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If a non-resident of Florida were to base his or her opinion of the state on the sort of information supplied by national news media, it would be easy to assume the residents have a loose grip on propriety, civility, and even sanity. Floridians are frequently portrayed in an unflattering light, given the amount of crazy stories that make the news. If one were to use Lauren Groff's gripping, fantastically well-written short story collection to learn what Florida is all about (unsurprisingly, every story has a connection to the state), one might assume that storms are incessant and frequently disastrous, reptiles and insects are a constant deadly menace, and the heat is driving everyone out of their minds. I like it.

Picked this one up without knowing anything about it, other than seeing it nominated for the National Book Award. Figured a prize nominee might be worth a look, and I am not disappointed. In fact, this one blew my mind. A young adult novel written entirely in verse, this story of the poetically-inclined teenaged daughter of Dominican immigrants thrilled me, moved me, and made me want to give a copy to all my reader friends, some of my non-reader friends, and every friendly human being with a heart, even the ones who don't like to read.

Last year I read Sarah Smarsh’s serialized long-form story in No Depression magazine about Dolly Parton. The writing in that piece was so good that I began following the author on Twitter, mostly so I could express my praise and appreciation directly to her and find out when she was publishing more work. That’s where I learned about Heartland and its impending publication. I preordered my copy and waited expectantly for delivery, hoping it would be as good as I wanted it to be. It’s even better than that. This amazing book is one of the most moving and challenging memoirs that I know of. As a reader with a parallel upbringing on the Great Plains and a firsthand exposure to childhood on the margins of economic stability, this book resonated with me in a way that few others have. The author tells the story of her hardscrabble Kansas family by addressing her unborn daughter directly, as if this book were written only for her to know the history of her rural forebears on the prairie in 20th century America. While initially skeptical of this approach, and wondering if it would become a distracting gimmick, I was immensely pleased to discover the beautiful payoff in the final chapter, as the genius of the design became apparent in a fantastic way. The story of Ms. Smarsh and her people reminds me so much of the story of my own family, and I am encouraged and gratified to see the love, compassion, and brilliant insight this phenomenally gifted writer brings to this tale of economic disparity in the world’s richest nation. Everyone needs to read this.

Kay is an entertaining writer. He has found a way to make ancient history even more appealing to me than usual in his fantasy/historical novels. Well, the two that I have read so far, Tigana and Under Heaven, have both been good enough to encourage a high level of interest that allowed me to stay invested in long books with dozens of characters. I wouldn't have imagined that I would be so fascinated by a story from (ostensibly) Tang Dynasty China, but this one did the trick. I don't know if it is complementary to say that I am even more impressed by the author's apparent scholarship than his skill as a novelist, but I find myself frequently marveling at the depth of his knowledge. Perhaps there are writers with greater literary gifts, but there are few who tell such fascinating stories.

This book is a lot of fun for devotees of literature and fans of data. Now that almost all of our books in the English language are available in digital form, you can use a computer generated algorithm to ask and answer any question you can imagine to compare your favorite literary works. Who uses the most adverbs? Who writes the shortest opening sentences? What are the differences in vocabulary between UK English and American English? Is it possible to figure out which author wrote an anonymous (or pseudonymous) book via an analysis of style and vocabulary? I found this book tremendously entertaining and endlessly fascinating, as I'm a fan of both literature and data and I'm so glad that a book like this exists.

A terrific novel told from the alternating perspectives of a brilliant young girl and the surprisingly astute concierge in her family's luxury apartment building in Paris. Education, culture, love, and philosophy are expertly woven together in a tale of great tenderness and satisfying emotional complexity. The friendship formed by the two narrators is one you won't soon forget, once the story has ended. This one will stick with you.

Inspired is a terrific book for the thoughtful Christian who has struggled with the idea of the divinely inspired infallibility of scripture. Anyone who was taught to read and obey the Bible without questioning the contents, contradictions, or conflicts that arise from a literal interpretation of this sacred text will definitely appreciate the author's careful and well-reasoned, loving critique of the world's best-selling book. Rachel Held Evans' examination of the challenges we uncover when we read the Bible from a historical/critical context is a breath of fresh air for the reader who wants to wholeheartedly follow Jesus Christ and continue to love the scriptures at the same time. She addresses interpretive conundrums with scholarship, humor, and genuine love for God's Word. There is also a good bit of impressive creativity on display, as she re-interprets several familiar biblical tales with a keen eye for detail. There is also a short contemporary play based on the story of Jonah and a choose-your-own-adventure type story inspired by Peter's walk on the Sea of Galilee. Much like Rob Bell described a progressive understanding of biblical criticism that still allows for committed Christian discipleship in his book "What is the Bible?", Held guides us on a journey of discovery that shows us how to read scripture, discern its truth, and apply that truth to our lives without devolving into doctrinal and partisan conflicts over inerrancy and infallibility. I have an advanced reader copy I received from the publisher, but I'm looking forward to sharing copies of the printed book with friends who have been hurt by fundamentalist dogma and turned their backs on the possibility of ever finding anything true or useful in the pages of the Bible. What a blessing this book is to the faith community and the even wider circle of thoughtful people looking for inspiration.

Inspired is a terrific book for the thoughtful Christian who has struggled with the idea of the divinely inspired infallibility of scripture. Anyone who was taught to read and obey the Bible without questioning the contents, contradictions, or conflicts that arise from a literal interpretation of this sacred text will definitely appreciate the author's careful and well-reasoned, loving critique of the world's best-selling book. Rachel Held Evans' examination of the challenges we uncover when we read the Bible from a historical/critical context is a breath of fresh air for the reader who wants to wholeheartedly follow Jesus Christ and continue to love the scriptures at the same time. She addresses interpretive conundrums with scholarship, humor, and genuine love for God's Word. There is also a good bit of impressive creativity on display, as she re-interprets several familiar biblical tales with a keen eye for detail. There is also a short contemporary play based on the story of Jonah and a choose-your-own-adventure type story inspired by Peter's walk on the Sea of Galilee. Much like Rob Bell described a progressive understanding of biblical criticism that still allows for committed Christian discipleship in his book "What is the Bible?", Held guides us on a journey of discovery that shows us how to read scripture, discern its truth, and apply that truth to our lives without devolving into doctrinal and partisan conflicts over inerrancy and infallibility. I have an advanced reader copy I received from the publisher, but I'm looking forward to sharing copies of the printed book with friends who have been hurt by fundamentalist dogma and turned their backs on the possibility of ever finding anything true or useful in the pages of the Bible. What a blessing this book is to the faith community and the even wider circle of thoughtful people looking for inspiration.

