3 Jan 2025

My Top Twenty Books of 2024

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Top Twenty Books of 2024

In 2024 I just about managed to read 150 books, as I’d aimed to (Though, if you take a look at the long list of what I read, I didn’t hit all of my reading goals by any means!). Not all of them were worth talking about, a couple were actively bad in my opinion, but a lot were really good. And so, early in 2025, here’s my list of the Top Twenty Books of 2024, from me. These aren’t necessarily the books I rated most highly – though the majority are – but rather the books I thought were ‘best’, which is highly subjective, and in some cases down entirely to their ability to lodge in my mind long after I finished them.

If you’ve not read my blog before, it might help you to know that I’m a Christian, I work in Publishing (specifically Christian publishing, as Publishing Director for Inter-Varsity Press, based in London), I’ve got a couple of theology degrees, preach occasionally, and like thinking about and discussing a wide range of things. I’m not an average reader, I believe, but I hope that my reviews and comments will help some people find a book that will be useful to them, and avoid some that won’t! This list is not in any particular order – in terms of ‘ranking’, I list them broadly from shortest in page count to longest, and offer some slightly different comments to what I wrote in my roundup (Rather than in my Top Ten Commentaries on books of the Bible that I read in 2024 – which you can read here).

  1. The Wierdest Nativity. This short, quirky, and engagingly written book by Andrew Sach and Jonathan Gemmel is a brilliant different angle on the Christmas story. With a dragon on the cover, instead of taking us through one of the Gospel birth of Jesus accounts, the authors look at Revelation, with the whole Bible in view. A good book to giveaway – and encourage yourself with – it’s like a shot of red-bull, but in a good way!
  2. The Character of Christ*. This slim and very special book considers the Character of Christ in tandem with the fruit of the Spirit. One of the books I enjoyed this year suggested that parenting would be easier if the parent were more Christlike – in this little book Jonathan Landry Cruse shows us what that actually looks like. A gem from Banner of Truth, perhaps ideal for Christians wondering whether Christlikeness is attainable, and what it might look like. One to read slowly – perhaps with several good cups of tea.
  3. Let Your Life Speak. This slim volume on vocation (Sort of) by Parker J. Palmer is one I had mixed feelings about on one level, but it resonated with me and has kept me thinking. In that sense, it is a bit like green tea – I expect it’s probably good for me, but it isn’t as instantly lovely as a Diet Coke. I’m privileged to have found (And got) a job that is also a vocation, at a relatively young age. This book helped me come to terms with that – and so I’d recommend it if you are thinking about questions of vocation, calling, and career – and how they intersect with the realities of living in the world.
  4. You Are Still a Mother. Jackie Gibson has given the world a gift in this small book. It has greater weight than many books ten times it’s slim wordcount – and it is beautifully written, deeply biblical, and pastorally theological. It might not be the first book I’d give to a woman (or a man – whilst it’s aimed at women, much of it felt relevant to me as a dad and friend to dads who have lost children) in the situation of baby loss, it is certainly one worth having on the shelf if you are a pastor, or women’s worker. It is perhaps most like a good quality single malt – refined, complex, and deep, but actually quite simple and perfect at the right moment.
  5. What I Talk About When I talk About Running. This slightly disjointed, quirky little book was great fun to read. Whilst I couldn’t identify with Haruki Murakami’s distance in running, I resonated with some of his reasons, rhythms, and thoughts along the way. This book is a bit like a bottle of Lucozade – a bit random, when you think about it, but perfect for certain situations, and encourages you to get (or keep) going with some kind of movement. I’ll probably read it again – and certainly keep an eye out for more by Murakami.
  6. Being Real. You might think a book by a now Bishop, on Paul’s hardship narratives, sounds a bit technical. Actually, whilst there is some good theological work going on, Philip Plyming has written a book that I’d warmly encourage every Christian to read. He shows us how some of the odd bits of Paul’s letters (And not the fun-to-argue-about-bits about sex, gender, and leadership) are actually a real gift. As someone who dances around the edge of leadership, and has experienced hardship both self-inflicted through sin and randomly occurring, I found this book deeply helpful. I think it is like the first time you really like a nice glass of wine – you might not have expected to, but it makes sense of how people talk about wine when you find one you like. Just as I intellectually know that ‘suffering produces perseverance’ (Rom. 5:3-5), this book offers an explanatory taste, with warmth and wisdom.
