I’m not sure any of these books were new in 2024.  Some weren’t even new to me.  But I read them each for a different reason.  Sometimes it’s helpful to hear a narrative or perspective other than your own.  Sometimes it’s a matter of getting a little diversion from the everyday stream of material that wanders through your feed, email, or whatever is circulating among your friends or colleagues.  

In addition to these books, I made another of my annual treks through the Bible through a combination of Bible Study podcasts, reading plans and a men’s Bible study group sponsored by my home church.  

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder – David Grann

Last year I burned through several of Patrick O’Brian’s historical fiction novels that center around a pair of officers in the British navy during the age of sail.  I read this, expecting it to feel a bit like that.  It did in some ways but was far more a historical examination of a series of events.  It did have a lot of insight into the nature of world powers and their navies in the period.   There’s probably a sense of glamor for many, associated with the tall ships and the spirit of exploration and battle on the high seas, but reading this book can dispel you of those notions rather quickly.  I’d say this is probably a book with a niche audience, but it did quite well on the best-seller list, so that shows you what I know.  David Grann also wrote the book ‘The Killers of the Flower Moon’.  

The Warrior Poet Way: A Guide to Living Free and Dying Well – John Lovell

I’m not a big fan of John Lovell’s political rants.  I don’t often listen to his podcasts.  But this book has some interesting philosophical points and observations.  Lovell is a former Army Ranger, Christian missionary and self-described patriot.  If you’re of a conservative bent and appreciate that sort of take on life, this is a good read.  There are some pretty high ideals here as well, many of which I can get on-board with.  If you’re a liberal/progressive type with a passion for your own truth, this book is probably just going to be irritating as it’s laced with a lot of what many people consider outdated notions about life, honor and self-motivation.  This book flies in the face of post-modern ‘woke’ culture where masculinity is vilified and traditional values are being cancelled.  I guess that’s why I liked it. 

What Happens Next – Max Lucado

Max Lucado, a noted Christian pastor, speaker and author examines end times in the context of our contemporary day and age.  Definitely an interesting read.  If you’re not particularly interested in End Times, this probably isn’t your jam, but if you’re a Christian and you struggle with perspective when it comes to Revelations and other end-times prophecy, this is worth checking out.  I listen to Max’s podcast pretty much every week (super encouraging) and this was his latest book.  I think you have to be a bit of a Bible nerd to enjoy this book or at least someone with a deep curiosity about biblical prophecy.  (I’m more the former than the latter) Thankfully Max steers clear of predicting the end of the world, or attributing particular current events as definitive signs of ‘The End’.  

Extreme Ownership – Jocko Willink & Leif Babin

This was assigned reading from our regional director.  It was way better than I expected.  Great perspective on life and business framed in the context of lessons learned leading Navy SEAL teams in battle.  But also lessons drawn from the authors’ post-service career as consultants in business and industry.  So thankfully It’s not just war stories (though there are more than a few of those).  It’s an examination of how people are motivated, personality dynamics and problem solving.  If you approach this book with an open mind you might just learn something.  

Moving Mountains – John Eldredge

I’m a pretty big fan of author and Christian therapist John Eldredge.  I have been for many years.  This is not a new book.   I started to read it years ago, but put it down for one reason or another.   This is an examination of prayer and discipleship.  At times it starts to seem a bit preachy and formulaic, but there’s some real insight here.  As Christians (meaning daily followers of Jesus) we can’t just see prayer as the last-resort visit to the holy vending machine of blessings.  This year my wife was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and has been battling it ever since. When I came across this book while sorting some things in my office in preparation for some remodeling, I picked it up again.  I believe God works miracles.  I’m praying for one.  But it’s so much more than that.  I learned a lot reading this book.  Our approach to prayer informs a lot about the state of our heart.  Mine is improved after reading this book.    

Captivating – John and Stasi Eldridge

By the time we get to the end of this list you’ll probably notice a trend.  Many of these books have Christian authors and spiritual themes.  I’ve read this book before and re-read it as an audio book with my wife.  There’s a lot that resonates here with both of us and I feel like it’s one of those books every married or engaged couple should read together.  It speaks deeply into the heart of a woman and femininity in the Christian context.  But it also enlightens how this understanding of femininity informs men in committed, intimate relationships.  We bring a lot into relationships and not all of it is good.  We need an abundance of grace and understanding to make it work.  This book helps a lot with perspective in that way.  

