01

Annie Dillard: Pilgrim at Tinker Creek  

I found this book a fascinating look at the interaction of human and the rest of nature. Very poetic writing.

02

Anne Lamott: Bird By Bird

I'm at big fan of this author, but this particular book has more recently become a favorite as I launch into the adventure of being a full-time writer and author. It's very funny and self-effacing, and a good reminder to take ourselves seriously enough as creatives--but not TOO seriously.

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03

Oswald Chambers: My Utmost for His Highest

Of all the devotional books available out there, this is still for me the most compelling, thought-provoking, challenging and inspiring. Although written long ago, I feel that Oswald gets me and helps me keep growing in my walk with God.

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04

Eric Metaxas: Amazing Grace

Eric is exceedingly thorough in his research of William Wilberforce, the Member of Parliament who almost single-handedly kept the atrocity of the African slave trade in the public conversation until it was finally abolished. This book helps me to be hopeful that with perseverance, ordinary people can seek justice and accomplish extraordinary things.

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05

A.W. Tozer: The Knowledge of the Holy

This is a beautifully, reverently written volume that attempts to describe the indescribable--the attributes of God. There are few books that have been as transformative in my growth as a disciple and my understanding of God's character. 

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06

Jeffrey Kottler: On Being a Therapist

When I discovered this book during my counselor training years ago, it was a game changer. What Anne Lamott does to normalize the dramas of being a writer, Kottler does in the realm of being a therapist. He tells the truth about the joys, risks, and dangers inherent in the helping professions. A must for therapists old and new.

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07

Ken Follett: The Pillars of the Earth

This is a rich historical fiction about a cathedral builder in the 11th century. Follett stirs the imagination to envision the daily life, medieval culture, and corrupted church hierarchy of that era. Brilliant!

08

John Grisham: A Painted House

I'm not sure what inspired Grisham to write this gorgeous novel told from the perspective of a young boy growing up in a farming community. It is a major departure from his prolific writing about lawyers, and I consider it his finest work.

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09

Frank McCourt: Angela's Ashes

If you've never read this one, just trust me and read it. You won't be sorry. So poignant, and funny, and tragic.

10

Linda Strom: Set Free

This is a well-written biography of Karla Faye Tucker, the murderer whose heart was radically healed, saved and transformed while she was on death row.  Though she was ultimately executed, she used her time in prison to bless and influence many. It is a story of God's redeeming love.

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