Top Books Of 2023

I’d like to finish the year out by sharing the six best books I read this year, and some recommendations from my family as well. These are not books that came out this year—some of them are old, but I read them this year and enjoyed them. You might, too.

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The Air We Breathe by Glen Scrivener
Where do our modern values like freedom, kindness, progress, and equality actually come from? We may assume them and take them for granted, but Scrivener shows that the value structures of the western world used to be very different. What caused the change? Christianity. This was a reread for me, which is rare. It’s just that good. It’s an easy read, and so important. I wish everyone would read this.

Digital Liturgies by Samuel James
We live in an internet-saturated world, so this book is necessary. In it, James explores how the internet reshapes not only the content we consume but even the way our minds process information and how we view and think about the world around us. It’s a real eye-opener, and manages to stay positive and hopeful in spite of raising a number of serious issues. If you want to navigate the digital age thoughtfully, this is the book you need.

Death On The Nile by Agatha Christie
It’s a classic for a reason. The master of mysteries does not disappoint. My only question is why did it take me so long to get around to reading it?

The Rise And Fall Of Christian Ireland by Crawford Gribben
I really enjoyed how Gribben traces the history of Christianity in Ireland through hundreds of years, complex changes, political intrigues, and social upheaval. The story of Christianity in Ireland is fascinating, and there’s much we can learn from it.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Juster Norton
My children read this and told me I had to read it as well, so I did. They were right. It is fun, lighthearted, and witty, and yet manages to make lots of profound points along the way. One warning for any of you who are not dads: this book is chock-full of puns. I loved it.

Spy The Lie by Philip Houston, Michael Floyd, and Susan Carnicero
I picked this book up on a whim in a tourist shop in DC last summer because it looked interesting. I didn’t regret it. The three authors are all former CIA officers. They share fascinating insights into the system they developed to identify lies, and show how to implement the system in ordinary life. In our world, that’s a good skill to have.

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My wife Jessica reads much more than I do, mostly because she reads about three times as fast. I asked her to share a few of her 2023 favourites with you as well. She gave these three:

Atomic Habits by James Clear
A fascinating book about the science of forming and keeping new tiny habits that can lead to significant life change. It works, too!

Into His Presence by Tim Chester
This is a beautiful collection of prayers and meditations from the puritans. It is deep and rich, meant to be read slowly and thoughtfully. It is one that can be read over and over again.

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
It’s satire, its social commentary, its epistolary novel, and it’s a classic for a reason. It’s both insightful and entertaining.

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Our children are great readers as well, so I asked them to recommend a few. Daniel and David are 16 and 14, and these are their favourite reads from 2023:

The Faithful Spy by John Hendrix
This is a graphic novel (with plenty of text) that shares the real-life adventures of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor and author during WWII who participated in a plot to assassinate Hitler.

Everything Sad Is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri
Nayeri’s story of growing up in Iran, having to leave because of religious persecution, becoming a refugee and finally settling in America is full of twists and turns. His Persian-style story-telling is gripping, as is the story he tells.

Our daughter Rebekah is 11, and a passionate fan of fantasy fiction. This is a series—actually two series—that she’s been reading and re-reading this year:

The Green Ember Series & Green Ember Archer Series by S.D. Smith
Rabbits with swords. Need I say more?

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If you’re like our family, who likes to make a queue of interesting books ready for the reading, you may want to check out some of these for yourself. We’d love to hear your recommendations of books you’ve enjoyed lately as well!