Buzzard's Best Books of 2019

Many pages stimulated my mind and heart in 2019. As always, my list is not restricted to books published in 2019, this is an account of the books I read in 2019 that I enjoyed and benefited from the most. When it comes to reading I chase my curiosity, I aim to read in many different fields—so this is an eclectic list. See the bottom of this post for links to past year’s lists, which will take you to well over a decade of book recommendations.The Choice: Embrace the Possible, A Memoir by Dr. Edith Eva Eger. Gold! I couldn't put this book down. Deep, penetrating, unforgettable. Dr. Edith's story will stay with me forever. I read Victor Frankl in college, but now this... a harrowing, redemptive story and suffering-tried wisdom on the power of our choices.The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life, by David Brooks. You've got to read this book. I'm not sure what the book is—part philosophy, part social commentary, part memoir, part history, part slow burn gospel presentation. I'd love it if everyone in my church, and everyone in America, had a book group for deeply discussing this book.Big Mistakes: The Best Investors and Their Worst Investments, by Michael Batnick. Batnick has written a unique book about investing wisdom, teaching investing through looking at failure stories. If you're into investing, I bet you'll love this book.Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. There was a lot of hype around this book a few years ago, so I avoided it. But my friend Nick kept telling me how much this book enhanced his leadership and Nick always steers me right, so I finally read the book this summer and saw why the hype is real. The simple, but transformative argument of the book is found in its title—the healthiest teams are led by leaders who take extreme ownership for all that their team is responsible for. A lifetime of potential growth sits within this principle.How to Design and Build Your Own House, by Lupe DiDonno and Phyllis Sperling. As I became a home owner this year I've grown interested in how homes are designed and built. I stumbled across this old book at an Airbnb I stayed at, and found it so fascinating I bought the book. I can't believe how much useful information is packed into this volume.The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories, by Christopher Booker. I haven't finished, and may never finish, this 700+ page book. Both riveting and intimidating, The Seven Basic Plots is helping me appreciate the power of story in new ways. Booker's thesis, that every story fits into one of seven basic plot frameworks, is revelatory and causes you to look stories (movies, books, relationships, etc.) with deeper appreciation.Tell Me A Story: The Life-Shaping Power of our Stories, by Daniel Taylor. This book appeared on one of my lists, I think, over a decade ago. I re-read it this year after diving into The Seven Basic Plots, and gleaned more wisdom from it the second time through. My book on story, The Big Story, carries influence from Taylor's work...on the need to see ourselves as a character in a much bigger story. If you had to pick one book to start with on the power of story, I'd start with Tell Me A Story, and save Booker's 700 pages for later.The Vulnerable Pastor: How Human Limitations Empower Our Ministry, by Mandy Smith. Mandy Smith's book is a refreshing call for pastors to be human, which I need to be reminded of weekly. As a complementarian I certainly have a core disagreement with Mrs. Smith, but I sure enjoyed learning from her and I'm thankful for her voice.God and Soul Care: The Therapeutic Resources of the Christian Faith, by Eric L. Johnson. This is another huge book, not quite the size of The Seven Basic Plots, but pretty close. I picked it up because mentors/teachers of mine, Rich Plass and Jim Cofield (see their book, The Relational Soul, on one of my past year's lists) were shaped by the work of Eric Johnson. This is a book to read slowly (which I didn't do, and should've done), read a chapter a week and let it's rich content sink into your soul as you learn more about how "human beings flourish best the more his [God's] glory becomes genuinely their highest motive and end" (p. 19). This book is layered with wisdom, it's one I'll refer to for years.What You Do Is Who You Are: How to Create Your Business Culture, by Ben Horowitz. I finish 97% of the books I start, but out of disinterest I couldn't finish Horowitz' first book, The Hard Thing About Hard Things. His second book is a different story, I devoured it in two days. If you care about shaping the culture of your family, your friendships, your business, your whatever... read this book and think through it's thesis of how culture is shaped (hint: the thesis is the title).The Critical Few: Energize Your Company's Culture by Choosing What Really Matters, by John R. Katzenbach. This is also a good book on culture-shaping. Katzenbach's thesis is similar to Horowitz's, that culture is shaped by actions. Katzenbach's argument is to choose a critical few actions/habits for shaping your company's culture and to focus all your energy on those critical few habits. This book is more research driven/analytical, Horowitz' book is more story driven and backed up with key historical examples/narratives and lots of personal passion.Syrup, by Maxx Barry. A fun (though often crass) novel about marketing. It's strange that a novel about marketing would be engrossing, but it was.The Wolf Cub: The Great Adventure of Count Gaston de Raousset-Boulbon in California, by Maurice Soulie. I often peruse the California history section of my local used bookstore, where I found this tragic historic adventure tale translated from the original French (originally authored in the 1850s). If you're interested in the history of California and the countless pioneers who sought adventure here, you might like this rare find.Waking the Dead: The Secret to a Heart Fully Alive, by John Eldredge. Twenty year's ago Eldredge's Wild at Heart spoke to me, and now his writing still strikes a chord with me. Originally written in 2003 (I wasn't familiar with the title until this year), this 2016 updated edition presents what I think Eldredge is best at—calling people (especially men) to living fully alive; loving God, loving people, and enjoying the adventure of life with a full heart. This prayer from the book has stayed with me: "Jesus, I want my whole heart back." If you've lived some life, if you're 35 or older, you may need that prayer.Have More Fun: How to Be Remarkable, Stop Feeling Stuck, and Start Enjoying Life, by Mandy Arioto. This book is written for women. I'd never heard of the author or the book, but I spotted it at a local bookstore and bought it because I loved the title. I love fun and I want to have (and spread) more fun, but I'm also hyper-responsible and that can crowd out fun. This fast read was a fun read, and I've already passed my copy on to others. I can genuinely say the book has played a role in helping me have more fun.The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence. This is one of those books lots of people talk about, but most people have actually never read. I debated whether to put this on my list. On the one hand this "classic" carries a simple and transformative message: develop a life-changing habit of being awake to God's presence. On the other hand, this isn't really a book, but a rather jumbled collection of letters that sometimes present theologically dubious counsel, such as advice to not see a doctor for a painful physical ailment and instead abandon oneself entirely to God. My two-cents: this classic is overrated.Click here to read Buzzard's Best Books of 2018, and to get links to all my past year’s lists. [mc4wp_form id="9268”]