Top 10 Reads of 2022
No surprise I did not read as many book as I had hoped this year. 2022 ratcheted up the intensity a notch or three, but despite failing to reach a significant total to brag about on my blog I was blessed by many of the books I did read. As reading time shrinks with obligations, commitments, work--it is more important than ever to read real quality books. That is just what happened this year which featured a mixture of my usual eclectic genres: practical theology, well-written fiction, and the odd war history.
Here are my top ten for the year:
10. Letter of the Marque - Patrick O'Brian (1988)
I have enjoyed this working through this 20 book series of Napoleonic era naval fiction. A slower pace from the also excellent Horatio Hornblower series covering the same era--O'Brian's series contains rich dialogue and brilliant characters as Captain Jack and Dr. Maturin sail the seas to impede French power at every turn. This twelfth of the series features a cutting out expedition and hope of Aubrey's reinstatement to the royal navy after being subversively outed a book before. Fun reads, with brilliant action when it comes.
9. All Things for Good - Thomas Watson (1663)
As many of you know, in February of 2022 my family experienced a big loss with the passing of my Father-in-law. This is the closest death I have experienced, and he leaves a uniquely shaped void in our lives we are learning to come to terms with almost a year later. During 2 hour drives back and forth to Washington hospital I remember listening to Thomas Watson's All Things for Good followed by his Art of Divine Contentment both of which were so helpful to me. I was reminded the precious truth that every circumstance no matter how confusing, severe, desperate, confounding--works out for the good of the believer. In fact, nothing can work for ill, for it is God's own hand administering providence according to His child's very best ends: "God's dealings with His children, though they are sharp--yet they are safe, and in order to cure; 'that he might do you good in the latter end.' (Deut. 8:16)." As far as Puritans go, I have found Thomas Watson the most readable.
8. The Innocence of Father Brown - G. K. Chesterton (1911)
Chesterton is one of my favorite authors, and The Innocence of Father Brown is his first collection of short detective stories featuring the curious and "un-detecting" detective named in the title. He is not the sleuth you would expect, but his intuition and ability to see through illusions makes him skilled in this line of work. Each story can be read in a sitting and collectively they offer a nice change of pace to more serious reading, though this book is not without Chesterton's philosophical insights sprinkled throughout.
7. Whose Body? - Dorothy Sayers (1923)
Continuing in the vein of detective literature, I was recommended Sayers' eleven volume Lord Peter Wimsey series this year and am now on the third book. As a wealthy aristocrat, Lord Peter is quite unlike Father Brown at practically every turn. Full of verbosity, bravado, and keen powers of observation--solving mysteries is a hobby which he is very proficient. There are levels to his character, however, that lie below the surface, and it is this multidimensionality which helps make Lord Peter Wimsey such a good protagonist. Throw in his brilliant man-servant Bunter and the idealistic, by-the-book Detective Parker from Scotland Yard and you have quite a formidable team. Whose Body is the first in the series and seeks to solve the mystery of the unidentified corpse found in an acquaintance's bathtub.
6. Coming Events and Present Duties - J. C. Ryle (1867)
John Charles Ryle is becoming one of my favorite preacher theologians. A student of the ancient Puritans, much of his writings contain their essence of Biblical teaching but in a more distilled form. He is very easy to read, but very convicting to read as well. This particular book contains a collection of sermons he gave on the end times, the end times of course being a weak point in my theology. Ryle deviates with much of the reformed camp as he holds to the historic premillennial view, saying: "If you expect the Jews to take the 53rd of Isaiah literally, be sure you take the 54th and 60th and 62nd literally as also. The Protestant Reformers were not perfect. On no point, I venture to say, were they so much in the wrong as in the interpretation of Old Testament prophecy."
5. The Civil War VOL 1 - Shelby Foote (1958)
The American Civil War is perhaps my favorite historical period to read about. Every year I try to read a little more about it either from a macro or micro perspective. Foote's narrative trilogy is very macro in scope and tells the story of the entire conflict from beginning to end. With a poetic flair, Foote recounts the events, figures, stratagems, tactics, assaults, intrigues, general ebbs and flows of the first year of the war. These first 900 pages are sure to take you back to these tumultuous days, and might even make you thankful for your own by comparison.
4. Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices - Thomas Brooks (1652)
This book's title is derived from 2 Corinthians 2:11 where the apostle says, "...we are not ignorant of Satan's devices." What are the devices of Satan? What are the ways in which he works to undo the work of Christ in our hearts or render us ineffective for the Kingdom of God? In a systematic point by point form Brooks lists out different ways Satan tries to undo us, and then provide "remedies" by which we can stand in the evil day. This book, though almost 400 years old is so very relevant to the world we live. Though Satan adapts his tactics to meet the times, it is interesting how much similarity there is to his cunning both now and then. I bought 4 copies to give to friends, and I will probably buy more. A wonderful book full of Biblical truth and hope, but also straight forward and unapologetic in a way we moderns are not.
3. On Desperate Ground - Hampton Sides (2018)
This book tells the story of a few figures during the Korean War culminating in the battle of the Chosin Reservoir. The writing is so vivid it made me wince and squirm in my seat, and by the end I was so invested I did what I rarely ever do: stayed up into the early morning to finish. Bullet wounds frozen shut, overwhelming numerical odds--It is unbelievable what these brave men withstood in hostile, subzero conditions at Yudamni and Hagaru-ri. This was writing worthy of the subject matter and a book I could not put down.
2. Robert Murray M'Cheyne - Andrew Bonar (1844)
This book was deeply impactful to me this year. Robert Murray M'Cheyne was a preacher in Dundee, Scotland, who died at the age of 29. I turned 30 this year myself, which only added to my self-reflection. M'Cheyne's is a life that burned out wholly for his Christ. He held nothing back and if only I could have a portion of zeal he possessed! One of the things that most struck me was how M'Cheyne spent his time. He had resolved each day to not see the face of man before he saw the face of God. He spent much time in secret with the Lord, convinced that his ministry would be fruitless without his own life being touched by the divine. Andrew Bonar comments that it was M'Cheyne's conviction that pastors must "refuse to admit the idea of feeding others, until satiated themselves."
Such a frequent intimacy with God surely left a deep impact on his being and disposition. Frequently people would be struck by his presence or the manner in which he spoke over even the content of his speaking. A country man once said of him: "Before he opened his lips, as he came along the passage, there was something about him that sorely affected me." Such is the influence of the Spirit of God. An incredible testimony of a life given to God, written by his best friend six months following his death.
1. Discourse on Divine Providence - Stephen Charnock (1685)
In a chaotic, mad, sick world Christians need to be reminded more than ever that the Lord reigns over the affairs of man. That He still works His meticulous providence with a mighty hand, and that nothing comes to pass apart from His eternal decree. Puritan Stephen Charnock examines the doctrine of the providence of God and how detailed His work has been revealed in the Scripture. If we thought longer on this we would have more peace. A brief excerpt:
"God's methods appear in the end both wiser and better than our frames. Infinite goodness aims more at our welfare than our shallow self-love; and infinite wisdom can conduct things to our welfare, better than our short-sighted skill. He that knows all the moments of time, knows best how to time his actions. As God stayed for the fulness of time to bring the great redemption by Christ into the world, so he stays for a fulless of time to bring all the great consequences and appendices of it unto his church. 'Everything is beautiful in his time.'"
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