Best Books I Read in 2023
It’s time for my fourth annual Best Books I’ve Read list. If you’re so inclined, you can read previous lists here: 2022, 2021, and 2020. I read a good bit this year but not as much as I wanted. Once again, the genres varied: sports, mystery, biographies, Christian ministry, fiction, and sci-fi. Let me know what I should read in 2024.
On to the list!
22. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
I believe this is considered the OG time travel book. And, I love me some time travel stories. I liked this book but found the beginning and end — where there is more mystery and dialogue — far more fascinating than the actual time travel part of the story. I know Wells created a future which was a social commentary on his own day but I found it all a bit tedious. Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable read.
21. Following Jesus: Finding Our Way Home in an Age of Anxiety by Henri Nouwen
This was the third book I read of Nouwen’s this year. I found it the least compelling of the three to date but would serve as an excellent introduction into Nouwen’s writings. “This image of the Grand Canyon stayed with me for a long time. God is like the Grand Canyon. God suffered the wound, the wound of all humanity, and if I enter into the presence of that wound, my wound becomes a light burden or a light pain. Not because it is not there but because it has been embraced by love. I can live my pain and not be destroyed by it. I can acknowledge my pain and not be paralyzed by it.”
20. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
At the time of the reading, this novel was the fourth Agatha Christie book I had read. I’m learning Christie’s formula: the first half of the book is all setup, the last half is the solving of the crime. The first half is a bit of a slog but the second half makes it all worth it! Death on the Nile is no different. This is the only book thus far where I sensed as if I knew who the murderer was from the very beginning. I’m not sure if that made this story more or less enjoyable.
19. The Way of the Heart: Connecting With God Through Prayer, Wisdom, and Silence by Henri Nouwen
Over my years in ministry, I would often come across quotes from Henri Nouwen and would always appreciate them so I figured I was long overdue to read some of his books. I started with this one and I’m glad I did because it made me want to read more of his work. This is a small book and an easy read. There are parts I didn’t resonate with but this single quote made the whole book worth the read. This quote haunts me yet motivates me at the same time. Nouwen says this about the minister’s task: “Our task is to help people concentrate on the real but often hidden event of God’s active presence in their lives. Hence, the question that must guide all organizing activity in a parish is not how to keep people busy, but how to keep them from being so busy that they can longer hear the voice of God who speaks in silence.”
18. Genius Born of Anguish: The Life and Legacy of Henri Nouwen by Michael W. Higgins and Kevin Burns
As you can see from my list, I read a fair bit of Henri Nouwen this year. I liked his writings and found myself curious to know more of his story so I read this biography. I so appreciate Henri’s honesty and wholeheartedness. He knew himself which meant that he knew his sin which also meant that he knew where he needed God’s healing. He was insecure, always longing for affirmation yet was bold enough to name those struggles and find tastes of redemption. I love what he writes here: “Then the question is no longer simply, “How can I get rid of my suffering?” The deeper question is, “How can I make the connection between my suffering and God’s suffering? How can I learn to recognize in myself, in all of us…that suffering is not simply an interruption of what I should be — healthy, together, good-looking, free of pain — but instead might be a way to my own deeper fulfillment….my pain and my struggles are not just interruptions…but ways to enter into communion with God. Then I realize that compassion in the most profound sense is suffering with God; it is an entering into the passion of God.”
17. The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s: An Oral History by Andy Greene
The Office is probably my favorite all-time show so I had to read a behind-the-scenes account. It was pure joy. Beyond its hilarity, I wonder why the show resonated with so many people? I remember Rainn Wilson talking about this subject in a podcast. He said something like, “The show is 98% ridiculousness…but the other 2% was utter sweetness. That’s what people loved.” Stephen Merchant — the co-creator of the British version, says the following: “I don’t know what it says about mankind that clearly office life in many, many countries is very similar. Which I guess is a good thing? I guess it brings us together? But it also suggests that we’re all living these quiet lives of despair in one way or another.”
It’s no exaggeration to say my childhood was formed by syndicated, 30-minute sitcoms. James Burrows influenced or directed all of them. He’s the godfather of American sitcoms. It’s a dying art now but this medium flourished for 50 or so years. I never fully understood the grandiose production required to pull off a show in front of a live studio audience. James Burrows mastered it and produced some great art that will live on in the far recesses of my brain.
