One Sentence Book Reviews

This year, I intended to read a great deal more books than I actually did. However, I think most of the books I interacted with were helpful. Since I’m not one for writing long book reviews, I decided to offer one sentence book reviews on some of the more enjoyable books I read. They are not listed in any particular order except that I hope everyone will read the first book I’ve listed from Tim Chaddick.

1. Better: How Jesus Satisfies the Search for Meaning by Tim Chaddick – Insightful study of how Ecclesiastes is applied to a culture obsessed with self and satisfaction.
2. Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman – A fascinating study of the mechanics of leadership from a statistically validated research project.
3. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho – One of the more engaging novels that I have read over the last few years that reminded me that everyone is looking for meaning and few have found it.
4. The Catalyst Leader: 8 Essentials for Becoming a Changer Maker by Brad Lomenick – A helpful look at the basics of leadership that move from the simple to the transformative.
5. Spiritual Leadership: A Commitment to Excellence by Every Believer by J. Oswald Sanders – The one book on leadership that I need to read every year.
6. Clear Winter Nights: A Journey into Truth, Doubt, and What Comes After by Trevin Wax – Creative story on how we help others use doubt as a tool on their journey toward faith.
7. Miracles: What They Are, Why They Happen, and How They Can Change Your Life by Eric Metaxas – Well-written case for the existence of miracles down to the level that our very life on Earth is an act only God could arrange.
8. Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda by Henry Blackaby & Richard Blackaby – A study on how leadership and godly character are intrinsically linked.
9. Transformational Groups: Creating a New Scorecard for Groups by Ed Stetzer and Eric Geiger – Solid insights from trusted leaders about how small groups become more effective in your church.
10. Church Zero: Raising 1^st Century Church out of the Ashes of the 21^st Century Church by Peyton Jones – Quick hit book that will spark you to think more critically about why our churches glom on to new ideas when the old ones might be the best.
11. You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One) by Jeff Goins – For the aspiring author, it is a great book to encourage your desire to pursue the work.
12. I Am a Church Member by Thom Rainer – Enjoyable read about why being a part of the church is such a great life.
13. Beat God to the Punch: Because Jesus Demands Your Life by Eric Mason – A quick read that will whet your appetite to let go of the useless stuff in your life.
14. The Bible Tells Me So: Why Defending Scripture Has Made Us Unable to Read It by Peter Enns – Frustrating but necessary foray into how those from a different theological position understand the Bible to not be entirely true.
15. Killing Floor by Lee Childs – The first novel with Childs’ character Jack Reacher left me somewhat curious to read more in the series but not interested enough to buy another book.
16. The Strain Trilogy by Guillermo del Toro – A fun twist on the long-standing mythology around vampires and the hope that anyone can be the hero of a story.
17. The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle – The stories of Holmes remind us that genius is generally accompanied with eccentricity.
18. Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy – A masterful novel about the need to persist through the troubles of life in order to fulfill the destiny that we know lies ahead of us.