We are a quarter of the way through 2019 by now and you have probably forgotten about those New Year’s resolutions. If not, now’s a good time to gauge your progress so far and make sure you are doing what you wanted to do this year. One of my goals was to read at least 60 books this year and so far I’ve read 16 of them. That puts me slightly ahead of pace.

Here are the books I’ve read since January of 2019 with my rating for them (5 being the best) along with a brief review. Any book without a number rating has been given to me by the author or publisher.

In addition to this list, you might also check out:

• my reading lists from previous years
• recommendations on how to become a better reader
• my top 15 theology books
• the 2 books I’ve personally written
• my goodreads account

Click on any of the titles below to get to a link to buy it.

1. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson (4). A heartbreaking look at one lawyer’s experience in defending those unjustly accused because of a system of racism. Every American should read this book.
2. The Captain Class by Sam Walker (3.5). A fascinating look at the leadership engine behind the greatest sports teams in history. Shows the impact a captain can make on the rest of a team.
3. Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Loewen (4). Looks at the biases of American history textbooks and all of the things they get wrong about history. Has fascinating implications not only on history, but on how we teach others.
4. The State of Affairs by Esther Perel (3.5). A therapist tells the lessons she’s learned about marriage and infidelity. While it certainly isn’t from a Christian point of view, I found many of her observations profound.
5. The Introvert’s Edge by Matthew Pollard (3). This is focused primarily on developing your salesmanship, but I appreciated many of his insights into leveraging introversion.
6. The Great World House by Hak Joon Lee (1). I read this for a seminary class. The content is solid but it is a very dry academic read.
7. Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman (4). A classic written decades ago that frames the narrative of Jesus into those who are oppressed in our country today.
8. Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes by E. Randolph Richards (4.5). This was extremely thought-provoking and challenged a number of my views on passages from Scripture. A great way to challenge your biases.
9. Who’s In Charge Here? by Jay Link (2.5). A great little primer on the concept of stewardship. Could be used for group discussions too.
10. Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss (4). A fascinating look into the art of negotiating from one of the FBI’s lead hostage negotiators.
11. Better Together by Jim Tomberlin (4). A great study on the concept of church mergers and how churches can often be better together through joining in a multisite model.
12. Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport (5). Newport strikes again. A brilliant look at the effects of our online use today and compelling suggestions at how to change your habits for the good.
13. Fox Hunt by Mohammed Al Samawi (3). A gripping story that puts you into the shoes of a refugee stuck in a civil war in Yemen and trying to find a way out.
14. Deep and Wide by Andy Stanley (4). This was my second time through this and I think I liked it better. Stanley is so loaded with a practical heartbeat for what the church needs to be.
15. The Pastor by Eugene Peterson (3.5). This was my second time through this one as well (I’m doing that more these days) and I continue to be challenged by Peterson’s simple, yet profound understanding of the role of a pastor.
16. Wild Bill by Tom Clavin (3). I suppose I’ve always had a soft spot for the Wild West since I’m from Arizona. This story was an interesting look into a biography that was far more engaging than fiction might imply.

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