15. These Silent Woods: A Novel by Kimi Cunningham Grant
This story of a father and daughter living off the grid in the Appalachian mountains sucked me in. As the book unfolds, you begin to realize why they’ve lived there for the past eight years and how their existence there is coming to an end. The story and the writing was truly exquisite. I was impressed! But, the ending — while satisfying and full of Christian symbolism — was somewhat outlandish. Nonetheless, I look forward to reading other works by this author.
14. Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation by Collin Hansen
No one has influenced me more from afar than Tim Keller. I so appreciate his theological perspective, his cultural apologetics, and — perhaps most of all — his humble posture. With all of that in mind, I was eager to read about all the people and institutions that influenced him because they are the ones that have indirectly influenced me. Keller is not a perfect man but I have a better understanding of both his gifts and his deficiencies having read this book. And, in some way, I now understand myself a little better as well. “The greatest factor in the long-term effectiveness of a Christian minister is how (or whether) the gift-deficient areas in his skill set are mitigated by the strong grace operations in his character. The leadership literature advises us to know our weaknesses, our gift-deficient areas. It usually tells us to surround ourselves with a team of people with complementary gifts, and that is certainly wise if you can do it. But even if you can, that is not sufficient, for your gift-deficient areas will undermine you unless there is compensatory godliness. . . . I continually observe that ministry amplifies people’s spiritual character. It makes them far better or far worse Christians than they would have been otherwise, but it will not leave anyone where he was!”
13–11. The Wayward Pines Trilogy by Blake Crouch
Blake has become my go-to for pop, sci-fi entertainment. The science is not too heavy and the stories are entertaining. Book 1 of this series unfolds the mystery of a small town called Wayward Pines. Books 2 and 3 draw out the drama and thriller aspects of the story. I burned through these three books in less than a week. It was an enjoyable story to get caught up in but also quite dark. Nonetheless, it provoked thoughts about the nature of mankind, community, and leadership. “Pines is at once a brilliant mystery tale and the first step into a genre-bending saga of suspense, science fiction, and horror.”
10. In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership by Henri Nouwen
This is not your typical Christian leadership book. And that’s why I kind of love it. It’s far less about CEO-type leadership and much more about incarnational leadership. It’s a call to embrace lowliness and irrelevance. It’s far less marching orders to take a hill and much more of a call to be a certain kind of person “These broken, wounded, and completely unpretentious people forced me to let go of my relevant self — the self that can do things, show things, prove things, build things — and forced me to reclaim that unadorned self in which I am completely vulnerable, open to receive and give love regardless of any accomplishments. I am telling you all this because I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self.”
9. Upgrade: A Novel by Blake Crouch
The plot of this novel takes place in a somewhat near future where gene alteration has just become a reality. If we could be smarter and stronger, would the human race be better off? Not to spoil too much of the book but the answer is no. This book is not aiming to say anything about religion but I couldn’t help but go there as I read (afterall, I am a pastor). In the end, the story leads us to question whether human beings actually need more compassion rather than more intelligence or strength. That’s a noble message but not a true remedy. Genetically rewiring people to feel increased compassion is a bandaid at best. For true change, the human condition needs a change of heart. Tinkering will not do. Nonetheless, my philosophical waxing should not take away from you reading the book. If you’re looking for modern, pop, sci-fi in the vein of Michael Crichton — read Blake Crouch.
8. Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s by Jeff Pearlman
What happens when the egos and personalities of Pat Riley, Jerry Buss, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kurt Rambis, etc. collide? Well, that’s the subject of this book. I’m barely old enough to remember these guys playing but not old enough to comprehend what a 12-year run they went on. Behind the scenes, there was an extraordinary amount of drama, bravado, women, and drugs. On the court though, was basketball excellence. I love watching sports but I’m always fascinated to understand the interpersonal dynamics of athletes and coaches. I’m sure there are many lessons to learn from reading this but one thing is for sure: fame, fortune, and cocaine don’t go well together. By the way, I read Pearlman’s biography of Bo Jackson last year and thoroughly enjoyed it.
