20 Good Books I Read in 2019
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I’ve said (written) this before and I’m proud to say again: I am 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. 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 still have, thanks to my mom who saved everything, my first Texas State Library Reading Club Certificate from the summer of 1963. I was between 1st and 2nd grades in Kermit, Texas, and my list includes J. Hamilton Hamster and I Want to be a Scientist.
I learned early that it was not only acceptable to write in the margins of books and use a highlighter to accent important passages; it was integral to the joy of reading. I do the same with my Daily Bible, and if I ever lose it, I’ll miss my own notes the most. One of my favorite writers, Austin Kleon, wrote, “The first step towards becoming a writer is becoming a reader, but the next step is becoming a reader with a pencil.” Someday, when I’m gone and they divvy up my library, those margin notes may be the most revealing thing I leave behind.
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 2018. 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.
I made a big change in reading strategy last year, adding the Kindle app to my phone so I could read while waiting at the doctor or dentist or oil change, rather than playing a stupid game app or watching pointless 24-hour news programs.
This year I decided to include audio books in my big list. For some reason I’ve always kept audio books on a separate list; I suppose in the back of my mind I considered an audio book to be more about entertainment than actual reading. That’s a silly distinction, actually, and I decided, or realized, it was a stupid position to hold. I have too many friends who wouldn’t be able to read anything at all if it weren’t for audio books. Who am I to judge a good practice like that? So my list exploded in length this year due to the addition of audio books … almost all of them listened to while driving with Cyndi.
I read almost non-fiction almost exclusively. But my audio books are almost all fiction, and most likely spy thrillers and the like.
This is my list of 20 Good Books I Read in 2019, the books that turned out to be the most meaningful for me over the past twelve months. Reviewing my spreadsheet to find these particular twenty books helps me remember God’s providence throughout the year. What was it that I thought I needed to hear or to learn, or to remember? Sometimes these lists give me a clue.
Should you choose to read one of these books, I’d love to hear from you. I enjoy hearing different takes on books that made my year better.
1. Chasing the Demon: A Secret History of the Quest for the Sound Barrier, and the Band of American Aces Who Conquered It, by Dan Hampton … The race to break the sound barrier
2. The Tour According to G: My Journey to the Yellow Jersey, by Geraint Thomas … A great cycling book about Thomas’ surprise winning of the 2018 Tour de France
3. Hearing God in Conversation: How to Recognize His Voice Everywhere, by Sam Williamson … We studied this book in Iron Men, and it is the best I’ve ever read about conversing with God. It is theologically deep and yet easy to read and absorb
4. Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad, by Austin Kleon … One of my favorite writers, a huge influence on me as a writer and creator
5. Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God, by David McCasland … This was a fascinating biography of Oswald Chambers
6. The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door, by Jay Pathak & Dave Runyon … We studied this book in Iron Men; I selected it because I am not good at learning the people who live around me
7. Endurance: My Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery, by Scott Kelly … the memoir of an astronaut who lived a year on the International Space Station
8. Meditations from the Breakdown Lane: Running Across America, by James Shaprio … One of the first running books I ever read (1986) and a big inspiration to me about long-distance adventures
9. It's Great to Suck at Something: The Unexpected Joy of Wiping Out and What It Can Teach Us About Patience, Resilience, and the Stuff that Really Matters, by Karen Rinaldi … An encouraging book that asks us to not be afraid to do things we aren’t good at, to do something unremarkable, uncelebrated, and without much to show for it, with love and with hope in your heart.
10. The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life, by David Brooks … A surprisingly spiritual book about how to live the second half of life with purpose and significance
11. Chasing the Moon: The People, the Politics, and the Promise That Launched America into the Space Age, by Robert Stone, and One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission That Flew Us to the Moon, by Charles Fishman … I know, I know, these are two different books, but both are about the Apollo moon landing program and tell slightly different angles of the adventure.
12. Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style, by Benjamin Dreyer … a surprisingly clever and entertaining book about writing and editing
13. Moods of Future Joys: Around the World by Bike Part One (England to Africa) and Thunder & Sunshine: Part Two (Riding home from Patagonia), by Alastair Humphries … Again, two books, but one adventure.
14. Infinite Powers: How Calculus Reaveals the Secrets of the Universe, by Steven Strogatz … A fun book about (stay with me) calculus.
15. All Our Waves are Water: Stumbling Toward Enlightenment and the Perfect Ride, by Jamal Yogis … Another surfing book. Whether riding grisly waves in the Pacific or navigating the waves of the heart and the mind, Yogis discovers that it is between water and air, between control and surrender, between the tangible and the intangible, where grace can be found.
16. Soul Keeping: Caring For the Most Important Part of You, by John Ortberg … how to live in deep, satisfied spirituality and a restless, dispassionate faith. This will be our Iron Men book for spring 2020
17. Princess Bride: A Tale of True Love and High Adventure, by William Goldman … the inspiration for the movie we love and watch over and over at our house
18. It's About the Bike: The Pursuit of Happiness on Two Wheels, by Robert Penn … an experienced writer and cyclist goes on a pilgrimage to build the perfect bike
19. Unforgettable: A Son, a Mother, and the Lessons of a Lifetime, by Scott Simon … an excellent memoir by one of NPR’s best story tellers
20. Keep Moving: Lessons for the Rest of Your Life, by Twyla Tharp … how to harness vitality and find purpose as we age
“I run in the path of Your commands, for You have set my heart free.” Psalm 119:32
