Favorite Books of the Year

Every December I look back at the books I’ve read over the past year (about 70 as I write this) and share my favorites. These are the ones that rattled my thinking a bit, or simply kept me company on long flights.

Nobody crowned me the Grand Marshal of Good Taste. The Pulitzer committee has yet to seek out my advice. And I tend to read in thematic bursts (this year’s stack is suspiciously heavy on Celtic theology and murder mysteries). Point being, your mileage may vary when it comes to how satisfying you find my suggestions.

Books make great gifts for people who already have too much stuff and don’t need one more thing to dust, charge, assemble, or politely pretend they like. So maybe one of these titles will make you look like a holiday genius.

Though, honestly, that’s probably not going to happen.

To be clear, I don’t pretend these are the “best” books of the year. They’re simply the ten that stayed with me, or whispered something I needed to hear. Some challenged me. Some comforted me. Some were just pure fun. A few left dents.

Here we go, my ten favorite books of the year. Links to the books are provided in the title.

Courting the Wild Twin by Martin Shaw
An extraordinary book that uses mythology to explain our disconnect from the world. Shaw calls us to rediscover our “wild twin,” which we’ve lost in the silliness of modernity. This is the kind of book you read again to fully capture its meaning. Here’s an example of his writing: “I don’t believe our prayers always land this side of the river. I believe in a receiver. Even though what may wind its way back to us is in some costume we never expected.” It’s not for everyone, but for readers who appreciate mythology, great writing, and personal insight, it’s a winner.

Steps: A Guide to Transforming Your Life When Willpower Isn’t Enough by John Ortberg
John has long been one of my favorite writers (and a friend). His career has been as a pastor, preacher, and writer, but his PhD is in clinical psychology. His expertise shines as he connects the AA twelve-step program to a spiritual journey — or at least, that’s how I read it. It might not be the ideal gift book (“Here, hon, I bought you a book about breaking your addictions!”), but it’s still a fantastic read.

Another Way: Building Companies That Last…and Last…and Last by Dave Wharton
My father started our family business nearly 80 years ago, and now my daughter is stepping into leadership. So this book speaks to me. Wharton comes from the venture capital world, where quick profits depend on quick exits. His personal epiphany was discovering companies that measure success beyond short-term gains. Long-term stewardship matters just as much as financial results — to all of which my dad would’ve said, “Well, yeah, obviously.”

King: A Life by Jonathan Eig
Martin Luther King Jr. is a legend, and countless biographies exist. But Eig explores new aspects based on newly uncovered information, and the result is a Pulitzer Prize–winning biography worth your time. Most people are a bundle of contradictions beneath their public persona — especially driven people in public life. It’s often difficult for an author to get to the essence of the person. Eig gets there.

The Giver and the Gift by Peter Greer and David Weekley
If you read my work, you know I have a passion for generosity as a spiritual exercise. This book is a practical guide to generosity from three perspectives: the giver, the recipient, and the intermediary fundraiser. Peter explores how fundraisers can honor the spiritual journey of the giver, while David provides tangible guidelines for shaping your own generosity. Peter and David will laugh at the idea of being on a list with these other authors — but their humility is what makes the book work.

Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson
There are a lot of reasons the Democrats were crushed in the last election. Some were short-term blunders; many were long-term strategic mistakes. Klein, a writer and podcaster I always enjoy, teamed up with Thompson to examine these deeper issues — not to scold, but to help strengthen a healthier counterbalance in our political life. I usually find myself in the messy middle, so this book was a breath of fresh air. I hope readers across the spectrum will engage with it.

The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage by Richard Rohr
Decades ago, my friend Tony Campolo dragged me into a small conference room to hear a little-known speaker named Richard Rohr. That 45 minutes made me a lifelong fan. Tony is gone now, and I wonder how much longer Rohr will be with us. Sadly, this latest book might be one of his last. Rohr draws wisdom from lesser-known Old Testament prophets to help us live compassionately in a time of violence and outrage. It’s brilliant, as usual.

James: A Novel by Percival Everett
Everyone has read Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. But that book is told entirely from Huck’s perspective. Everett asks: what if the story were told through the eyes of Jim, the enslaved man who travels with Huck? The result is powerful, creative, and Pulitzer-winning. Everett reveals Jim not as the fearful, uneducated caricature from Twain’s era, but as a man deliberately navigating the cultural expectations around him. This book put a dent in my brain.

History Matters by David McCullough
David McCullough shaped how we understand American history. After his passing, his daughter and editor pulled together unpublished writings and several speeches. The result is History Matters — a book that will make you proud of our national ideals, ashamed of our failures, and inspired to live up to our better traditions. It’s both comfort food and a “get off your butt” book.

Endurance by Alfred Lansing
Speaking of getting off your butt, Sir Ernest Shackleton led one of the most harrowing expeditions ever recorded. Endurance, first published in 1959, captures the story with clarity and grit. Shackleton faced one impossible challenge after another while somehow keeping his crew alive, functional, and in good spirits. It’s a masterclass in leadership. Everyone will enjoy this book — but it’s especially great for men.

It’s tacky to now mention my own book, Junkyard Wisdom Advent, and encourage you to buy it. So I won’t. Even though it makes a great gift this season, especially the hardback. But I’ll restrain myself from self-promotion and allow you to make your own wise decisions. Thank you.