2018 Reading List

Like a lot of nerds and philosophers (not necessarily the same thing!), I love to read.  I do not always get the time to read as broadly and deeply as I would like to; but I love to read.  I like a wide variety of literary genres - mysteries, novels, apologetics, theology, philosophy, history, science, and travel among them.

The past 20 months of my life has been exceptionally busy, which has robbed me of the time to blog as frequently as I would like.  But I did have the opportunity in 2018, not just to engage in some awesome travel explorations (the Grand Canyon tour, western Canada [twice - June & December], and the United Kingdom of England and Scotland), but also to read some fascinating books.


Here is the full list of my literary adventures last year, listed in alphabetical order (by author's last name); the number at the front is the order in which I read them (i.e., Groothuis was the first, Ganssle was the last).  Coming next: my top 5 list for 2018, and some short interactions with a select few.

23. Baggett, David and Marybeth Baggett. The Morals of the Story: Good News About a Good God. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2018. 253 pp. 

18. Bussey, Peter. Signposts to God: How Modern Physics & Astronomy Point the Way to Belief. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2016.

22. Chan, Sam. Evangelism in a Skeptical World. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018. 288 pp.

24. Chartraw, Joshua D. and Mark D. Allen. Apologetics at the Cross: An Introduction for Christian Witness. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018. 336 pp.

3. G. K. Chesterton, The Innocence of Father Brown. (A collection of 12 short stories featuring Father Brown, a Catholic priest-detective. 352 pp.

6. G. K. Chesterton, Four Faultless Felons.  (A collection of 4 short stories: “The Honest Quack,” “The Moderate Murderer,” “The Ecstatic Thief,” and “The Loyal Traitor.”)  Dover, 1989. 224 pp.

10. Agatha Christie, Peril at End House. (A Hercule Poirot Mystery) William Morrow, 2011. 240 pp.

8. Agatha Christie, A Murder is Announced. (A Miss Marple Mystery) William Morrow, 2011. 320 pp.

2. Copan, Paul. A Little Book for New Philosophers: Why and How to Study Philosophy. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2016.

12. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Dover, 2009. 240 pp.

27. Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Idiot. 656 pp.

28. Ganssle, Gregory E. Our Deepest Desires: How the Christian Story Fulfills Human Aspirations. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2017.

1. Groothuis, Douglas. Philosophy in Seven Sentences: A Small Introduction to a Vast Topic. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2016.

9. Hescox, Mitch and Paul Douglas. Caring for Creation: The Evangelical’s Guide to Climate Change and a Healthy Environment. Bethany House, 2016. 192 pp.

26. Lewis, C. S. A Grief Observed. New York: HarperOne, 1996 (1961).

20. Lewis, Geraint F., and Luke A. Barnes. A Fortunate Universe: Life in a Finely Tuned Cosmos. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2016.

4. Metaxas, Eric. Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery. HarperCollins, 2007. 320 pp.

17. Moreland, J. P., and Tim Muehlhoff. The God Conversation: Using Stories and Illustrations to Explain Your Faith. Rev. ed. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2017.

21. Noble, Alan. Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2018. 189 pp.

15. Ordway, Holly. Apologetics and the Christian Imagination: An Integrated Approach to Defending the Faith. Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Road, 2017.

11. Pearcey, Nancy. Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions about Life and Sexuality. Baker, 2017. 336 pp.

14. Rae, Scott B. Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics, 3^rd ed. Zondervan, 2009. 375 pp.

19. Rana, Fazale. The Cell’s Design: How Chemistry Reveals the Creator’s Artistry. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2008.

7. Rauser, Randal, and Justin Schieber. An Atheist and a Christian Walk into a Bar … Talking about God, the Universe, and Everything. Amherst, NY: Prometheus, 2016.

13. Dorothy Sayers, Gaudy Night. (A Lord Peter Wimsey mystery.)  Harper, 2012. 544 pp.

5. J. B. Stump, ed. Four Views on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017.

16. Ten Elshof, Gregg A. Confucius for Christians: What an Ancient Chinese Worldview Can Teach Us about Life in Christ. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2015.

25. John Updike, In the Beauty of the Lilies. Random House, 1997. 576 pp.