I found myself in the Shannon, Ireland airport looking for a book to purchase since my carry-on had been confiscated and checked (too heavy). All my books and entertainment were in that bag, so I set about the task of choosing something new from a selection of surprisingly unfamiliar titles in the airport bookstore. Upon closer inspection, I realized that nearly every book for sale in that store was written by an Irish author. Therefore I was excited to make a new literary discovery and I chose this title by Marian Keyes, who is apparently a hugely popular bestselling author in Ireland and the UK. I get it: the book is funny, touching, and impressively well-written. The author has a gift and the large library of successful title under her name is no fluke. I didn't immediately understand every cultural reference and I wan't always familiar with the slang or local dialogue, but the story is universal and very relevant. There is even an abortion subplot that deals with Ireland's prohibition of abortion, which caught my attention since Ireland voted to lift that ban while I was there purchasing this book. I might even buy another book by Keyes, because I'm interested to know what else she has done.

Another work of sparkling poetic brilliance (full disclosure: Aimee is my favorite poet) that deserves a spot on every poetry lover's shelf and a space in every language lover's heart. This book is an immensely pleasurable read filled with impeccably crafted verse inspired by nature: our world and all the creatures that inhabit it, including you and me. It is difficult to describe how much I enjoyed this particular volume. I can't wait to begin giving these out as gifts soon. When is your birthday?

Despite being a long book that required my quick assimilation of a lot of unfamiliar history, folklore, and culture, this was a particularly enjoyable fantasy novel that captured my attention early on and sustained it throughout. The author's ability to create a relatively new world (though, helpfully, one with a lot of historical similarity to our own) is impressive. The story is compelling and kept me riveted all the way to the end, and though I thought I could imagine how things would play out, I was surprised and pleased with the conclusion. If I had to quibble with anything that I found less than satisfying, it would be the author's depiction of female sexuality. With several fully-realized, fascinating female characters, you'd hope that depictions of relationships between characters wouldn't seem so informed by typical male fantasy-style lust. No such luck. I often found myself thinking that the females in the story were portrayed as equal to the male characters in intelligence, resourcefulness, and action. Then their clothes would come off and all that fascinating characterization would disappear in juvenile sex fantasy. Overall though, a very satisfying and entertaining historical fantasy.

Jamie Wright, the self-described Very Worst Missionary, is the very best human being for asking all the right questions about the Christian missionary endeavor as we know it today. How carefully do we select our participants? How effective is their work? How do we even measure that effectiveness? Are short-term mission projects more harmful than helpful? Her family's experience on the mission field in Costa Rica helped her gain a unique perspective from which to begin asking these extremely hard but undeniably important questions. But that's not even the best thing about this book. While there may be other authors who are tackling these issues in print, including academics and missiologists, Jamie adds the priceless commodities of genuine compassion, complete transparency, hilarious wit, and spectacular levels of profanity. She writes with the humor and timing (& vocabulary) of a seasoned stand-up comic, and includes several laugh-out-loud moments in her surprisingly touching and encouraging life story (not LOL; genuine bursts of audible and uncontrollable mirth). I devoured this title, closed the book, and in the same motion handed it to a friend to read. My friend is a young woman who is traveling to Kenya this summer for a short-term mission project. This is her second trip to this location with this agency, and I helped her edit her "support letter" last week. I'm a short-term mission field veteran myself and I literally cannot wait for her to read it so we can have a conversation about the many intriguing points Jamie makes in this fantastic and incredibly important book.

Exit West is one of those terrific novels that draws you in almost immediately and keeps you enthralled throughout. It is relatively brief but surprisingly deep, and the connection the reader forms with the main characters, Nadia and Saeed, is immediate and powerful. I was moved and enchanted by this story of love amidst a contemporary apocalypse in which refugees displaced by international conflict and sectarian violence find a mixed blessing of salvation and potential persecution via the use of "doors," wormhole-like passages allowing instantaneous transport to another location on earth. This book describes a frightening future, but is a surprisingly hopeful and encouragingly optimistic view of the human ability to adapt to the worst situations imaginable. I cannot express strongly enough how much I enjoyed this story.

As a reader who follows Ms. Lockwood on Twitter, loves her poetry, and counts memoirs among my favorite literary genres, I was already favorably pre-disposed to enjoy Preistdaddy. Add to that my occupation as an ordained minister with a tendency for frequent irreverence, occasional intemperance, and sudden bursts of profanity, and it’s as if this book was written just for my entertainment and personal edification. Thankfully, that isn’t the case, as everyone who reads Priestdaddy will likely find it to be hilarious, moving, encouraging, and incredibly well-written. The author is a brilliant storyteller, and her account of growing up religious in a large Catholic family with a priest for a father (yes, really) is a tale you’ve likely not heard before. The author’s struggles with Christian faith and eventual drift away from religion allow her to address her family’s eccentricities of devotion with equal doses of love and criticism. The passages in which she describes her adolescent love of singing, the wonderful oddness of her youth group, and the uniqueness of life in a minister’s home all resonated with me in a powerful way. I was sad to reach the end. Read this book.

This book surprised me. My expectations led me to think I would discover an entertaining description of nature and hiking, two of my interests, but I instead found a moving work of philosophy and physical science. Well, not "instead" so much as "in addition." Moor is an incredibly gifted writer with a gift for explaining difficult concepts, especially in the scientific and philosophical realms. He is also a fearless adventurer, willing to go anywhere and do nearly anything in the service of writing a compelling story. Every sort of pathway you can imagine is mentioned here: prehistoric, underwater, neural, animal, forest, desert, paved, and on and on. Rarely have I been so excited and pleased with a random airport bookshop purchase. What a fortuitous discovery.

