My Favorite Books I Read in 2021

My reading has slowed some in recent years. A combination of factors has led to me reading quite a few less books than I would have 5-6 years ago. That said, I still read enough in 2021 to justify putting together a list of my favorite books I read during the year, at least for myself so I can look back in the future.

These aren't necessarily books published in 2021 (most weren't), and they aren't necessarily the "best" books I read. But they are the ones I found most interesting, entertaining, edifying, enlightening, challenging, and/or simply enjoyable.

Generally in order of most favorite on down.

The Wonderful Works of God - Herman Bavinck

• Started in 2020, but finished in 2021. Simply one of the best works of theology I've read in a long time. A welcome antidote to much of what passes for systematic theology today. I plan on reading through Bavinck's 4-Volume Reformed Dogmatics in 2022.

Peace Like a River - Lief Enger

• I've been meaning to read this book for many years, and I'm so glad I finally did. Simply one of the best novels I've ever read in my life. Enger's prose is absolutely beautiful, and the story is breathtaking.

The Baseball 100 - Joe Posnanski

• This is a compilation of profiles Posnanski wrote for The Athletic on the 100 greatest baseball players of all-time. I have absolutely loved making my way through these. If you love baseball, this should go right to the top of your list.

The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia,Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution - Carl Trueman

• Another one I started in 2020 and finished in 2021. An incredibly important book detailing the historical and philosophical reasons behind the state of our world today. 

Simply Trinity: The Unmanipulated Father, Son, and Spirit - Matthew Barrett

• A wonderful corrective to the flawed versions of the Trinity so prominent in many evangelical circles. Shows how the EFS or ERAS of Grudem and others is erroneous and actually detracts from our ability to worship the Triune God accurately. A welcomed breath of fresh air.

Jayber Crow - Wendell Berry

• A beautiful novel set in Barry's fictional town of Port Williams, this book details the life of Jayber Crow, the town barber. If that sounds boring, you've clearly never read Berry. Highly recommended.

Pappyland: A Story of Family, Fine Bourbon, and the Things That Last - Wright Thompson

• I assumed this would be a story about Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. It is, but so much more. It's about family, fathers, and failure. And how life is fleeting. And permanence. And of course, good bourbon. Thompson's writing continually surprised me, even bringing me near tears towards the end. Really, really good.

The Israel of God: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow - O. Palmer Robertson

• Somehow I'd never gotten around to reading this one. Really wish I had. Surgical refutation of the dispensational understanding of Israel's relationship the land and the promises of God in the OT. Such a more beautiful picture of God's plan of redemption than I'd been given in the past.

A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

• I will admit I struggled with this one at first. I read the first half of the book and then listened to the rest on audiobook. I really got into it once I started listening. The last pages are some of the best literature I've ever read in my life. So glad I stuck with this one.

Cinderella Man: James Braddock, Max Baer, and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History - Jeremy Schaap

• The true story the movie is based on. I learned a ton from this about the lives of both James Braddock as well as Max Baer (who has his own extremely interesting story and was not the one-dimensional character portrayed in the movie). Really good sports writing here.