiful Christian. And it’s that kind of Christian whom the Lord can use quietly but mightily.
• Barbara Kellerman, The End of Leadership (Harper Business, 2012). Around two-quarters of the book recounts the last several decades of history; it was repetitive and a bore. But it’s fascinating to have a “leadership industry” insider, who has cranked out so many books on leadership over the years, to take her own industry to task. In some ways, the book was ahead of its time; much of what she wrote in 2012 on the importance of “followership” over “leadership” in the 21st century rings true. Certainly some of this we see in our politics and across the pond with Brexit. And I’m sure there’s ample evidence of this when it comes to institutional and denominational life, and the tectonic shifts we’re witnessing today in society at large and within the church. The third and final section of the book, on “paradigm shift,” is especially insightful.
• Lauren Chandler, Goodbye to Goodbyes (The Good Book Company, 2019). My favorite children’s book of 2019, and the one picture book I read the most to my three-year-old daughter. A book about death that makes the hope of the gospel, of a risen and death-conquering Savior, all the more beautiful.
• Cal Newport, Digital Minimalism: On Living Better with Less Technology (Penguin, 2019). Cal Newport has an uncanny ability to synthesize wide-ranging sources and making a compelling, crisply written case. He does it again in this book. He’s no Luddite and he doesn’t encourage mindless tech adoption but instead argues for what he calls “digital minimalism.” The latter two thirds of the book on “practices” were my favorite parts of the book. (Samuel James reviewed it for TGC.)
• Benjamin Dreyer, Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style (Random House, 2019). Random House’s copy chief offers a witty guide to writing. Copyeditors are my favorite kind of curmudgeons. As a friend put it, “Benjamin Dreyer is the Stephen Colbert of grammar, style, and punctuation — informative while always being cheerfully acerbic.”
• Hans Rosling, Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World — and Why Things Are Better Than You Think (Sceptre, 2018). Brilliant in its data-driven, fact-based simplicity, exposing the many myths that distort our view of the world and actually keep us from doing good. Amid current cultural and theological debates, this posthumously published book is a breath of fresh air. Even though it’s not a Christian book, it’s a good start for those who have more than data to examine. (Read this excellent review at TGC.)
• James Clear, Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones (Avery, 2018). I’ve read several books in this sub-genre of habits, productivity, and self-improvement. I was surprised by how practical and applicable this one was. We are more than habits but not less.