More than a collection powerful poems, this is a story told in sections of verse by a series of connected narrators. Life, death, and supernatural imagery along the Amazon in a time of flood and other tragedies. Compelling, entertaining, and disquieting in equal measure for this reader.

I love poetry and read it daily, so Zapruder's encouragement wasn't exactly necessary to convince me of the art form's contemporary relevance. However, I enjoyed greatly his analysis of what makes poetry special and unique among the arts and how he personally approaches the genre, specifically how he reads an individual poem. Reading this book was a means of finding more and better ways to articulate how important poetry is to me personally, and how even more vital poetry is in a world that has no other means for accomplishing what only this particular art can do.

An unusually compelling and well-written coming-of-age story for two contemporary teenage girls in New England. It takes a good bit of talent for an author to create a riveting story from a believable real-life type situation. Messud has the ability to lead the reader to expect the absolute worst, then surprises with something different and unanticipated.

A unique memoir with thematically appropriate and personally transformational poems in each chapter of the book and each chapter of the author's life. I was transfixed and transported: I wish it had been twice as long.

I'm probably always going to praise a Rob Bell book, so take my enthusiastic recommendation for what it's worth. I think he gets better and better with each successive volume, and this one is no exception. What a fantastic examination of Scripture and its reliable usefulness for one's faith, avoiding fundamentalist insistence on inerrancy. I'm so encouraged by this scholarly and compassionate treatment of the Bible, our finest tool for understanding the heart and mind of God. Bible students/enthusiasts, spiritual seekers, devout believers, religious skeptics: there is something fascinating, useful, and encouraging for everyone.

Given that there are probably thousands of self-help style financial books on the market, the trick is to appeal as simply and quickly as possible to the reader who needs and wants some solid instruction on making wise decisions with one's income. This is that book. Surprisingly simple and tremendously encouraging, this volume includes several basic financial maneuvers that can be accomplished in very little time at all, and will pay big dividends in the future. Best for those at the start of their wage-earning years, but helpful for anyone ready to begin making the smartest choices with their money.

One of the most encouraging and uplifting spiritual volumes I've read in a while. Written with the heart of a pastor who loves God immensely, this book will delight and inspire anyone who sincerely loves God (or wants to), but struggles with popular theology and doctrine which portrays the creator of the universe as hateful, vengeful, cruel, and motivated by wrath. It's surprising that anyone would want to worship a God with those negative qualities, but a sizable portion of the contemporary church-going religious crowd seems to fiercely hold this theologically erroneous portrait. The author carefully and systematically uses Scripture to uncover and reveal the God of love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, and salvation that we meet in Jesus Christ. It's a breath of fresh air for the follower of Christ and an incredibly compelling read for the religious skeptic. This book employs a masterful use of biblical scholarship and logical reasoning to revealPuritan pastor Jonathan Edwards' "angry God" as the God of love the Bible has always insisted that God really is.

There is nothing original anyone can say about Bukowski anymore. Let me put it this way, then: this collection of poems is even more fantastic than you already expect them to be. I don't think there was a single one of them that did not keep me thoroughly riveted from the first syllable to the last. What a phenomenal voice.

Lauren Winner is a first-rate theologian and a top-notch research scholar. She uses her deepest book yet to help her readers understand God's character through such fascinating metaphors as clothing, smell, laughter, language, bread & wine, among others. Her analysis of relevant Scripture is impressive and convincing, and her use of supporting works from various authors, historians, and theologians is stunning in its breadth. I was riveted and encouraged all the way through. Winner continues to be one of my favorite contemporary spiritual writers.

A goodreads friend recommended this one and I am glad for that. What an entertaining book. This is a terrific summer diversion, and the sort of apocalyptic thriller that is written well enough that you can easily picture a filmed version. Terrific characterization, compelling mystery, fascinating science, and even some fantastic beasts. This one has it all.

What an amazing book packed full of the sort of spiritual and emotional wisdom that inspires me to be a better person who can actually put this sort of thing into practice. The idea of becoming my true self sounds so obvious and so appealing at the same time, but I'm not entirely sure that I complete grasp the author's concept about how to move into the second half of life in the best and most satisfying fashion. I recognize that there is a ton of good stuff to learn here. My only concern is how to figure out a way to internalize these amazing truths in order to see them exemplified in my own life. I think I'm going to need to read this again right away.

This is a terrific book. Through my profession, I have the opportunity to share with people who are experiencing loss, grief, and depression. This is a book I can wholeheartedly recommend to anyone in my orbit who wants to know more about resilience in the face of suffering. The story Sandberg shares is enormously helpful to anyone in a similar challenging situation. The lessons and growth she experienced through devastating loss are presented with incredible grace and vulnerability. There are even some worthwhile encouragements and growth opportunities for readers who have not yet experienced such grief. I was greatly inspired by her description of resilient and successful marriage relationships, thinking about how to improve my own. Sandberg's openness and honesty about her own pain and struggles is impressive and tremendously helpful, but I think that one of my favorite aspects of this wonderful book is her surprisingly sharp wit. Injecting excellent humor into such serious subject matter makes this book that much more enjoyable to read and recommend.

This is as good as a novel gets. I chose to read it because of the number of year-end best book lists that featured it. There is nothing I can say that hasn't been said, so let me offer only this: read this book as soon as you can.

It's no secret Chabon is a gifted writer, but this faux-memoir is so convincingly crafted as to cause me to go online multiple times while reading and look up certain facts and people to verify potential veracity. This is a terrifically compelling story of a fascinating man and his mysterious wife set against the backdrop of the American space program with specific attention given to ex-Nazi Werner Von Braun and his rocket science. You won't just be entertained, you'll be smarter for having read this one.

