The time has come to drop this bad boy. Let's get right to it.
One point of order before we start: You'll notice that I spent a good amount of time with C.S. Lewis this year. Word to the wise: If you aren't Lewis-maxing, you aren't gonna make it.
I also didn't number them. Let's just say that the first three are in order but the remaining seven aren't.
That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis
Man, I loved this book. I loved it so much that my wife started to get annoyed with me for talking about it too much. I have all but begged my friends to read it so that I can talk to them about it.
This is the dystopia you should have read, as opposed to 1984. (Fun fact: Orwell didn't like this book. Loser.)
Many people love Lewis' children's fiction series The Chronicles of Narnia–and for good reason! But many aren't aware he has other works of fiction as well (some of which appear on this list).
This book is the conclusion to what has been called The Space Trilogy (but is more aptly titled The Ransom Trilogy). I struggle with what to say about the book without making this whole post about it–that's how much there is to this book. Modern materialism vs. medieval cosmology; faceless bureaucrats who operate in the shadows; journalists who create news rather than report it; transhumanism and satanic ritualism; the magic of the created world vs. the myopic dreadfulness of modern science; Lewis was certainly prescient to our own day.
Please read this book.
The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
Another work of fiction from Lewis, although this feels more like a parable than a novel. I immediately wanted to read it again after I finished.
I had taken a crack at this book years ago, but some things are only able to be truly enjoyed when you approach them with some of the wisdom that comes as you age.
The book describes a group of people who are transported from Hell to Heaven. Surprisingly (or, not so surprisingly) they all hate it. This book isn't so much a theological work setting out to describe the afterlife as much as it is a work that forces you to think about why people go to Heaven or hell. Hell, in this book, isn't a place of fire and torment (like Scripture describes). Rather, it's a sprawling suburb filled with people who continue to move further and further away from each other as their resentment, bitterness, and pettiness compound century after century. Imagine your temper today compounded over thousands of years with nothing holding it back: That's hell in this book.
The riders of the bus who arrive in Heaven discover that Heaven is too real for them. They are ghosts in Heaven–they can't even walk on grass without it feeling like shards of glass. Each ghost is greeted by a companion from Heaven who tries to convince them to stay (mostly to no avail). Each ghost represents a different sinful situation. The chapter dealing with the woman who lost her son was especially gripping, as well as the one dealing with the liberal pastor.
The Age of Entitlement: America Since the Sixties by Christopher Caldwell
Ever wonder why it feels like the America of today falls so short of the Constitution our founders drafted? Politicians endlessly speak about returning to "constitutional" governance, but it never seems like we get any closer to it. In this book, Caldwell describes the reason: We adopted a new Constitution.
He argues that the passing of the Civil Rights Act reframed the way the American people understand themselves in relation to each other, as well as how the government relates to us. Essentially, this legislation served as a second Constitution which supersedes the one we put out in 1789. I get the sense I'm already treading in tenuous waters—which are usually the kind of waters I enjoy—but going any deeper would venture beyond the scope of this post. I'll simply say that there were many "ah-ha moments" for me while reading this book. If you want to understand where we are as a nation (as well as how we got here), this will be a great book to add to your list.
The Toxic War On Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes by Nancy Pearcey
I only discovered Nancy Pearcey this year and have found her to be a valuable voice amidst the chaos of our cultural moment.
Pearcey gave a great account of how the phrase "toxic masculinity" came into vogue. She gave a sweeping picture of the norms for masculinity and femininity in the past few centuries to set the stage for how we arrived where we are today. Her conclusion: Masculinity isn't inherently toxic. If anything, the masculinity promoted by progressives is toxic, as well as the type of masculinity that results from the inevitable pushback from those on the fringe right (read: the Andrew Tates of the world).
The world needs men. And where men flourish, the rest of society follows. The best thing we can offer our women and children in this age of clownish-ness is strong, powerful, noble men.
Rules for Reformers by Douglas Wilson
Riffing off Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals, Wilson offers his own strategy for how Christians can engage with culture and win.
