20 Good Books I Read in 2023

      It’s no secret – I’m a man of lists. I love making lists, whether shopping lists, to-do lists, book lists, running and biking lists, hiking lists, blood pressure and heartrate lists, and even list lists. I agree with the sentiments of Sheldon Cooper, from The Big Bang, who once said, “If there were a list of things that make me more comfortable, lists would be at the top of that list.”

      Way back in 1986 I followed the advice of motivational speaker Jim Rohn and started keeping a list of books I’d read. It wasn’t a hard decision. I love to read, and my reading habit precedes my list-making habit by decades.

      I don’t expect everyone to love reading as much as I do, or like the same books I like, but I know all of us would be better people if we read a book or two every year. And so, here are some suggestions. These are listed in the order I read them; I didn’t try to rank them by importance or enjoyment … that’s a paralyzing and pointless exercise. However, if you’re interested, give me your email address and I’ll send you my entire Excel reading list for 2022. In fact, I’ll send you my complete list going back to 1986 if you want, but it isn’t a quick glance. And send me your own list. I’m always searching for ideas.

      These books turned out to be the most meaningful for me over the past twelve months. Should you choose to read one of these books, I’d love to hear from you. I enjoy different takes on books that made my year better. And if you have any recommendations for me, I’d love to hear those, too.

1.     Number One is Walking: My Life in the Movies and Other Diversions, by Steve Martin … Martin’s first book about his career in the movies. He tells stories from his best films―Father of the Bride, Roxanne, The Jerk, Three Amigos, and many more.

2.     A Voyage for Madmen, by Peter Nichols … In 1968, nine sailors set off on the most daring race ever held: to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe nonstop. It was a feat that had never been accomplished and one that would forever change the face of sailing. Ten months later, only one of the nine men would cross the finish line and earn fame, wealth, and glory. For the others, the reward was madness, failure, and death.

3.     The Creative Act: A Way of Being; A Way of Being, by Rick Rubin … A book about being creative as a way of life, by the legendary music producer.

4.     Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religion, by Rebecca McLaughlin … explores 12 questions that keep many of us from considering faith in Christ. Look more closely, McLaughlin argues, and the reality of suffering, the complexity of sexuality, the desire for diversity, the success of science, and other seeming roadblocks to faith become signposts. Jesus becomes not a relic from the ancient world but our modern world's best hope.

5.     On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, and Getting Old, by Parker Palmer … Reframing aging as "a passage of discovery and engagement", Palmer says, "Old is just another word for nothing left to lose, a time to take bigger risks on behalf of the common good."

6.    My Cool Bike: an inspirational guide to bikes and bike culture, by Chris Hadoon … A love affair with bikes and bike culture, this book will appeal to all who have taken up cycling for sport, fun, health and wealth, not just the cycling nuts but all who mean to dust off the flat-tired two-wheeler.

7.     The Lost Explorer: Finding Mallory on Mount Everest, by Conrad Ankor … In 1999, Conrad Anker found the body of George Mallory lying frozen into the scree at 27,000 feet on Everest's north face. Recounting this day, the authors go on to assess the clues provided by the body, its position, and the possibility that Mallory had successfully climbed the Second Step, a 90-foot sheer cliff that is the single hardest obstacle on the north face.

8.     All My Knotted-Up Life: A Memoir, by Beth Moore …  a funny and vulnerable glimpse into the life and ministry of a woman familiar to many but known by few.

9.     Directed by James Burrows: Five Decades of Stories from the Legendary Director of Taxi, Cheers, Frasier, Friends, Will & Grace, and More, by James Burrows … famous and prolific television director recalls highlights of his productive and highly successful career in directing and sometimes co-creating situation comedies, which included Taxi, Cheers, Frazier, Friends, Mike and Molly, Will and Grace, and more.

10.  Walking With Sam: A Father, a Son, and Five Hundred Miles Across Spain, by Andrew McCarthy … The author and his adult son decided to make a 500-mile walk across Spain on the Camino de Santiago.

11.  God's Not Done With You, Encouragement from the Bible’s Greatest Comeback Stories (Christian book that will help you to have faith in hard times, ... failure, regrets, oppression, adversity.), by John Meador … nine amazing "comeback stories" from the Bible to show how God provides everything needed to get through challenging setbacks.

12.  Finding Elevation: Fear and Courage on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain, by Lisa Thompson … more than her climbing memoir, this is an examination of the human spirit and motivation. The author excelled in the male-dominated world of mountain climbing even after battling breast cancer.

13.  Built to Move: The Ten Essential Habits to Help You Move Freely and Live Fully, by Kelly and Juliet Starrett … What makes a durable human? How do we continue to feel great and function well as we age? And how do we counteract the effects of technology-dependence, sedentary living, and other modern ways of life on our body’s natural need for activity? 

14.  Being Disciples: Essentials of the Christian Life, by Rowan Williams … The author offers biblically grounded wisdom for Christians at all stages of their journeys as disciples of Jesus.

15.  The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkein … I reread The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy this year, and I believe The Hobbit is my favorite of the four. Biblo has no idea what he’s getting into, and he does the right thing over and over.

16.  Long Train Runnin': Our Story of The Doobie Brothers, by Pat Simmons and Tom Johnston … An excellent account of a band that was important to me and fundamental to my musical foundations.

17.  The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey, by Rinker Buck … An epic account of traveling the 2,000-mile length of the Oregon Trail the old-fashioned way - in a covered wagon with a team of mules. The story captivated me.

18.  Carry the Fire: 50th Anniversary Edition, by Michael Collins … I love astronaut stories. In Carrying the Fire, Collins conveys, in a very personal way, the drama, beauty, and humor of that adventure. He also traces his development from his first flight experiences in the Air Force, through his days as a test pilot, to his Apollo 11 space walk, presenting an evocative picture of the joys of flight as well as a new perspective on time, light, and movement from someone who has seen the fragile earth from the other side of the moon.

19.  John le Carre', by Adam Sisman … This was a fascinating and comprehensive biography of a very secretive man. My favorite parts, and the reason I read this book, were the details about his writing habits and techniques.

20.  The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text For Writing & Life, by Marion Roach Smith … One of the best books about the art of writing, and editing, I’ve read. The author gives specific and clear advice. I’ll be using this as a guideline for a long time to come.