As an enthusiastic fan of McLaren's work, I was well-prepared to enjoy this book. However, I was surprised by how completely impressed and inspired I was by the author's premise. His encouragement for followers of Jesus Christ to develop a strong/benevolent Christian identity resonated with me in a powerful fashion. There are numerous passages that excited within me the desire to immediately share with my congregation the concepts about which I was reading. It was difficult to keep track of the many ways I hope to enrich my discipleship and lead others to do the same based on the examples highlighted in this volume. Traditional Christian doctrines, liturgical worship traditions, and missional initiatives are all given a dynamic re-reading in light of the strong/benevolent Christian identity that is described with extraordinary effectiveness in this satisfying volume. Perhaps my favorite McLaren book so far.

The author, a theoretical cosmologist, describes the event that is at the heart of this worthwhile volume with these words: "Somewhere in the universe two black holes collide, an event as powerful as any since the origin of the universe, outputting more than a trillion times the power of a billion Suns. That profusion of energy emanates from the coalescing holes in a purely gravitational form, as waves in the shape of spacetime, as gravitational waves." Professor Levin's book is the tale of the scientists who theorized and developed a means for detecting these gravitational waves, first predicted by Albert Einstein just over one hundred years ago. It is an intriguing and entertaining account of the creation of one of the largest and most sophisticated (but startlingly theoretically simple) projects in the last half century. Levin's particular gift is communicating for the reader the fascinating personalities and eccentricities of the scientists involved with the creation of the gravitational wave observatories. A satisfying read on its own, but a good complementary story is "The Particle at the End of the Universe" by Sean Carroll, the story of the creation of the facility which detected the Higgs Boson particle.

Shortly after I began reading this astonishing novel, I learned it had won the Pulitzer Prize. What more can I say that will encourage you to read it? I should probably mention this, at least: Whitehead's creativity and imagination in telling the tragic, heartbreaking, but ultimately inspiring story of runaway American slaves is masterful. His reimagining of the titular escape route as a literal railroad actually had me convinced that I slept through that history class and this must have really happened. What an incredibly realized and moving work of fiction.

Last year I enjoyed reading Oliver Sacks' memoir, On The Move, published very near his death. In that excellent volume, Sacks described the process of finally coming out as a gay man and embarking upon his first relationship in thirty-five years. This particular relationship, with the writer/photographer Bill Hayes, would sustain and delight Sacks until the end of his life a few short years later. Insomniac City describes the final years of the good doctor's life from Hayes' point of view. In addition, it is a nearly poetic description of the author's blossoming love affair with New York City, where he moved just before meeting Dr. Sacks. Some of the most enchanting passages relate delightful episodes in the daily life of this most fascinating of American metropolises. I enjoyed this book immensely, and reveled in the author's masterful juxtaposition of the tale of his two great loves: Oliver and New York.

One of the most creatively written novels I have read. In fact, I was a little confused at first and wondering what was what, but was still endlessly fascinated by the strange literary landscape in which I found myself. Once I had grown accustomed to Saunders' unique style, I was thoroughly enchanted by what must be the book of the year. President Abraham Lincoln's young son, Willie, has died. The president is understandably distraught and goes to the cemetery (bardo) after dark on Willie's first night there, in order to visit his son's body one more time. The reader is presented with a series of incredible events on both sides: the realms of the living and the dead. Compelling characters, heartbreaking stories, and hilarious dialogue are abundant in what is sure to remain one of my favorite books.

Really exceptional novel with some of the best dialogue I've ever seen on the written page. Foer is a master of character conversation on par with a fine playwright. These characters are especially insightful when it comes to understanding how their own brokenness contributes to the challenging situations in which they find themselves, particularly when a surprisingly large crisis occurs midway through the book. I was most impressed with the powerful theological wisdom on display from what are essentially atheistic characters. This passage, spoken by a young boy at his bar mitzvah, is an excellent example: "Jacob wrestled with God for the blessing. He wrestled with Esau for the blessing. He wrestled with Isaac for the blessing, with Laban for the blessing, and in each case he eventually prevailed. He wrestled because he recognized that the blessings were worth the struggle. He knew that you only get to keep what you refuse to let go of." I will be thinking about this fine novel for a while. This one will definitely stick with me.

Some novels I abandon before completion, with some I force myself to soldier on until the end (expecting a big pay-off, or at least a reader's sense of accomplishment), and others I put down for a long time before picking them back up much later to see if I have the energy to finish them off. My favorite fiction, however, is the sort of novel that is a joy to read from start to finish. The Portable Veblen is one of those unusually compelling, entertaining, and delightful novels that remind me why I enjoy fiction. Funny, insightful, honest, and impressively well-written, this is a fantastic book that I cannot recommend highly enough. Family dynamics, conspicuous consumption, pharmaceutical malfeasance, and the military-industrial complex (oh: and talking squirrels...), what's not to love?

Creative and entertaining. A quick read and a fun story by a talented author with a gift for creating an exciting narrative through emails, handwritten notes, faxes, voicemails, journal entries, etc... An intriguing story of a mysterious disappearance and an opportunity to learn a little about architecture and Antarctica. In that order.

After I made the denominational transition from an evangelical Christian church to a progressive mainline protestant church, it was all too easy for me to simplify my experience and classify the evangelicals of my youth as too-limited in theological scope for my spiritual tastes. This last decade or so in my current denomination has allowed me to forget that there are thoughtful, intellectually engaged, and spiritually vibrant believers in churches of all stripes. James Choung is an author who excites me with his firm grasp of a faith that actually matters in the real world we all inhabit, rather than the too-easily dismissed sort of religion that is concerned only with heaven and eternity. If I had more exposure to evangelical believers with Choung's incredibly insightful understanding of authentic Christianity and real, genuine, gospel "good news," I might never have left the church of my youth. This is a gospel that anyone, even a social justice progressive like myself, can wholeheartedly embrace. What a breath of fresh air.

My first exposure to this book was over 30 years ago when I began working in a bookstore to support myself in college. I admired the artwork and design of the thin volume and enjoyed pretending that I could expertly pronounce the author's name, when my effort was probably not even close. Though I sold and subsequently restocked many copies, I never once actually read it. Now, finally, I have. Worth the wait? I suppose I could say that it definitely was. What a lovely little story. I cannot confidently say that I completely understand the author's intent and/or philosophy, but I was captivated by this beautiful and moving tale, just the same. This is the sort of story that sticks with a reader for a long time. I feel confident I will be reminded of this magical youth and his discovery of what makes life "essential" for many years to come.

