It's a rough list, to be sure, and it's subject to change from year to year. It’s worthwhile to keep editing this list to help illuminate my changing tastes and perspectives. My standard admission when discussing books: I don’t enjoy fiction, so this reads more like a reference shelf.
To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink. Being a salesman typically holds negative connotation. I always recommend this book when people tell me they don’t think they can sell.
The Triumph of the City by Edward Glaeser. I love reading about cities. This book changed the game in how modern urbanists perceive of the landscape.
Cincinnati Observed by John Clubbe. I have long enjoyed studying the history of my city. There are numerous books about the topic that I love, but this one provides the best overview of our city’s history and architecture.
The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. Picking one Lewis book is difficult and this one is probably the one where his theology is most suspect. Still, his overall message grapples with eternal issues and it evokes right emotion from me.
Advanced Marathoning by Pete Phitzinger. This book helped me qualify for the Boston Marathon.
Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton. Over a century later, it still holds valuable insight on the basis of Christianity. Considering the era in which is was written, Chesterton's work is brilliantly ahead of its time.
Game Six by Mark Frost. Just months before my birth, the greatest baseball game ever played took place at Fenway Park. The Reds lost the battle but won the war
Resident Aliens by Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon. The authors confront the evangelical movement of the 1980’s, urging Christians to focus more on spiritual matters than political issues. It might be a challenge to observe it’s relevancy, but I still recommend it.
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. There’s been a load of critique of Gladwell’s approach but I still stand by his approach. In this book, he observes that we overemphasize perceived brilliance in individuals.
Soul Tsunami by Leonard Sweet. While I love classic theology, Sweet was a real-time resource in believing that Christian thought could be created in this time period. While the book seems a little dated, he applied Scripture to changing times.
The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. What a monk discovered in performing every day tasks.
The Source by James Michener. A mentor of mine recommended reading this novel before going to Israel. Since she’s passed, a value reading it even more.
God in Search of Man by Abraham Heschel. This rabbi hits on a key concept that many Christians miss: we are more significant to God than many of us think.
Lorne by Susan Morrison. I used to have the Tom Shales book on my list, but Morrison’s tome is a better story around the creation and maintenance of SNL.
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. The book expressed the “why” behind how I structure my life.
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I refuse to read Go Set A Watchman because I don’t want my Atticus to be a closet racist.
The Gospel in a Pluralist Society by Leslie Newbegin. This Anglican missionary recognized the need for Christians to treat their homeland as a mission field.
Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki. This is a nostalgic choice as I read it before we started our church.
Christ and Culture by Richard Niebuhr. I view if as the foundational work for all conversations on how Christians engage culture.
Tribes by Seth Godin. Godin influenced how I view influence.
Return of the Prodigal by Henri Nouwen. A simple message about a profound story featuring a historic painting by a gifted storyteller.
Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss. I always recommend this book to people before buying a car.
Refractions by Makoto Fujimura. This simple book discussed how God influences creatives and the artist community.
The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver. The book reveals a challenging discipline that’s essential for critical thinking in our ever-changing world.
New Testament and the People of God by N.T. Wright. A scholar dedicated to connecting the Scriptural dots.
The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs. While Jacobs views aren’t perfect, this is a momentously influential book.
Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther by Roland Bainton. The preeminent Luther biography.
The Big Short by Michael Lewis. The book behind the movie is just as interesting.
The Faith Once and For All by Jack Cottrell. I knew Dr. Cottrell both personally and a theological mentor. There are aspects of his teachings that I no longer hold, but his work influenced my life greatly.
The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This critique of cheap grace is all the more powerful when understanding his faith journey.
Night by Elie Wiesel. More than ever, we need to grasp the horrors of Holocaust.
Nudge by Richard Thaler. How to alter the behavior of yourself and others.
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. It was a staple of personal development in the 1990’s, but it’s a primer on organizing your life.
Deep Work by Cal Newport. His emphasis on focus is something I often lack in getting things done.
Born Standing Up by Steve Martin. The reflections of one of the greatest entertainers of my lifetime.
Originals by Adam Grant. An examination of how success is truly attained.
The Value of Debt in Building Wealth by Thomas Anderson. Of all the finance books I’ve read over the years, this might be the most balanced one I’ve encountered.
Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. Encouraging the reader to think about thinking.
Excellent Advice for Living by Kevin Kelly. A tech writer takes the time to offer general wisdom on life.
Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown. I don’t love all her stuff, but I sometimes need her positive perspective.
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari. I disagree with much of his perspectives and many of his assertions, but it is a consistent consideration of cosmology.
The Black Swan by Nassim Taleb. A narrative deconstruction of statistics.
Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard. A glimpse into the final days of James Garfield.
Creative Quest by Questlove. A less academic and more persuasive view on the creative process.
Quit by Annie Duke. A former poker player tells us when to fold ‘em.
The Tetris Effect by Dan Ackerman. This book is one of the longest reads I can remember and it’s about the creation of a video game.
The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker. I enjoy the way Pinker approaches topics, especially when trying to dismantle falsehoods we hold so dearly.
Alexander Hamilton by Rob Chernow. The biography so good it had to be a musical.
Reading While Black by Esau McCaulley. In exploring how Euro-centric biblical interpretation can become, McCaulley asks us to read the Bible with different lenses.
And finally, The Bible. This continues to be the most influential text on my life. I’ve spent the better part of my life studying this book and it still informs, corrects, and inspires me.
BOOKS REMOVED FROM MY TOP-40 LIST
Orbiting the Giant Hairball by Gordon MacKenzie
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell
As A Driven Leaf by Milton Steinberg
Leading: Learning From Life and My Years at Manchester United by Alex Ferguson
Soul Survivor by Philip Yancey
Creativity Inc. by Ed Catmull
World Book Encyclopedias
Why Cities Matter by Stephen Um
Church in the Making by Ben Arment
Pete Rose: My Prison Without Bars by Pete Rose
Dick Schaap as Told to Dick Schaap by Dick Schaap