  7. Able to Laugh*. What is packaged as a book by a TikTok couple is actually a really warm, genuinely often funny, and thoughtful book about living with complex things in a broken world. You might pick it up because one of the authors is in a wheelchair – or because you’ve seen the other one online. But I think you should read it because Jade and John Reynolds beautifully balance wisdom, humour and candour whilst addressing the realities of life. I don’t know what people on TikTok like to drink, but for me this is like CapriSun Orange Squash – not brilliant, but once you actually engage with it, it is refreshing.
  8. Openness Unhindered. Champagne Rosaria Butterfield is one of those authors I rate as a writer but don’t always click with in terms of content. I loved her debut Christian book, Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, enjoyed her book on hospitality, but was left underwhelmed by her most recent book. But I picked up Openness Unhindered on a whim, and found it deeply moving, inspiring me to love Christ more deeply and care for people more carefully. Ostensibly answering some questions, it is actually a book about falling more deeply in love with Jesus. In that sense, it is like tea from a favourite pot – warming, creating space, and hinting at just a little bit more.
  9. Arthur’s Call. This is a profound example of personal theological reflection from Frances Young – primarily a book about her son Arthur, who lived with severe cognitive and physical disability. A complex and multilayered read, it is definitely a book I intend on revisiting, and would engage with in a future PhD. Young is a provocative thinker – I didn’t agree with a lot, but she is clear and calm and clearly deeply affected by the reading of Scripture and honest reflection on reality. For me this is like a highly-rated desert wine – not something I like to drink – but I can see why others like it. For those parenting children with severe disabilities, and those of us friends with or pastoring them, this is a book to unsettle us and help us think, pray, and work for better.
  10. Ethics at the Beginning of Life. James Mumford’s first monograph is a tour de force – a tightly focused book that convinced me afresh of what could simplistically be called a ‘pro life’ position. But even to write that is to flatten out the complexities of what James does in this book. This book, then, is like a really good flat white coffee – on one level very simple, but people more into coffee than me can tell you why flat white x is better than or distinct from flat white y. I think this book is worth pastors reading as they ponder ethical questions, should be pressed into the hands of undergraduate Christian students of theology/medicine/ethics/philsophey/etc, and deserves a wide readership.
  11. Esther [JPS]. This relatively slim commentary on the enigmatic book of Esther is excellent for a couple of reasons, alluded to in my review. First, in a Jewish commentary series, it is printed/read ‘the wrong way’, from right to left, rather than left to right – this reminds us Christians, with our Westernised imaginations, of the Hebrew foundations of our faith. Second, Adele Berlin brings a range of fresh perspectives to bear on a text that is either ignored or easily simplified – this is a complex tale, with much to teach. In some ways, it is like a really good alcohol-free beer – the regular beer drinker should try it, and those who don’t drink alcohol can try it to see what beer sort of tastes like. This is a book I was glad to read, and I intend to engage with more JPS volumes in the future.
  12. Turnaround. Jason K. Allen may not be a name known to many readers of this blog – nor the institution he leads – but he has written a book about leadership that is genuinely helpful, prayerfully humble, and has actually changed how I’ve done a few things this year. For British readers, this book is like the slightly randomly named ‘Ale 8’ I enjoy in some American states – a sort of ginger ale type beverage. Just as that funny drink might put you off for various reasons, it’s still worth trying – and Turnaround is a book that really does bear reading. Read my review here.
  13. The Hope in Our Scars. Aimee Byrd is becoming one of those authors I will try and read everything by – and this book is one that cements that. It is quite reflective and personal, and in a year in which my family changed churches (Though for quite different reasons than Byrd!) it was a helpful sort-of-mirror for thinking about when church goes wrong, how important gathering as the church is, and also how to decide on what is important in a church. I think this book is a bit like Lemsip – it isn’t for everyone, at any time, but if you need it, it is the perfect thing. I can think of several friends who have struggled with their church and then left their faith behind, mostly – this is the Lemship I wish I’d been able to offer them. Less pushy than an awkward conversation, more helpful than a praying emoji, The Hope In Our Scars is not a perfect book, but I think it is a valuable pastoral tool in our present age. I reviewed it for Premier here.