This book seems like it would be entertaining and enjoyable for just about any reader, but I found it a particularly satisfying read as a seminary-educated pastor. Written by a self-professed Jewish agnostic, Jacobs' book is a terrific introduction to the often incredibly fascinating, inspiring, and even repulsive world of biblical literalism. There is enough material here for many weeks of sermon illustrations in my own pulpit. What a find.

Are writers our wisest citizens? As I read this compilation of "Dear Sugar" advice columns, I was struck not only by what a gifted writer Cheryl Strayed happens to be, but also how incredibly insightful are her responses. This is simply a brilliant and beautiful collection of powerfully encouraging words shared with people desperately needing a kind, wise, word from a compassionate friend. I was inspired.

As a big fan of the author's personality and sense of humor as a panelist on the radio program, Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, I was enthusiastic to read her memoir. I wanted to see if her delightful persona translated well to the written page. It's very gratifying to be able to report that Ms. Salie is as entertaining in print as she is on the airwaves. There are plenty of genuine laugh-out-loud moments, as well as a few touching stories to tug at your heart strings just a little. While a quick and easy read, Faith's writing has the erudition you'd expect of an honors graduate of Harvard who then became an Oxford-educated Rhodes Scholar. Some of the stories included in this book are surprisingly personal and intimate, and I felt the author showed a lot of courage in opening herself up to her readers in such a transparent fashion. I will now certainly listen to her on the radio with a new appreciation for her frankness and authenticity. Highly recommended.

While I'm ever so slightly wary of what might be called the "celebrity pastor phenomenon," there is something to be said for the unusually gifted writers and thinkers among the clergy who can create literature that elevates, inspires, challenges, and blesses. Nadia Bolz-Weber is one of those individuals. Whereas some celebrity pastors might go to great lengths to hide personal flaws and magnify perceived strengths, this author is beautifully skilled at revealing her insecurities, hang-ups and even sins. This refreshing and heartfelt work of Christian biography is one I found difficult to put down. I loved every page of this fantastic book. I even learned several new things, as Nadia is careful to explain concepts that may be unfamiliar to her readers. The chapter describing God's forgiveness and the difference between the disciples Peter and Judas was worth the purchase price. Highly recommended.

This is a creative tale told in three parts, spanning the the entire twentieth century. You've read books before, so you know that somehow these seemingly unrelated sections will reveal a connection at some point. Yet, even knowing this is coming will not enable the average reader to imagine the exact nature of the connection. When a mystery is too easy to solve, it can be difficult for me to maintain interest. I found this story to be fascinating, and even educational. I learned things about antique cars, pathology, and primatology. The author's skill with language is already well-attested, so you don't have to take my word for it, but I'll admit that I greatly enjoy his style and ability. There is no simple category into which this novel fits, so read it for yourself and be pleasantly surprised.

This was one of those rare occasions where I had no clear idea about what I was to read when I opened this book. In fact, I erroneously assumed this was a novel, as I had paid very little attention to reviews or information about the author. About a third of the way in, I began to marvel at the depth of information provided on the topic of training a hawk. I flipped to the author bio at the back of the book to try to get some idea who she was and how this gifted writer could capture with such amazing detail the process involved in this activity. I was surprised to discover that I was in fact reading a memoir of Macdonald's grief over her father's sudden death and the process of working through that grief with this amazing animal. My knowledge of falconry, which was pretty close to zero, has now increased exponentially. What an enjoyable and fascinating book.

Prepare yourself to read a novel that will be more than good enough to draw you in right from the beginning, but will cleverly become more and more intriguing the closer you come the final pages. The story you think you are reading will gain added dimensions in the last half of the book and will become nearly astonishing as the story ends. Even though I may have fancied myself a fairly astute reader, I was not prepared for the surprising twists the narrative assumed by story's end. What an impressive piece of writing by a gifted author.

Matthea Harvey is one of those spectacularly gifted writers who can manipulate the English language so dexterously that I find myself more often amazed with her technical prowess than the content of the poems themselves (although that is often fantastic as well). I find myself especially drawn to the poems where the first word of a line finishes the thought of the preceding line, but starts a completely new idea for the line it begins. I'm sure there must be a technical poetic term for this exercise, but I don't know what it is. Example: "At their hems that seem to map out coastlines left far Behind the new songs are the old absurd hopes... Read it. This poet is incredibly talented.

Rekdal is one of those writers whose verse makes you want to write poems of your own, and not just any poems, but ones that are exactly like hers. Her facility with the written word is extraordinary, her images incredibly evocative, and her ability to stir emotion is impressive. I was particularly moved by one of the shorter poems in this collection, MOTH, in which she describes a dead moth in amazingly beautiful detail. I was immediately struck with the urge to dash outside and find a dead "something" and begin writing my own pathetic imitation of this fantastic piece of verse. Read this book right away.

I'm slowly and belatedly working my way through this series of books so that I can enjoy the companion season of the HBO series upon completion of each volume. This second book in the series may not be quite as exciting as the first, but it is fascinating nonetheless. I never cease to be amazed at the author's creativity and attention to detail. I am also impressed with the considerable tension created by Mr. Martin's willingness to dispatch with important characters as necessitated by the story, rather than that character's popularity with readers. The world created for the Game of Thrones series of books is truly a fantastic literary accomplishment. I'm looking forward to reading the next volume.

An excellent follow-up to Brown's well-regarded previous title, Daring Greatly, in which she shares how one can continue to apply the concept she calls "wholeheartedness" even after a humbling defeat or personal failure. Rising Strong details the author's research on the process of recovering gracefully from the inevitable setbacks that come to one living a daring & vulnerable wholehearted life.

