Reading · A Hopeful Diversion

Having just completed this year’s Goodreads challenge of 52 books, now is a fitting time to share my favorites for the year (plus a substantial list of honorable mentions). My general goal has been to balance reading history and devotional / theological works with a few more biographies and a blend of (mostly modern) literary fiction, plus a few of professional interest. Having read many works that were very good, but few that reached the level of all-time favorites, it was hard to come up with a list of my top 10. But here they are, sorted alphabetically by author:

On the Incarnation by Athanasius - A foundational Christian theological text that has stood the test of time. Highly digestible and well worth a follow-up read in 2026 or beyond.

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger - There’s something gentle and soul-searching about Enger’s eminently readable prose. After reading a couple of his more recent works, this debut novel was hard to put down.

School Choice: A Legacy to Keep by Virginia Walden Ford - In tribute to someone I highly admire within the world of school choice, Miss Virginia’s story, simply told, remains powerful and inspirational.

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann - I was a little late coming to this one. If you’ve seen the movie, this eye-opening tale about a 1920s murder spree of prosperous Osage natives in Oklahoma is extremely compelling.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - Letting two decades pass to catch up with best-sellers allows time for the cream to rise. A poignant Afghan-American story that reads like a gripping, real-life, first-person account.

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson - He’s a popular nonfiction writer for excellent reasons. Larson brings the historically doomed ocean liner’s tragic tale to life across multiple dimensions.

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard - Inspiring the TV series Death by Lightning, the story of a forgotten president and his crazed assassin (and more) exceeds the screen version.

Churchill: Walking with Destiny by Andrew Roberts - A hefty read, but a well-rounded and compelling portrait of one of the modern world’s most consequential figures, whose heroic finest hour should never be forgotten.

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson - Nearly capturing the spirit of Wendell Berry, the first of an eponymous series on a fictional Iowa town, this one through the eyes of an aging preacher. Better than the two sequels I read.

The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God by Dallas Willard - A generation old but packed with fresh, deep, and practical insights on Christ’s Sermon on the Mount from a genuinely God-fearing spiritual giant.

Honorable Mention:

Arthur Brooks, Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America

Frederick Buechner, Godric

Allen Guelzo, Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President

John Irving, A Prayer for Owen Meany

Candice Millard, The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey

Cal Newport, Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

Steven Pressfield, The Lion’s Gate: On the Front Lines of the Six-Day War

Arthur Ransome, Swallows and Amazons

Vaughan Roberts, God’s Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible

F. Howard Taylor, Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret

Barbara Tuchman, The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam