Tag: books of 2021

Books of 2022: Six endorsements for wonderful Christian books and six general-market recommendations. (Here are the round-ups from past years.)

I’ve read about 35 books this year, which is down by about 15 or 20 in a usual year. Two reasons for that – one is that after 16 years of running the Woman Alive Book club, I relinquished it to Claire Musters. Although I love reading widely, I realized that I needed to hand over the beloved book club to another host to guide it through the late teenaged years and beyond. My work as a writer, retreat leader, and spiritual director means that my focus is on areas of spiritual formation.

The second reason is that I’ve written two books this year (coming your way in 2023), and all of that writing has meant less time for reading. Something I aim to rectify next year!

I love reading fiction, and so I give you reviews of five novels that I loved. I’m not including my reviews that included lines such as these:

A sweet story if utterly predictable.

A light read that I picked up on a giveaway table at a supermarket.

6 Books I Endorsed

Christmas Changes Everything by Elisa Morgan

How can we, like the characters in the original nativity story, be changed by Christmas? With heart-warming and sometimes challenging stories, Elisa Morgan invites us to enter into the wonder of Christmas. We too can accept, yield, believe, wait, and rejoice—and be forever changed by our loving God. Don’t miss God’s life-changing invitation!

Brightest and Best: 31 Advent Devotions on Jesus by Philippa Wilson

Interweaving the wisdom and grace of her aptly termed Carolsville with the wonderous story of Jesus, Philippa Wilson in Brightest and Best sparks longing and love within us during the Advent and Christmas seasons. She welcomes us to share her deep love of the ‘little Lord Jesus’ – a mind-bending notion of the God who became Man. I commend it with joy.

God Isn’t Finished with You Yet by Catherine Campbell

Catherine opens up the world of the Bible in glorious shades and images as she brings alive the stories of six people. With grace and truth she shows how God didn’t give up on them – and how he doesn’t give up on us. I especially appreciate how she reaches our hearts through the narrative and our minds with her teaching. Read, ponder and savour this delightful, trustworthy and powerful book. You won’t regret it. 

Streams in the Wasteland by Andrew Arndt

Andrew Arndt has made friends with the desert fathers and mothers, and he invites us to enjoy their friendship too. His winsome book reveals how their wisdom sheds light on the problems we face today. One to read, underline, ponder, and share.

Images of Grace by Amy Scott Robinson

A masterpiece in metaphor. In Images of Grace Amy opens the door for us to understand abstract concepts in concrete ways, ushering us into the presence of God. With engaging anecdotes and a winsome exploration of the biblical stories, she proves a helpful guide to not only sin and atonement but forgiveness and restoration. A book to return to again and again during Lent – I highly recommend it.

Prayer Starters by Suzie Eller

Struggling to find the words to chat with God? Suzie Eller’s Prayer Starters will give you ideas for ways to start up—and continue—this most life-affirming conversation. I especially appreciate the mini Bible studies. Enjoy!

6 General-Market Recommendations

I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O’Farrell

Utterly compelling memoir with the theme of near-life experiences. What, 17 of them? Hard to start reading a new chapter knowing her life would be threatened, even if I knew ultimately that she’d be all right – after all, she is alive. The last chapter on her daughter’s allergies was almost too much for me to read, as it chimed with me as an allergy parent. (But our kids’ experience isn’t anywhere on the level of hers.)

As always, her writing is exquisite. It gave me an insight into one of the characters in the book I read just before this one, Instructions for a Heatwave. As she detailed her experience of recovering from encephalitis, I thought of Aoife and how her extreme dyslexia meant she couldn’t read –and how she covered over her challenges in daily life.

One I might well read again.

Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell

I loved this snapshot of life in Britain in 1976 during the heat wave – which was the heat wave to end all heat waves until we lived through the summer of 2022 (and following?). I read this book in a couple of sittings during the stifling heat, and her descriptions of the stultifying air were so apt. 

The Riordan family is so compelling in each of the characters, although the father remains largely a mystery up to the end. I liked the varying first-person view throughout, and thought the novel ended on a hopeful note. 

Simply wonderful.

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler

A poignant look at a family abandoned by the husband/father and the lifelong effect on the relationships. Pearl, the mother, clearly isn’t an easy person to live with, and her three children each express their coping mechanisms in different ways. I found the way Cody, the eldest, treated his brother Ezra, sad and painful.

The title refers to the restaurant that Ezra runs, and his attempts to foster the family relations through enjoying a meal together – which always seem to end in some kind of argument.

A moving look at family life in all its messiness.

The Maid by Nita Prose

I really enjoyed this one. Celebrates a neurodivergent protagonist in a life-affirming way. Molly the maid lives to bring the rooms in the Regency Grand Hotel back to perfection. And she’s the maid who finds Mr Black “dead in his bed.” What follows is a delightful if at times heart-rending search for why he died, along with flashbacks from her past that shine a light on who she is today.

At times I could hardly bear to listen more, as I wanted to shield her from nefarious characters whom she trusted. In the end, a very satisfying story.

A friend called this Eleanor Oliphant meets Agatha Christie, and that’s not a bad summary.

Away with the Penguins by Hazel Prior

What a wonderful book. I’m glad more fiction features octogenarian protagonists. In her eighties, Veronica lives on the west coast of Scotland and one day her cleaner/helper unearths a locked box. With it Veronica descends into a lifetime of memories, which spur her into a journey of discovery – including a trip to Antarctica to visit the penguins.

I loved this story, with its themes of family, buried history, social class, poverty and wealth, climate change, and conservation. I did figure out a plotline before the ending, but it came about differently than I anticipated (but that’s only a minor quibble). Delightful and thought-provoking.

(I listened to it on Audible. The main narrator did a good job, but the female supporting narrator was a bit stilted at times, and it felt like she was reading a script.)

The Willoughby Close series by Kate Hewitt

Five books that I enjoyed. They manage to be light but deep, which doesn’t seem to make sense! I mean that in I easily got into the story, which felt like an escape to the English countryside, and each protagonist went through something deeply challenging and emotionally engaging.

Kate isn’t afraid to tackle tough issues but does so in a gracious way. Each book reveals a journey of change within the characters, which I appreciate. It’s also fun too to see characters from previous books – I like seeing their journey continued. I think that’s part of the reason why I keep buying the next book in the series.

I missed out writing about what I read in 2020, but want to join in with this yearly look back at a life in books. (Here are other years.) I read some 50 books in 2021 – down from 2020 but still a good number. I love reading and so yes, this may be more than you read – or of course less! Too often I read too fast, so I’m not saying my number is a gold star of achievement. I respect and laud those of you who read slowly and digest a work fully and thoughtfully.

I read most of my books on my e-reader, as often I’m reading works that aren’t yet published. I love a print copy when it’s a theology book that I want to underline and highlight, especially because I’m a visual learner so often can picture a passage later. That’s also why I can’t listen to many non-fiction books, because the words wash over me and leave me soon after I’ve heard them. I have experimented over the past couple of years with audio books, and find I enjoy listening to novels. In fact three of my four top reads from the general market are those I listened to.

For the highlights of the books I’ve read, I give you two books I birthed (and yes I’m proud of them!), five books I endorsed, four top picks from my monthly selections for the Woman Alive Book Club (you can find my selections from September onwards here with the full reviews), and three general-market novels I most enjoyed with one honorable mention.

2 Books I Birthed

7 Ways to Pray: Time-Tested Practices to Encounter God (NavPress/Form, 2021)

A hands-on guide for prayer – a book I wanted to write about for many years. Check it out if you haven’t already. If you have read it, could you please write a review?

Celebrating Christmas: Embracing Joy through Art and Reflections (BRF/Credo, 2021)

The lovely 25-entry book to celebrate Christmas, with my dad’s lovely artwork and my reflections. As it’s the eighth day of Christmas you still have time to read it this Christmas season! Again, if you’ve read it, could you please leave a review online?

5 Books I Endorsed

What a privilege to be asked for endorsement for some amazing books! Following are my endorsements. Just a few additional notes: I’m a huge fan of Sharon Garlough Brown – I adore all of her books. If you’re new to her, start off with Sensible Shoes and then enjoy the other three books in that series before you move onto Wren and Katharine in this series. I got to give a blurb for my lauded teacher! That was amazing. Gemma Simmonds was my tutor on Ignatius at Heythrop College where I did my MA in Christian spirituality, so I was super chuffed to read and endorse her book!

I commend each of these – enjoy!

Feathers of Hope by Sharon Garlough Brown (IVP, 2022)

A novel by Sharon Brown feels like a gift, and even more so when we reenter the lives of characters we’ve come to love. Meeting Katherine, Wren, and the others again feels like a reunion with dear friends. One where we eschew the small talk and dive right into matters of the heart for a soul-strengthening conversation. Join in with this ordinary and extraordinary community of followers of Christ where no subject is too messy and love is given and received, sometimes awkwardly but always with grace and forbearance.

Journey to Love by Matt Mikalatos (NavPress, 2021)

We all want to love and be loved. But what does that mean? Through winsome stories and heartfelt reflections, Matt Mikalatos gently probes what love looks like as he welcomes us on a life-changing journey. Don’t miss not only reading this book but putting it into practice. You’ll never be the same!

Dancing at the Still Point by Gemma Simmonds (Form, 2021)

A joyful, freeing guide to retreats with fully accessible practices to suit a range of personalities. An approachable companion, Gemma Simmonds provides all we need for an enriching time with God. I can’t wait to try it out!

They’ll Never Read That by Tony Collins (Malcolm Down Publishers, 2022)

A fascinating account of the who’s who of Christian publishing in Britain from one who has lived through the highs and lows – not only learning firsthand from the legendary Edward England but experiencing redundancy from both sides of the table. In engaging prose, Tony Collins shares a behind-the-scenes look at the making of books and magazines that shaped the lives and faith of thousands. Entertaining and informative.

