Top 5 Books Read of 2015

As the year comes to a close, it’s natural to look back on the year that has past. In honor of Rob Gordon, here is my list of “Top Five Books Read of 2015” (in no particular order).

 

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.

This book makes my list for many reasons, but none more so than the sheer number of pages this long tale contains. Many know the story from the films, but few read all of the pages of this trilogy. Now, for my own pride’s sake, I can speak about this great story from personal experience. I no longer need to feel the shame of saying, “I didn’t read the book, but I watched the movies.” Now my pride and arrogance can run free and unfettered.

 

The Passion of the Western Mind by Richard Tarnas.

A book that took the author a decade to write, and me longer to read than I like to admit. The book is a narrative of the shaping of the Western mind from the Roman Empire to the Post-Modern mood. Tarnas recounts the most significant events, philosophies, and revolutions that directed the cultural understanding of the Western mind. The book is a journey of understanding how we arrived where we are. Tarnas attempts to give every philosophy the same treatment and consideration. He speaks of Christianity with the same detail as he does Plato or Hume. Interesting and helpful.

 

 

The Sacred Journey by Frederick Buechner.

Every year’s list should contain something by Buechner. Years ago, Buechner’s words sprung me from an emotional prison from which I am still on the run. He is a man that speaks of the lasting and unfolding effects of his father’s absence as well as the poetry God makes of our life. There is hope for me in Buechner’s words, and they are heartbreaking as much as they are life giving.

 

 

God is Impassible and Impassioned by Rob Lister.

I was given this book by a professor as I began my journey into writing my first manuscript. While the book reads like a dissertation, Lister is efficient and helpful inside a theological debate that stretches farther back than it should. Lister helps point to God as a God who chooses to be affected by His creation. God chooses to allow Himself to suffer because He decides to be in relationship man. A good read.

 

 

Spurgeon’s Sorrows by Zach Eswine

One of my favorite authors. A short and fast-paced read about a subject that is anything by quick. Eswine uses Charles Spurgeon’s persistent struggle with depression as the backdrop for dealing with what Ed Welch calls a “stubborn darkness.” Eswine writes with compassion and clarity. I found myself in tears more times than I can count. In a year marked by many lows and confusion, Eswine provided comfort and hope. A great read for anyone suffering from or those who love someone suffering from depression.