7. A Whole Life: A Novel by Robert Seethaler
This book was a pleasure to read. At 161 pages, it was both quick and good. Just how I like my books! I so appreciated the clear message of finding joy in the midst of the ups and downs of life. I’m good at lamenting but I’m not so good at finding the joy. It’s there, I just often miss it. Andreas Egger, the main character of the story, doesn’t miss it. Even when he’s a victim, even when he encounters great suffering, there’s an inner peace and joy that he clings to. His fictional journey is truly inspiring. “Set in the mid-twentieth century and told with beauty and tenderness, Robert Seethaler’s A Whole Life is a story of man’s relationship with an ancient landscape, of the value of solitude, of the arrival of the modern world, and above all, of the moments, great and small, that make us who we are.”
6. Dark Matter: A Novel by Blake Crouch
This is the second book I’ve read by Blake Crouch and I’m liking his sci-fi chops. His books are worth reading just for the entertainment and backdrops but I also appreciate how his books tap into existential questions. This book wrestles with the road not taken. What would happen if I chose a different career, a different spouse, a different place to live, etc.? Like the first book of his I read, I have some critiques with the “science” and plotlines. I’m not usually that much of a nerd but his books seem to have brought that out of me. Nonetheless, this was an entertaining read.
“Our culture teaches us that the most important things about us are what can be performed before others. Jesus, on the other hand, teaches us that the most important things about us are practiced in secret.” In the midst of a culture obsessed with self-expression, virtue signaling, and one-upmanship, Starke does an exceptional job of highlighting the beauty in a life hidden in Christ. This is a timely book and served both as a great reminder of my calling and an encouragement to remain steadfast.
4. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
At the time of the reading, this novel was the third Agatha Christie book I had read. About half-way through, I became a bit bored. I didn’t find any of the characters compelling and the story seemed formulaic. I almost gave up on it but so glad I didn’t because the ending made the whole journey worth it. Wow, that twist. In 2023 I was stunned, I can’t imagine what it was like for a reader in the 1920s to render that surprise. Christie continues to dazzle and amaze me with her genius plot lines and unexpected twists.
3. Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity by Eugene Peterson
In this writing, Peterson uses the book of Jonah to weave in pastoral insight and wisdom. This is not so much of an exegetical exposition of Jonah but rather an imaginative look at Jonah’s ministry and how it pertains to ministry in the local church. For my money, no one writes about pastoring like Peterson. I found myself highlighting large sections of this book as it made me wrestle with my own ministry and what it should be. Peterson won’t teach you about church growth, platforms, or CEO leadership but He’ll talk a lot about the pastor’s heart, the difficulty of shepherding, and how to be a spiritual director (a soul friend) to the congregation. “The congregation is not the enemy. Pastoral work is not adversarial. These people in the pews are not aliens to be conquered — defeated and then rehabilitated to the satisfaction of the pastoral ego. Thomas Merton wrote, “it is both dangerous and easy to hate man as he is because he is not ‘what he ought to be.’ If we do not first respect what he is we will never suffer him to become what he ought to be: in our impatience we will do away with him altogether. No, the congregation is topsoil — seething with energy and organisms that have incredible capacities for assimilating death and participating in resurrection. The only biblical stance is awe.”
2. All the Light We Cannot See: A Novel by Anthony Doerr
This novel focuses on two young people caught up in the drama of World War II. One is a blind, French girl and one is a bright, Nazi soldier. The timeline of the story jumps back and forth from the end of World War II to years before and as the story unfolds, it’s clear that the paths of these people will cross. There’s no shortage of beauty to absorb in this book: from the writing, to the characters, and even the bittersweet ending. I tried watching the recently adapted series on Netflix but couldn’t do it. Within 30 minutes, I could tell it wasn’t going to hold a candle to the book. Do yourself a favor: forget the series, read the book. You won’t regret it.
1. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
We had the joy, as a family, of listening to this audiobook on a beach trip this summer. This is such a sweet and sad story of two friends coming of age and learning the power of kindness (to others but also to themselves). I loved everything about this book: the writing, the dialogue, the rural backdrop, and even the sorrowful turn at the end. I was surprised that our kids liked it even though it is incredibly sad. I think that’s a good thing. Faith is not a major topic in the book but I found this one exchange incredibly powerful. Leslie, who is not a church-goer or a person of faith, attends church with her friend Jess Aaron’s. Afterwards, a discussion breaks out between the two of them about the gospel. At one point, Leslie says, “You have to believe it and you hate it. I don’t have to and I think it’s beautiful.”