The Whole Christmas Story by Jo Swinney (BRF, 2021)

During Advent we can become so mired in shopping and planning, parties and church services, that we lose our focus on why we’re dashing round. Jo Swinney’s book of Bible-based reflections provides a refreshing antidote as she helps us to step back and take a Google Earth view of the God’s grand narrative. Build in some time this year to journey with her about why Jesus was born in Bethlehem – your celebration of Christmas will be all the richer and sweeter.

4 Top Recommendations from the Woman Alive Book Club

I recommended fiction and non-fiction in the book club this year, enjoying, for instance, Patricia Raybon’s jaunt into a cozy mystery (All That Is Secret). For as much as I appreciate fiction, however, I see that my top reads include three memoirs and one spirituality book.

A Burning in my Bones by Winn Collier (WaterBrook/Authentic, 2021)

The winsome authorized biography of Eugene Peterson. An excerpt from my review:

Winn’s book isn’t hagiography; he presents Peterson’s blind spots as well as his wisdom and grace. For instance, for many years Peterson gave too much to the church to the expense of his family – his daughter once counted him being gone for 27 nights in a row. But the picture that emerges is of a man deeply committed to God and his living Word, a pastor poet who approached his work with love. I highly recommend this book.

Paul: A Biography by Tom Wright (HarperOne/SPCK, 2018)

Yes, I was a bit behind in reading this one by the renowned New Testament scholar. I loved it. Here’s an excerpt from my review:

It’s certainly not too late to read this wonderful biography; I highly recommend it. My only critique is that it’s a bit wordy at times – I wish it had been slimmed down to reduce the tangents and repetitions. That’s a small criticism though, for Paul: A Biography will help you appreciate this fascinating early pillar of the church, one who met Jesus on the road to Damascus and who was changed forever from a man who persecuted the followers of Jesus to one who proclaimed his message of good news.

Where the Light Fell by Philip Yancey (Convergent/Hodder, 2021)

A compelling and well-written account of one wounded by Christians who finds healing and belonging through our loving, saving God. Excerpt from my review:

What especially struck me was Yancey’s comment that “deconstructing a person is easier than constructing one”. Through the mentorship of a godly father figure and his years of searching for truth through his writing, he’s succeeded in putting together a robust faith in a loving God who does not reflect the angry god of his childhood. Therefore, his memoir could be especially helpful to those grappling with painful experiences of Church or Christians who have wounded them. The paths that he and his brother have taken in their lives reveal starkly contrasting ways to deal with a false picture of God.

Prayer in the Night by Tish Harrison Warren (IVP, 2021)

A wonderful look at the Anglican compline; she writes with the fresh eyes and enthusiasm of one who has come to liturgical prayers later in life, digging deeply into these words that have withstood the test of time. Excerpt from my review:

I highly recommend this book whether or not you appreciate liturgical prayers. Her writing is deep, thoughtful and poetic without being inaccessible. Although at times she’s America-focused, this bent is not overly distracting. She includes some wonderful prayer exercises at the end, along with questions to discuss or ponder.

3 Favorite General-market Novels and 1 Honorable Mention

The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J Ryan Stradal

My US editor told me about this book, mentioning it during a zoom call, and I thought he said Logger Queen. You know, maybe a relative of Paul Bunyan? But no, he meant Lager, and even though I didn’t know what an IPA was (oops – not an IPO like I just wrote! Ha!), I loved, loved, loved this book.

Here’s my review: I listened to this book on Audible, and at times found the listening a frustrating experience because I wanted to race ahead in the book (the narrator did a great job, by the way). I loved this story and its characters. I found it somewhat surprising that the author is a man, for its the women who shine; the women who succeed.

If you’re from Minnesota and have moved away, like I have, reading it will make you smile and feel nostalgic. People walking past me in North London would have seen me grinning and laughing, and must have wondered what was up, especially as my earbuds were hidden by my hair.

I loved it, even though I don’t drink beer and I even had to look up what an IPA is.

Anxious People by Frederik Backman

I finished listening to this wonderful novel on the drive back from leading a retreat at Penhurst Retreat Centre and so enjoyed the whole experience. What a delight – even though, yes, it’s about anxious people.

A bank robber robs a cashless bank… an unlikely premise for such a wonderful book. Surprising, endearing, lovely – even if the probability of some of it was unlikely.

Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce

Another delightful book to listen to. All I noted for my review was, “So fun and quirky. Really enjoyed it.” I loved Miss Benson and her grand adventure to find a particular beetle across the world, and the friends she met along the way.

Honorable Mention: The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare

I really enjoyed getting to be part of Adunni’s world in Nigeria, although it was harrowing. Following her move from her village to Lagos was fascinating.

But… I felt a bit manipulated as a reader with all of the stuff she experiences in her journey. Child marriage, her friend dying by the river, all of the happenings at Big Madam’s house – how she managed to make it through all of that intact and growing and not bitter seemed a stretch. I felt a bit like the author had an agenda in her fiction – which I never like.

But I’ve highlighting the novel because the writing was engaging and I really warmed to Adunni.