April 6, 2015

2014 Books In Review

Very late in posting this, but here it is!  The list of books I read in 2014, divided by category.

THEOLOGY

Living in the Gap Between Promise and Reality by Iain Duguid
Let the Reader Understand by Dan McCartney
Understanding Dispensationalists by Vern Poythress
Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology by Pascal Denault
The Gospel in Genesis by Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Jesus on Every Page by David Murray
Covenant Theology: A Reformed Baptist Primer by Doug Van Dorn
The Goldsworthy Trilogy by Graeme Goldsworthy (most read in 2014, finished 2015)
Sermons On The Deity of Christ by John Calvin

Favorite for the Year:  Covenant Theology: A Reformed Baptist Primer by Doug Van Dorn.  So there were a lot of good books in this category for 2014, but I give the nod to my friend Doug here.  (Denault was a very close second!)  I've been waiting for Doug to write something on Covenant Theology for a while, and although I still like his baptism book better, this is an EXCELLENT piece of work.  Perfect for a good understanding of covenant theology from a Reformed Baptist perspective.  I think paedobaptists will appreciate it, and baptists will learn something new.  A very worthy companion to the baptism book and one every Christian should read.  Although make no mistake, you can't go wrong with Calvin or Lloyd-Jones!

POLITICAL

Guilty by Ann Coulter
One Nation by Ben Carson

Favorite for the Year:  One Nation by Ben Carson.  I love this guy, he makes a lot of sense, and I am praying and hoping he has a successful presidential run.  This book is inspired common sense and if you have never heard of Ben Carson, google "Ben Carson Prayer Breakfast" and listen to the speech he gave.  Fantastic.  Then, read this book.  Then, go vote for him.

HISTORY

We Were There: Revelations from the Dallas Doctors Who Attended to JFK on November 22, 1963 By Allen Childs.  By default, this is the favorite of the year for this category since I decided to make History it's own category and not mix it with the Biographies.  It was a fascinating book, a collection of stories from the doctors who attended to JFK the day he was shot.  There are one or two tidbits in this book that I didn't already know surrounding the death of JFK, so well worth it.

FICTION

The Brethren by John Grisham
The Realms Thereunder by Ross Lawhead
What I'd Say To The Martians by Jack Handey
Die Trying by Lee Child
Breathless by Dean Koontz
The Bone House by Stephen Lawhead
The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

Favorite for the Year: The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss.  Once again, my favorite author, Stephen Lawhead was edged out by Rothfuss.  This is the second book in the King killer Chronicles and it is great story telling.  It does take a little time, measuring at over 1100 pages, but worth it.  There is a section in the middle that I could have done without, but overall, a great story with a great hero to root for.  It left me anxiously awaiting the third book in the series.  Lawhead was as great as ever of course, and I'm enjoying the Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child as well.  I'm hooked.  Now, the biggest waste of the year for any category was Breathless by Dean Koontz.  I won't spoil the ending, but it was awful.  Just awful.  Lots of build, fairly interesting, and then at the end, he just completely drops the ball.  I think I remember this from a couple of his other books though.  He just can't finish a story well.  When I finish a book, and I say out loud, "that's it?"  It isn't a very good book.  It might be quite a while before I pick up another Koontz book.

CLASSIC

The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton
Tarzan of the Apes By Edgar Rice Burroughs

Favorite for the Year:  Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs.  I loved this book.  I knew the story, but Burroughs is a fantastic story teller and it was hard to put this book down.  Captivating.  Highly recommend reading this if you never have, even if you know the story.

CHILDREN

The Slippery Slope by Lemony Snickett
Bible Animals by Richard Newton

Favorite for the Year: Tie.  I liked both of these for different reasons.  Snickett is just funny and I appreciate the humor, but Newton does a great job relating Scripture truths to children and i'm a big fan of his work and so thankful they are being published again.

BIOGRAPHY

Walt Disney: An American Original  by Bob Thomas
Gospel Focus of Charles Spurgeon by Stephen Lawson
Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris

Favorite for the Year:  The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris.  The Disney biography was a very close second.  Anything about Walt Disney fascinates me.  However, Roosevelt is definitely a hero of mine and Morris does a great job with this biography and while long, (780pages) I find myself more and more intrigued with Roosevelt and that's a good thing.  I have the other 2 volumes and plan on reading the second one in 2015.

APPLIED CHRISTIANITY

Date Your Wife by Justin Buzzard
Fools Rush in: Where Monkeys Fear to Tread by Carl Trueman
What Did You Expect? by David Paul Tripp
Ordinary by Michael Horton

Favorite for the Year: Fools Rush In by Justin Buzzard.  This is a weird category, I admit.  Not everything in it is actually applied Christianity, but it isn't theology either so I compromise.  Anyhow, Trueman is a funny guy, and I really enjoyed this book.  The Date Your Wife book was excellent too, and a lot more help than I was expecting.


Well there you have it, my own little awards show of sorts for books.  If you have comments, questions or recommendations, let me know!



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