A Circle of Quiet, by Madeleine L’Engle
I love anything by L’Engle, but this is my favorite. Though best-known for her children’s fiction book, A Wrinkle In Time, I most enjoy L’Engle’s non-fiction reflections on life.
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard
The Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece about the glory and horror of the natural world. Among the most beautifully written books I’ve read.
Disappointment with God, by Philip Yancey
My favorite of Yancey’s books; a thorough and excellent resource for people struggling to maintain faith through painful disappointment.
A Severe Mercy, by Sheldon Vanauken
Winner of the National Book Award and the Gold Medallion Award. An excellent memoir of a marriage, a journey toward faith, and a friendship with C.S. Lewis.
The Great Divorce, by C.S. Lewis
Lewis takes a stab at imagining heaven and hell. I don’t know if he got them right, but his attempt is one of his best books.
Don’t Waste Your life, by John Piper
Though he has said the same thing in many earlier books, Piper has never been so clear, concise, and poignant as he is here. This book made me want to live well.
The Canon of Scripture, by F. F. Bruce
Dry as dirt. And fascinating. Best book I know on how the Bible came to be.
The Shaping of Things to Come, by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch
Regardless what you think of their conclusions, Frost and Hirsch offer some challenging thoughts on how the church must change.
The Revenge of the Incredible Dr. Rancid and His Youthful Assistant Jeffrey, by Ellen Conford
A children’s book I read in elementary school, and the reason I fell in love with books. It’s out of print, so look for a used copy on Amazon.
Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness, by William Styron
A brief—you can read it in a day—but harrowing account of one man’s near-fatal bout with depression. A National Bestseller.
An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness, by Kay Redfield Jamison
I never understood Manic-Depression, or Bipolar Disorder as it is now called, until reading this personal account. For anyone who doubts mental illness is truly an illness.
The New Freedom of Forgiveness, by David Augsburger
This is a revised edition of the book I read, so I can’t speak for any new material. Assuming it’s as good as the old, this is a terrific book. Helped me forgive when I was justifiably angry.