The Cornwall List of Best Reads for 2019

Every year I put together a Best Books List from the books I read during the year. The caveat is they have to be published during that year. Some years I pick a Book of the Year. In other years, I can’t pick just one book. So, I simply share a list of those books I especially liked, with links to the reviews I’ve written. So, here are seventeen books that I think are worth reading. There could be others added to the list that I didn’t get to, but this is a good list. I will confess that unfortunately, the authors on this list are very white and male. That doesn't mean these books aren't worthy of reading. It simply is a reminder that I need to read more broadly. As you can see, my reading habits are very much focused on religion, and this is especially true this year (at least in terms of new books. I read much more broadly in earlier books for my sabbatical). Regarding this list of books, I have tried to break them down into a couple of categories. They are listed alphabetically by author, so there is no ranking here. There is just good stuff to read! If you click on the link, you will go to the appropriate review.

Bible and Theology

Carter, Warren. Mark: A Wisdom Commentary, (Liturgical Press, 2019).

Hammer, Reuven. A Year with the Sages: Wisdom on the Weekly Torah Portion. (Jewish Publication Society, 2019).

Oord, Thomas Jay. God Can’t: How to Believe in God and Love after Tragedy, Abuse, and Other Evils, (SacraSage Press, 2019).

Volf, Miroslav. For the Life of the World: Theology That Makes a Difference (Theology for the Life of the World), (Brazos Press, 2019).

Biography/Memoir

Artman, Amy Collier. The Miracle Lady: Kathryn Kuhlman and the Transformation of Charismatic Christianity (Library of Religious Biography). (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2019).

Beck, Richard. Trains, Jesus, andMurder: The Gospel According to Johnny Cash, (Fortress Press, 2019).

Pahl, Jon. Fethullah Gülen: A Life of Hizmet, (Blue Dome Press, 2019).

Sehested, Nancy Hastings. Marked for Life: A Prison Chaplain’s Story, (Orbis Books, 2019)

Smith, James K. A. On the Road with Saint Augustine: A Real World Spirituality for Restless Hearts, (Brazos Press, 2019)

Woolverton, John. A Christian and a Democrat: A Religious Biography of Franklin D. Roosevelt (Library of Religious Biography), (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2019)

Church and Ministry

Brueggemann, Walter. A Glad Obedience: Why and What We Sing, (Westminster John Knox Press, 2019).

Fitch, David E. The Church of Us vs. Them: Freedom from a Faith that Feeds on Making Enemies, (Brazos Press, 2019).

Smith, C. Christopher. How the Body of Christ Talks: Recovering the Practice of Conversation in the Church. (Brazos Press, 2019).

Gorrell, Angela Williams. Always On: Practicing Faith in a New Media Landscape, (Baker Academic, 2019).

Culture and Public Life

Bowler, Kate. The Preacher’s Wife: The Precarious Power of Evangelical Women Celebrities, (Princeton University Press, 2019).

Lyons, Brad and Bruce Barkhauer. America’s Holy Ground: 61 Faithful Reflections on Our National Parks, (Chalice Press, 2019).

Rogers, Melissa. Faith in American Public Life, (Baylor University Press, 2019).