Lisa Randall, who is a skiing enthusiast in addition to being a highly respected particle physicist, tells a story in her new book about a friend who skis only occasionally and describes his attempts to improve as "two steps forward, two steps back." The author graciously says that the effort to learn and her friend's presence on the mountain is progress in itself, regardless of how much skill is (not) gained during the attempt. What an apt metaphor to describe my efforts to understand concepts like cosmology, dark matter, and any other area of specialization that Professor Randall teaches in this impressive book. She does a great job in the opening chapters of laying a scientific foundation that even a dolt like myself can follow, but by the end of the book I could barely grasp the complex concepts of the final chapters. I will just have to take her words to heart, and accept that my effort to understand her theory about how dark matter may have influenced the cataclysmic event that led to the mass extinction of dinosaurs is progress enough. Who knows? Maybe I am just a little bit smarter for having read an amazing book about a fascinating theory written by a brilliant scientist and talented writer.

It's not really fair. No one should expect me to give an unbiased review of Held's third book when I absolutely loved her first two publications. But here it is anyway: this is her finest work yet. Even though I am predisposed to view everything she does extremely favorably, I have to admit that she had outdone herself with this one. This inspiring, heartbreaking, and even hilarious tale of moving from evangelical certainty into ecumenical doubt and hopefulness is one that will resonate with anyone who has found themselves estranged from traditional, conservative faith in God. The author's journey from conservative evangelicalism to a faith much more difficult to define is a tale that I found especially poignant and moving. What a blessing this book is to me in its celebration of all that each religious tradition brings to the ecumenical table. Held writes, "Thanks to evangelicalism, I don't need Google to tell me that the book of Ezra follows 2 Chronicles or where to find the words 'love is patient, love is kind.' Thanks to the emerging church, I know I'm not the only one who doubts or the only one who dreams of beating swords into plowshares or spears into pruning hooks. Were it not for the Anglicans, I'd have never found The Book of Common Prayer or fallen in love with the Eucharist. Were it not for The Mission, I'd have never known the depth of my own resourcefulness or the importance of taking risks." (p. 179)

This is one of those wonderful collections of poetry that you can gladly and confidently give as a gift. Whomever received it would feel blessed and honored to be so highly esteemed as to receive one of the loveliest contemporary poetic works available. I would give this to someone just so they would appreciate how much love I have for him or her. Honestly, these poems are so good one feels compelled to share them. Time to buy more copies....

One of America's best poets writes an amazing book about how to create poetry. Simply brilliant. Even if the reader has no intention of writing his or her own poems, this book is interesting and inspiring from a pure creativity mindset. One chapter in particular stuck with me (analysis of meter), and her breakdown of Robert Frost's "Stopping by woods on a snowy evening" was so impressive that I have actually shared what I learned with others. Highly recommended, especially for those budding poets among us.

What a challenging book. I was so fascinated and disturbed by the difficulties and unpleasantness of the title character's description of a dangerous life of drugs, meaningless sex, and psychological darkness, that I found it difficult to read at times. However, her description of a life serving customers in a Zagat-rated steak restaurant in Dallas was intriguing and has stuck with me in a powerful way. It is impossible now for me not to consider my own servers in a completely new way whenever I eat out. My mind is filled with her stories of the conversations and controversies going on behind the scenes and I can't help but wonder at the potential drama in each place I visit. That's an impressive accomplishment for any book.

This short little volume can easily be read in one sitting, but I imagine that its impact will remain with me far longer than that of much longer books. This is a collection of four essays that the beloved author wrote shortly before his death this year (August 2015). Upon receiving a fatal cancer diagnosis, Dr. Sacks approached the end of his life with remarkable grace and peace, sharing these beautiful thoughts on his gratitude for a life well worth living. One can only hope to depart this life as gracefully as he did.

There is currently no shortage of books and blogs written by brilliant, talented women who challenge their readers with authentic and vulnerable stories that can do no less than encourage each one of those readers to enact a myriad of positive changes in life and love. I'm thinking of Brené Brown, Elizabeth Gilbert, Maria Popova, and Cheryl Strayed, just to name a very few. As a result of my admiration for their work, I was serendipitously informed of Amanda Palmer's book, The Art of Asking. I had already had the slightest exposure to Amanda's music, but I was not aware of this book. What an absolute treasure. I thought I might learn a little bit about conducting a successful crowdfunding venture, based on the fact that she is one of the most successful crowd-sourcing artists of all time. In fact, I did learn that, and it was encouraging and inspirational. But the great surprise for me was the incredible depth and vulnerability of the author's story. I was moved to tears on several different pages as I read stories of rejection, heartbreak, sacrifice, joy, and love. I finished this book with more than a desire to conduct a successful fundraising campaign. Rather, I finished this book wanting to be a better person- someone who loves more, shares more, and is more vulnerable and authentic. I've even taken up the ukulele. Thank you, Amanda Palmer.

What more can I tell you about a book that has already won the Pulitzer Prize? I sat down and read this one straight through because I couldn't get enough of the poet's spellbinding way of describing the heartbreak and tragedy of the dissolution of a thirty year marriage. Sometimes painfully sad, other times incredibly moving, always inspiring- this collection of poems reaffirms my faith in modern verse. Highly recommended.

Once, a friend was sharing with me some of her favorite poets. She said, "Well, first of all, Mary Oliver. Of course." Yes, of course, I replied, too ashamed to admit my ignorance of a poet with whom I obviously should have been well-acquainted. Immediately after that conversation I began to read everything I could find by the incredible Mary Oliver, and I'm thrilled that I did. This new collection of love poems and meditations on happiness is simply perfection. Her eye for the natural world is as sharp as ever, but her verses on love and the experience of emotions like joy and happiness are what truly stir the heart in this volume. The final line in the book is sure to resonate with each reader of this precious work: "It must surely, then, be very happy down there in your heart. 'Yes,' I said. 'It is.'"