I think what appeals to me about books like these is the spirit of victory. The evangelical climate can be defined by a demeanor that seems to think the only way to win is to lose over and over and over. This leads to a lot of defensive ministry to church-goers, wherein ministers try to undo as much of the cultural indoctrination as possible. I'm encouraged by the offensive approach laid out in this book.
Perelandra by C.S. Lewis
This won't be the the last time Lewis shows up on this list.
This is the second book in Lewis' Ransom Trilogy and it did not disappoint. I don't want to spoil anything, but here are some questions that might pique your interest:
What if you could travel to a world that was un-fallen? What if, in this world, you met the "Eve" figure before she fell into Satan's temptation? What if you were there with her when Satan arrived and began to tempt her? What if you were able to have it out with Satan over this woman's fate?
This is the scenario Lewis imagines as Dr. Ransom travels to Venus (called Perelandra in the book) and meets the Green Lady. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat and force you to think about the question: What exactly did we lose when humanity fell? I can't commend it enough.
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Like many other good Christian boys, I read this book in my younger days. But reading it again this year was extra special because I read it aloud to my son, David. One of the great joys of fathering is passing down great stories to your kids, and kids today need as much Narnia as they can get into their lives.
Lewis writes so well that I often found myself as caught up in the story as David. I was encouraged by the not-so-subtle gospel undertones in the book and was delighted to watch David make the connection between Aslan and Jesus all by himself.
Every little boy needs to pretend he is Peter fighting alongside Aslan to destroy the White Witch. Good vs. evil stories like these teach kids what it means to fight for what's right. And as the adage goes, if you don't teach the boys, the men won't know. Let the reader understand.
Between Two Worlds: The Challenge of Preaching Today by John Stott
I'll throw this one on the list for my preacher friends. I don't have much to say about it other than, it is an encouraging exhortation toward expository preaching. Stott lays a foundation for why preaching has remained the glorious center of Christian worship for two thousand years and calls preachers to embrace their responsibility to bridge the gap between the world of the Bible and the world of today.
At the end, he offers a lot of practical help for sermon preparation and study. Every pastor serious about good preaching (which should be every pastor) should read this book if they haven't already.
The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis
You could literally read this book in an afternoon if you wanted—and what a well-spent afternoon it would be. This book is three chapters long with each chapter able to stand alone if need be. They are connected by Lewis' thoughts about the state of modern (to him) education and where he fears modern education might lead (that's where we are now). Lewis was, unfortunately, vindicated in his fears as many of the things he warned about seem normal to us today. Books like this are important if we want to find our way back.
Side note: This book is the nonfiction companion to That Hideous Strength. I read them one after the other. The "men without chests" in Abolition are the men who comprise the N.I.C.E. in THS, for example. These books should be read together, only allow me to suggest reading this one before the other.
The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible by Michael Heiser
I struggled as to whether or not to include this book because I didn't actually finish it (but I will!). I feel duty-bound to state this fact upfront.
However, I've spent a lot of time listening to Heiser's interviews, documentaries, and podcasts in addition to reading this book. Becket Cook recommended this book to me after he spoke at an event I hosted at our church; he told me this book would "change my whole perspective on the Bible." I would say there is a lot of truth to that.
I think the book has shaped more of how I look at the early chapters of Genesis (the antediluvian world, for all you smarty-pantses out there). And it has also greatly affected my willingness to embrace the supernatural in our world. The world we live in isn't just "stuff," ladies and gentlemen. And I'll be darned if I let the Neil Degrasse Tyson types tell me that unless something can be measured or quantified, it doesn't exist. We interact with spiritual forces more often than we realize (which is a theme that shows up in That Hideous Strength).
I could write a whole post about this book, but once again I will digress. Suffice it to say I would recommend serious thinkers to read this book and come to their own conclusions. Anyone who knows me should know that I'm a card-carrying cessationist, and yet I would reject any notion that cessationism is incompatible with a robustly supernatural worldview.
One thing: Heiser is wicked smart, but he has a chapter on Calvinism in this book that is–how can I put this?– sophomoric. But other than that, I'm pretty down with most of what he says.
Alright, there you have it. I expect you all to Lewis-max this year. And go read The Ransom Trilogy (The Space Trilogy)!