Two months ago I posted a list of books that I’ve read in the first four months of the year, along with a short review of each. I’m on track to read 100 books this year, though again I don’t want to make that a goal.
It’s time to update the list of books now that half the year is over. The books from the first four months were posted earlier, so here’s what I’ve read in the past two months (in the order I read them) with a comment on each.
Moonwalking with Einstein, by Joshua Foer. Ever wonder what it takes to be a memory champion? Fun book by a writer who took on that challenge. Great insights into how our memory works.
Love Wins, by Rob Bell. The most talked about book of the year in the Christian community. But does it even ask the right questions?
Red Moon Rising, by Pete Greig and Dave Roberts. Wow. Fascinating story of how God worked through this amazing organization.
The Lost History of Christianity, by John Philip Jenkins. Definitely filled in a blind spot of my understanding of Church history.
Tahoe Heat, by Todd Borg. Bubblegum for the brain.
Knowing Christ Today, by Dallas Willard. Incredible insights that you read and re-read and read again. Not an easy book, but simply brilliant.
Lost in Shangri-La, by Mitchell Zuckoff. Crazy true adventure story of a daring rescue during World War II.
Defending Constantine, by Peter Leithart. Constantine gets a lot of flak; this book takes a different approach.
What Can I Do?, by David Livermore. Helpful insights into our cultural intelligence and how to expand it.
Allah: A Christian Response, by Miroslav Volf. Volf argues that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. Well written and approachable for such a complex subject.
The Greater Journey, by David McCullough. Classic McCullough. The man deserves every Pulitzer Prize ever awarded. This time he looks at the impact Paris had on American history.
Five Days in London, by John Lukacs. A condensed look at the critical days when the United Kingdom alone stood up against Hitler.
Making a Difference, by Larry Little. A self-help book, probably best for counselors who need to find something simple for their clients to read.
In the Garden of Beasts, by Erik Larson. A favorite author of mine. This time he explores the life of a simple man who finds himself Ambassador to Germany just as Hitler rises to power … and, oh yeah, he has a flirtatious daughter who charms the Reichstag.
24-7 Prayer Manual, by Pete Greig and David Blackwell. A how-to book about starting your own 24-7 prayer event.
King’s Cross, by Timothy Keller. More brilliance from Keller as he teaches us through the Gospel of Mark.
Stealing the General, by Russell Bonds. Hilarious — and yet somehow sad — story of a bunch of Yankees who sneak into the Confederacy and steal a locomotive.
Blood Money, by David Ignatius. Great spy vs spy book. A blockbuster because it has all the fun aspects of the genre while engaging the intelligent reader.
The Thank You Economy, by Gary Vaynerchuk. Really good book about social media and how businesses can leverage this emerging technology.