Labor Day weekend gave me just the excuse I needed to ignore all responsibilities and read this enormously entertaining memoir straight through. The book's existence surprised me: I saw the author's name on a presenter's list at a local book festival in Decatur, GA, and I made sure to be present for his talk. Already a huge fan of Key thanks to his brilliant essays in The Oxford American magazine, I was excited to see the man who had provided me with so much laughter for the last several years. I was surprised and delighted to discover that he was promoting a new book, a memoir based on his experiences growing up in the rural American south with a larger-than-life character of a father. Stories of hunting, fishing, football, and family fill the story of a man desperately trying to become all the best things he knew his father to be and trying like hell to avoid all the worst. Some of my favorite stories from the book echo my own southern adolescence in Arkansas and Texas, and I am once again pleasantly surprised to discover that I did not suffer these indignities alone. It's a small thing, but I was even gratified to discover Key's hatred of the bologna that his father ate mirrors perfectly my own tortured experience with the hateful meat, and his description of it caused me to laugh aloud and share the comment with my wife, who just stared at me quietly. "It was a hellish meat, the flesh of Satan's horses, a sausage infused with alien gases and the tears of abandoned children." I also found a simple passage concerning the different child-rearing philosophies of Key and his long-suffering wife to be especially amusing: "Don't throw the children at the ceiling fan," she said one night, while I was throwing one of our children at the ceiling fan. "But why?" I said. Honestly, all I was doing was throwing our daughter up, higher and higher, and then catching her. We were nowhere near the fan, mostly because I had already accidentally thrown her into it, without telling my wife, and the kid had been fine, mostly. "The fan is scary, which makes it more fun," I said. "She could die," said my wife. I replied, "I've been thrown into many a fan, and look at me." An unexpected pleasure of reading this memoir is the unusually moving way that the author writes of his love for his parents and his wife and children. Key has an incredible gift for hilarity and compassion in surprising proximity. I can't recommend this volume highly enough.

My first exposure to a combination of science fiction/Christian missionary tale. It's an extremely engrossing novel describing extraterrestrial evangelism, but the most enjoyable aspect of the story is the account of the love shared between the missionary and his wife back home on an increasingly deteriorating Earth. What a beautiful and challenging story of the universe's furthest "long distance relationship." Highly recommended.

An unusually accessible and impressive volume detailing the typical reformed position on a host of theological issues: creation, predestination, sanctification, the future, sin, etc... The author is an excellent teacher and offers some really compelling justifications for why one's traditionally accepted views on one or more of the book's topics might be ready for an update. Highly recommended.

I'm a little late to the party, but I wanted to read this before I began watching the HBO series on DVD. Great decision. I don't know if I would have realized what a surprisingly good job has been done recreating such an excellent book for the small screen. I'm very impressed with the author's imagination and breadth of scope. What an amazing world he has created. Very excited about continuing the series.

Upon making a new friend recently, I was examining her collection of books displayed on the shelves in her living room. I saw David James Duncan's "Brothers K" and mentioned how much I had enjoyed reading that book. We both agreed that it was one of our favorite novels. She suggested that I should read Duncan's book "The River Why" and loaned me her copy. What a blessing this book is. It is a fantastic and fascinating coming of age story told gloriously through the eyes of a young fly-fisherman as he learns to navigate spirituality, community, his natural environment, and love. The story is wonderful, but that almost didn't matter to me because the author's prose is so masterful that I would have been enthralled regardless of the subject matter. On several occasions I texted the book's owner with sentences that leaped off the page and dazzled me with their humor, cleverness, or profundity. How wonderful it is to continue discovering literature I've missed, and I'm thankful for friends who are willing to share the books they love so others can be blessed by them. Highly recommended.

After reading several glowing reviews of this book I saw the two-part travel piece that the author wrote for the New York Times Sunday magazine. I was so impressed with the style and tone of the piece that I decided to take the plunge and begin my journey through this massive six-volume opus. Book One is a mesmerizing and thoroughly enjoyable account of a young man's childhood and early adult years as he comes to terms with the powerful effect of a difficult and heart-breaking relationship with an emotionally distant alcoholic father. Nothing new in that sort of tale, but what fascinates the reader is the author's incredible gift of language and the beautifully lyrical descriptions of the most mundane minutiae of everyday life. Knausgaard has the ability to describe cleaning a bathroom or making a pot of coffee as compellingly as he tells the gut-wrenching story of his father's horrifying demise from the ravages of alcohol abuse. This is prose at its finest.

Caroline Paul has written a lovely and delightful little book that is as enjoyable for the cat lover as for those who have no interest in cats, but love an engaging and charmingly told tale. The illustrations by the author's partner, Wendy MacNaughton, are fantastic and often hilarious, adding an element of light-hearted humor to to an already amusing narrative. The author's account of a desperate search for an errant but beloved feline companion is compelling and entertaining. Upon the title pet's return, an impressively complex program of investigation commences to determine the cat's whereabouts during his extended absence. Funny, tender, touching, and ultimately satisfying, this quick and easy read is for anyone who cherishes a good story, well-told. Highly recommended.

Much like the author, I grew up in an environment of conservative fundamentalism. My own journey into a Christian faith that values doubt, questioning, and exploration is mirrored in the tale of this young woman and her journey from dogged certainty to an uncompromising search for Christian truth. Filled with humor, wisdom, and empathy, this book is highly recommended for anyone who wants more from their faith than pat answers and knee-jerk reactions. What a heart-warming and encouraging account of what it means to be genuinely faithful in a contemporary context.

I read this book at the recommendation of a friend of the author's. Normally, that is a situation where I feel guaranteed to dislike the book. I can't remember ever reading something worthwhile written by someone I knew, or almost knew. This book is a happy exception: a novel about life as a through-hiker on the Appalachian Trail written by an AT through-hiker. The vibrant and exciting situations described in the novel have an authentic quality that I'm sure owes a great debt to the experiences of the author. The tale is written as the trail journal entries of a group of hikers who team up near the beginning of the journey and grow to become a family along the 2,000 mile trip, sharing adventures, difficulties, and love along the way. I was enthralled with this surprisingly well-written book all the way from Georgia to Maine. I can't wait to see what is next from Richard Judy. Highly recommended.

Though it has been a long time since I have read a graphic novel, it wasn't difficult to remember why I once found so much pleasure in the genre. This particular novel is light on dialogue, but has one of the most expansive stories possible, a story that spans millions of years. While at first it may seem like a random collection of scenes occurring in the same spot throughout many millennia, there is more than enough continuity to manufacture a compelling narrative in the reader's mind. I was pleasantly intrigued with the concept and entertained by the final product. Well done.