  14. The Lord’s Supper. I’ve been interested in the Lord’s Supper (other names, I’m sure you are aware, are available) since I became a Christian – to the point that I’ve presented at conferences about it, preached about it, and even written a short ebook about it. Jonathan Black, with a Pentecostal theological slant, has written an excellent book on what it is and isn’t, and why it is important. In that sense, this book is a bit like a good glass of whole milk – even if you might not like it, it is good for you (apart from those with lactose intolerance, but that’s not the point here), and it is nourishing, filling, and helpful. Yet it is also a book to draw you deeper – perhaps (And I can feel this metaphor collapsing) like milk can become cheese or yogurt – and that depth is to be found in the encounter with Christ and His people that takes place at His Table. Recommended if you are in ministry and seeking to remember why this sacrament is important, and for any Christian wondering about it or seeking a deeper engagement with Christ.
  15. Know The Theologians. This is a great little book from Jennifer and David McNutt, a husband and wife theological team. Taking portraits of key theologians from the broad sweep of Church history, this is the kind of book that every Christian can and should read, and that anyone contemplating theological study should definitely read as an amuse-bouche. In that sense, it is like a small glass of water – worth drinking all of before getting up and getting going. I reviewed it here.
  16. The Busy Narrow Sea. The English Channel has always held a special place in my imagination – I did several weeks key sailing on it, and it’s various histories and complexities have always been of interest to me. This shortish book (given the size of the topic!) by Robin Laurance serves as a really interesting and readable entry way into the various things, people, wars and more that have made this storied stretch of water what it is. This is definitely like a Hazy IPA – if it doesn’t sound of interest to you, you probably won’t like it, but if you are into similar things to me, than you might really enjoy it!
  17. Fatal Storm. Another sailing book – this time focused on the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race that claimed several lives, sunk several yachts, and was by all accounts disastrous. This is a superb account by Rob Mundle of the events from a range of angles – told sensitively and showing the complex way that things overlap. This is more like a mainstream real ale – tasty, not as complex or offputtingly random as some – and potentially of interest to more people. I first read it as a young teenager – even reading it again as a father and husband, it has fueled my desire to keep sailing, do so safely, and perhaps one day do a race or voyage like this.
  18. North to the Night**. This book is difficult to describe but probably my book of the year. On one level it is about a man and his rather strange dream to spend a season frozen in Ice in the Arctic circle. In another sense it is about relationships – with his wife, family, nature and more. In an ultimate sense it is about calling, hope and spirituality – and whilst it is not a Christian book, I found it deeply encouraging as a Christian. I would recommend this book to literally anyone – being confronted with the madness of what Alvah Simon did (you really do have to read the book to understand just how bonkers it is, in relation to most folks’ lives, most of the time) – but I don’t think everyone will like it. In that sense it is probably a bit like a favourite cocktail – people rave about them, but they are specific, made up of different elements (often involving ice, sorry), and are an acquired taste. But some – like a Manhattan, or an Old Fashioned, have entered the popular lexicon. This is a superb book.
  19. Habakkuk [CSC]*. I’ve been enthusing about this commentary since I read it, to anyone who will listen – and it really is good. I think it is like a glass of sparkling water – you might wonder if we need a commentary this long on a ‘Minor Prophet’, but the sparkle that Susan Maxwell Booth brings to the life giving water of Scripture is well worth trying. You can read more in my review here.
  20. Job [EBTC]. The book of Job is one of the longest in the Bible – and the most complex, in a variety of ways. Actually one of the oldest, it is also somehow one of the most contemporary in terms of the challenges, characters, and themes it engages. I’m a fan of the EBTC series from Lexham – and Barry Webb has written one that is almost as good as one of my favourite commentaries from 2023, David G. Firth’s Joshua, which I reviewed. Thus, Job is a bit like a good champagne vs a good prosecco or cava (With apologies to the sommeliers who will tell me that’s an appalling comparison). Whether you prefer this volume to the one on Joshua is probably quite subjective – the fact remains that this is a solid commentary, and a really valuable book that should be on every preacher’s radar, and also on the ‘to read’ list of any Christian wanting to really grapple with the book of Job. You can read my review here. Note for preachers/commentary fans – I’ve got a Top Ten Commentaries of 2024 post, featuring another 7 books.

So there you have it. My Top Twenty Books of 2024 – with the Top Five denoted with an asterisk*, and the book of the year with two**. If none of the above take your fancy for your next read, or to go into a (virtual or physical) TBR (to be read) pile, then you can find my Top reads from previous years below:

 

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