Good Reads

Do you love to read? I do. I’m not a fast reader, but when I get into it, I really do love a good book. I have spoiled myself with Audible books for the busy days when I don’t have the time to sit and hold a paperback (or Kindle) in my hands but do have a hundred errands to run and a meal to cook.

This list is what I read in 2020, some with my eyes and some with my ears. I’ve included a short thought on each one. Some have longer reviews on my Goodreads account. By the way, I earn nothing from you clicking on these links because I have no idea how to do that clever thing bloggers do where they earn a percentage if you purchase off their links. I just added links because it seemed like the thing to do and then I just kept adding links for all the books because once I started, it seemed weird or somehow rude to quit.

Bible in ESV – For several years now, I’ve read the Bible through in a year. In 2020, I chose the English Standard Version.

From Understanding Poverty to Developing Human Capacity, by Ruby K. Payne. This was a good one, but my favorite book by this author is A Framework for Understanding Poverty. 

Rejection Proof, by Jia Jiang. This is a great book about a fun project. Makes me want to try it…almost.

The Sharp End of Life: A Mother’s Story, by Dierdre Wolownick. I’ve learned to enjoy bouldering and appreciate rock climbing (though I’ve yet to do that). This is the memoir of the mother of Alex Honnold who is best known for his free solo ascents.

You Can Thrive, Solo Mama: Caring for Your Home and Children with Joy While Your Husband is Away, by Tricia Blackford and Suzanne Mae. A great and practical book written by my friends! If you are a mother of young children and your husband travels a lot, get yourself a copy of this book.

Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret, by Dr. & Mrs. Howard Taylor Classic. Loved it. Of course.

Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America, by Firoozeh Dumas. Funny and insightful. I’m actually reading the second one now: Laughing Without an Accent.

Song of the Nightingale: One Woman’s Dramatic Story of Faith and Persecution in Eritrea, by Helen Berhane. This book was special to me because I used to live in Eritrea.

The Meaning of Marriage, by Timothy Keller. One of my favorite books on marriage.

The Pages of Her Life, by James L. Rubart. I have enjoyed listening to this author many times on the podcast called Novel Marketing. But his writing wasn’t my favorite. It’s the only fiction book I completed in 2020. Maybe I’m just not that into fiction (although I wrote and published three “fiction” books…go figure). 

How the Spirit Filled My Life, by Bertha Smith. Bertha Smith, y’all. I’ve learned a lot from her. 

Prayer, by Timothy Keller. Need I say more here than the title and author? Go buy it.

To the Ends of the Earth: And What Happened on the Way There, by Malcolm I. Hunter.  I was interested in this book because we met the author when he came to our house during our time in Eritrea. Good book with lots of stories.

Save the Cat! Strikes Back, by Blake Snyder. For writer nerds like me. It’s about film writing but most can be “translated” to writing fiction. I thought it was just as good as Save the Cat! Writes a Novel. Which is really good.

The Craft of Research, by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams. I read this for my seminary class. I definitely went back and finished the last few chapters in December, days before New Year’s, so that I could count it in my 2020 reading list on Goodreads, because I’m a list nerd like that.

The Old Testament: A Historical, Theological, and Critical Introduction by Richard S. Hess. Yes, I did indeed READ AN ENTIRE TEXTBOOK for the first time in my life. It was for two seminary classes. Is it weird to admit I was excited to document on Goodreads that I actually did in fact read this 801 page book? 

As I look over my list, I see that I mostly like to read nonfiction and memoirs.

What About You?

What good book have you read lately?

What’s your favorite genre?