As a fan of Father James Martin through his media appearances, this reader was not disappointed in the breezy and engaging style with which Martin recounts his brief, but thorough pilgrimage in the holy land. Self-deprecating humor mixed with devout wonder and impeccable scholarship make this an enjoyable read. Martin juxtaposes his experiences in the contemporary locations of Christ's biblical appearances with a detailed account of the historical & spiritual context of each story. The result is an entertaining and powerfully illuminating book. Highly recommended.

One might not expect a book that recounts the scientific evidence and explanations for extinction events, both past and present, to be entertaining. Yet, that is exactly what The Sixth Extinction is: an entertaining and fully engrossing tale of the role that various factors have played in the end of different species throughout earth's history. Elizabeth Kolbert has written her book in a very accessible style, especially considerate of those readers who may not be thoroughly scientifically literate. She uses humor exceptionally well for a science writer. This fascinating book leaves the reader with a compelling sense of urgency concerning the future of our planet and the various species on the brink of extinction. It would be difficult to imagine anyone reading this without learning something he or she did not know before about the mind-boggling complexity and fragility of life as we know it on this amazing planet. Very highly recommended.

A few of the poems in this collection are written in a north country dialect with which the author must have been familiar growing up. There are even some terms defined in the margins. I felt like I was an international traveler receiving an education while simultaneously being awed by the magical lyricism of the verse. One of my favorite collections this year.

Was there another collection of poems that, upon reading them, I found myself so enormously fascinated with the imagination of the poet? So charmed by the humor contained in the verse? So captivated by the extraordinary autobiographical confessions? No. There was not.

This is one of those collections of poems that you will read straight through and then wish that you could have the opportunity to befriend the poet. I want to know the person that wrote this verse. I want to look into the eyes of someone with this much talent. I want to find out if I am as mesmerized by her physical voice as I am by the voice of her pen. What a thrill to imagine what she will do next.

I sat at the bar drinking a glass of bourbon, neat, while reading this arresting collection of poems. Definitely one of the most satisfying afternoons I have enjoyed in a while. There's a very good chance that my mind became more intoxicated with the quality of this poet's verse than it did with the Knob Creek in my glass. This book absolutely needs a publisher on this side of the pond. Highly recommended.

A brutal and fascinating account of life among the Comanche Indians in frontier Texas is interspersed with stories of the lives of the descendants of those early settlers. The descriptions of the landscape and the ferocity of the native Americans is convincingly authentic. The more contemporary characters' lives are slightly less interesting and even somewhat distracting, but overall, the effect of this novel is powerful and long-lasting. This tale of life on the edge of civilization is vivid and unforgettable. Highly recommended.

If you've ever felt intimidated reading true-life adventure tales written by seemingly larger-than-life individuals who possess skills, daring, and drive that have thus far eluded you, then here is your book. What is most enjoyable about Bryson's tale of attempting the Appalachian Trail is how bad he is at this sort of thing. A very non-intimidating adventurer, Bryson is nevertheless a hilarious and gifted chronicler of the ups and downs of life on the trail as experienced by a well-intentioned by poorly prepared and inexperienced "outdoorsman." Highly recommended.

This is an enormously enjoyable book for anyone who is interested in learning about the journey of a conservative Christian woman in the American south who goes from biblical literalist to thoughtful progressive with a simple experiment: attempt to follow Scripture's instructions for women word-for-word. The result is amusing, even hilarious, as the author attempts to navigate the difficulties of becoming a "biblical woman" in contemporary evangelical culture. This is a very encouraging and thoughtful treatment of what it means to be a faithful Christian woman in the midst of a Christian culture that is confused about its identity, especially where women are concerned. Highly recommended.

This is one of those books that causes the reader to think that he or she will never be the same after reading it. It's the sort of book that inspires one to say, "I want to be a better person." Not better as in more moral, ethical, or well-behaved. Better as in more genuinely authentic, more real, and more in tune with oneself and all those around. This is a fantastic book with a perfectly workable blueprint for becoming the very best version of ourselves that we can possibly be through the process of being vulnerable and authentic.

Recently I heard Stephen Colbert describe "Young Adult Novels" as books that people actually finish. I think I understand that. As a reader, you will be excited to plow through all three of the novels in this series written by the erudite lead singer of The Decemberists. Don't let the fact that these books could be characterized as children's literature dissuade you from enjoying some of the most entertaining adventure tales this side of Lord of the Rings & Harry Potter. You're going to love your sojourn in Wildwood.

If you have enjoyed reading Corey's blog and have often wished that a particular post could be longer, deeper, and more richly detailed, then here is your book. Undiluted is an encouraging and inspiring account of the life of faith within the emerging Christian paradigm. The book is a challenging and fascinating look at the journey from a reductionist and fundamentalist faith to a vibrant life as a devoted follower of Jesus Christ alone. Highly recommended.

This historical novel is a surprisingly entertaining account of the life & exploits of abolitionist John Brown told from the perspective of a young rescued slave boy that everyone in Brown's crew has mistaken for a girl. The portrayal of Mister Brown, as told by Onion, is impressive and hilarious. I wonder if the actual character could have been half as fascinating as the author has written him. Highly recommended, especially for fans of Civil War era history.

From the very first printed word (literally) in this refreshing spiritual memoir, you know that you have picked up a unique entry in the genre. Nadia Bolz Weber is an exciting new voice in the field of Christian writing and will be especially appreciated by those who think they have read all there is to read on the topic. Direct, open, and disarmingly honest, the author will change the way you think about spiritual writing. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

This is a thoughtful and well-written treatment of life inside the world of a gay evangelical Christian. The issue of homosexuality in the Church can often be challenging, sometimes even for the progressive believer. Therefore, it is especially encouraging to read an account of the particular theological and intellectual challenges faced by a gay man with a background in a conservative faith. I was impressed by the seriousness and respect with which the author approaches Scripture and Christian tradition, while still maintaining an unwavering commitment to claiming God's love for all, even people who have been typically denied full inclusion. I highly recommend Torn for anyone interested in gaining a fascinating perspective of gay Christianity from an evangelical perspective.