1984 – George Orwell

I read part of this many years ago but read it in its entirety this year as our contemporary times (2020-2024) feel a little dystopian.  It was worth revisiting this classic.  There are some disturbingly prescient ideas here. Or perhaps it’s the fact that human nature makes the future somewhat predictable. There are a lot of references to this novel in our current day and age, so it’s worth the read if you haven’t read it before, or haven’t in a long time.  It’s also a valuable piece of perspective on where we genuinely are.  There are many dysfunctional institutions in society and culture today, but even in 2024, we haven’t quite made it to 1984.  

Brave New World – Aldous Huxley

This was the second book in my dystopian fiction thread.  Different from 1984, introducing heavy themes of genetic manipulation and reproductive control, a rigid caste system that operates world-wide, and the concept of ‘Sleep-Learning’ which would seem potentially good at first, but in this context is a critical tool to what amounts to widespread institutional mind control.  Again some concepts seem disturbingly prescient to current times. It is definitely a classic worth the read.  Much like 1984, it feels sometimes like our world is headed this way, but we’re definitely not there yet.    

The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer to the Heart of God – John Eldredge & Brent Curtis

Written by John and the late Brent Curtis, this book was actually the first in a long line of books John Eldredge would write (and continues to write) and foundational to the Wild at Heart ministry.  Despite the title this book has nothing (or at least very little) to do with romance in the classic human relationship sense, but rather the pursuit of the human soul by the God who created it.  At first I found it disorienting to see God described in romantic terms, but there are legitimate parallels and the authors illustrate this using many examples from the Bible.  Unless you have some pre-exposure to the concepts of Christianity this book probably won’t make much sense, but I found it well worth the read in framing a perspective on the relationship between Christians and their creator.  .  

Thunderstruck – Erik Larson

Not a fan of all of his ideas and books, but I read The Devil in the White City and Deadly Passage and found them good reads, so I rolled the dice on this one.  Already a bestseller by the time I got to it, this book follows the story of Guglielmo Marconi, who popularized (commercialized) wireless communication, notably his designing and constructing early wireless equipment and facilities and transmitting and receiving morse code across the Atlantic Ocean using then-nascent radio technology.  Though it was quite primitive by today’s standards it paved the way to radio communication as we enjoy it in its many forms now.  Marconi is portrayed as an obsessive, ambitious and brash inventor/engineer in an era of staid academic and scientific thinking.  And to do what he did, he kind of had to be. There are some intriguing insights into the state of science, academia, culture and business, and the messy places they intersect.   Being a tech nerd, a fan of history and an amateur radio operator I found this a good read.  

2023 Reading List (with abridged descriptions) 

Solve for Happy: Engineer Your Path to Joy – Mo Gawdat

A treatise for building a happy life by a silicon valley executive. Good insights here on the human spirit and practices for perspective.

The Everlasting Man – GK Chesterton

Classic theology from a long way back.  Not easy to read.  I like Lewis way better.   

Darker Than Amber (A Travis McGee Novel) – John D. McDonald

Classic crime fiction.  Very easy to read.  I could get hooked on these. 

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos – Jordan B. Peterson

A bit like taking bitter medicine at first, but medicine I needed. (Recommended by my Therapist)

Price of Duty – Dale Brown

In the 1980s I got hooked on Tom Clancy.  It was the Cold War, I was in the military.  I don’t like Dale Brown as much as I did Tom Clancy, but it feels similar.  

The Fortune of War – Patrick O’Brian

If Tom Clancy wrote about naval sailing ships in the 1800s he would have been Patrick O’Brian.  I really got into these stories. I started reading Patrick O’Brian after seeing the movie ‘Master and Commander’. I suggest you read these with a brass compass on your desk.  

Desolation Island – Patrick O’Brian

The Mauritius Command – Patrick O’Brian

A River Runs Through It – Norman MacLean

In my other reading, I’ve heard references to this book so I decided to read it.  If you don’t own a fly rod when you pick his book up, you’ll want one before you put it down.  If you don’t fish at all, maybe just leave this one.

Collective Illusions – Todd Rose

An intriguing look at cultural trends and the effect of social media.  If you’re not a bit of a nerd, it may put you to sleep.  I used it to keep me awake on long drives.