Books I Read In 2021
I like to read, and I also like to keep track of things, so I will file a list of books that I read in 2021 in this blog post. But, to make it more interesting, I’ll share some of my favorite quotes from a few of the books!
“The Spirit of God has made us into precious gems who can endure the pressures of life. Beautiful but strong. If our call is to be salt in the world, then we must be honest about the sanctified and the scandalous. ”
“Freedom’s trials can shatter our optimism, making us want to turn back to what was secure and familiar.”
“God has a different plan for each of us. My prayer is that you would be faithful to yours. It is a tragedy to live someone else’s life.”
“A teacher presupposes that the pupil is ignorant. A disciplinarian presupposes that the other person is corrupted. But the lover, who builds up, has only one mode of progression — to presuppose love… A man might be tempted to be a builder, a teacher, or a disciplinarian because these seem to be ways to rule over others, but to build up as love does cannot tempt one, for this seems only to be a servant.”
“God is a storyteller, and we are his children whose souls long for a continuous diet of stories. Through prayer, God sows a story of his work in our own life, and we are mere participants. ”
My favorite three books of the year were: ‘He Saw That It Was Good’ by Sho Baraka, ‘Leaving Egypt’ by Chuck DeGroat, and ‘Emotionally Healthy Spirituality’ by Pete Scazzero. These three books summed up my year pretty well thematically, and they each served a sacred role in walking me through some hard times as I was reading them. I would recommend these to anybody.
Last year, I fell in love with Henri Nouwen’s writing, so you’ll find a couple of his books on my list — as well as Thomas Merton and Kathleen Norris (people Henri frequently quotes).
When I traveled to DC with Matt for a work event, I got to meet a number of his coworkers, as well as people who have contributed to Comment Magazine. A name that continually came up in various conversations was Søren Kierkegaard. I realized that I was completely unfamiliar with his work, but figured since he is such a prominent figure and his thinking is still influential today, that I should read something by him. It took me awhile to get through his book, ‘Works of Love’, but ultimately, I think he was the author who I quoted the most in conversation this year. Plus, I always loved going out of my way to find that “ø” when writing his name — it makes me feel so dignified and intellectual.
The book on my list that is the furthest outside my normal reading fare is ‘The Actor’s Life’ by Jenna Fischer (aka Pam Beasley). I think at the time, I wanted to listen to an audiobook, and that was available through the library, so I decided to give it a shot. (Incidentally, this is the only book that I consumed as an audiobook this year). This book was a lot of fun! Matt and I have been re-watching The Office here and there, and I am able to offer up all sorts of interesting behind-the-scenes facts and tidbits of information. Plus, Jenna recorded the audiobook herself, so I not only know a lot about her life, but I heard it come from her mouth, so my brain believes that we are close personal friends.
My 2021 Reading List:
And with no further adieu, here is my complete (I think??? but I feel like I’m missing some…?) reading list from 2021, generally in order from favorite to least favorite:
He Saw That It Was Good, by Sho Baraka
Leaving Egypt, by Chuck DeGroat
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, by Pete Scazzero
Works of Love, by Søren Kierkegaard
Spiritual Formation, by Henri Nouwen
Jesus and John Wayne, by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
Ragged, by Gretchen Ronnevik
The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig
Spiritual Direction, by Henri Nouwen
The Actor’s Life, by Jenna Fischer
When Narcissism Comes to Church, by Chuck DeGroat
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, by Lori Gottlieb
Forgiving What You Can’t Forget, by Lisa TerKeurst
How to Survive a Shipwreck, by Jonathan Martin
The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van Der Kolk
Acedia & Me, by Kathleen Norris
The Great Belonging, by Charlotte Donlon
Contemplative Prayer, by Thomas Merton
Incarnation, by Adam Hamilton
Group, by Christie Tate
Healing Spiritual Wounds, by Carol Howard Merritt
Have you read any of these books? Do you have any suggested reads for me! Feel free to reach out and chat!