LeavittLens' Top 10 Books of 2024

It's tough for me to pin down my top books every year, only because part of my work means dropping into and out of dozens of terrific commentaries and books for sermons that I don't ultimately get to finish, so for my own records and disciplines, I only track the books I finish each year in my GoodReads account and Top 10 rankings. I completed 48 books this year, but if you're interested in some of the best commentaries and books I spent time in but didn't finish, reach out - plenty of resources on that front!

I'm realizing that much of my narratival exploration has shifted to films (118 of them this year), and so my book reading has shifted away from novels more and more. I'd like to incorporate more novels next year, as the creative writer in me missed them, but I hope that this list still provides some worthwhile recommendations for y'all into the new year. Let me know your thoughts if you pick any of them up - I'd love to hear your thoughts!

1. The Undertaking: Life Studies From The Dismal Trade, by Thomas Lynch - an unflinching, poetic prose examination of the life of a small town undertaker, reflecting on his many decades in his trade. Filled with profound wisdom, hilarious and striking insights, and a multitude of moments that will have you reflecting and crying as you read. We'll see how I feel after a few years of it sitting for me, but it may make its way into my lifetime Top 10!
2. Ministers of Propaganda: Truth, Power, and the Ideology of the Religious Right, by Scott M. Coley - one of two in my top 10 that helped shape my approach and conversations surrounding our divisive political year, this book (written by PhD in Philosophy and Master's in Systematic Theology) is a masterful examination of the predominant fallacious and theologically bankrupt approaches to politics that have been adopted in recent history by a particular brand of religiously plated right-wing political ideologies. Written with the clarity of a philosopher, the heart of one who deeply loves Christ, and the wit of a terrific linguist, this is a must-read, regardless of where one lands on the political spectrum.
3. Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, by David W. Blight - remarkably well-written by one of our foremost living historians, Blight's work here shows a deep affection for one of the most noteworthy Americans to have lived in the last few centuries. Won the Pulitzer Prize for a reason: pick this up!
4. Sacred Fire: A Vision for a Deeper Human and Christian Maturity, by Ronald Rolheiser - Rolheiser is quickly growing on me in recent years: he brings together well-studied academic insights from his decades as a Catholic minister with practical, accessible writing that brings those topics to the average reader in actionable ways. If you're looking for a robust and insightful examination of deepening spiritual maturity, this is a terrific read!
5. Scandalous Witness: A Little Political Manifesto for Christians, by Lee Camp - Concise, clever, and robust. Should be required reading for every American Christian on the subject of faith, culture, and politics. Camp's humor and insights make this a quick and thought-provoking read!
6. Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord?: A Biblical Theology of the Book of Leviticus, by M. Michael Morales - in advance of teaching a Torah course to undergraduates at GCU this year, I decided to pick up M. Michael Morales' commentary, and it immediately became one of my favorite biblical commentaries on any book. For the average bible-reader (Christian or otherwise), Leviticus often proves utterly confounding as a text, and Morales' linguistic, cultural, and thematic examination here not only de-intimidates the text but opens it up in richness and wonder. A must have for anyone choosing to read through Leviticus!
7. Renovated: God, Dallas Willard, and the Church that Transforms, by Jim Wilder - Wilder has spent years researching the intersection of brain science and character transformation, becoming a neurotheologian with a PhD in Clinical Psychology and an MA in Theology. The result here is a book, written with insights from the late and brilliant Dallas Willard, that beautifully captures the intersection of psychological and spiritual health in ways that are desperately needed in an American church culture that so often overlooks such health. It challenged me, encouraged me, and I hope continues to grow me in future years!
8. You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit, by James K.A. Smith - I first encountered Smith's work in seminary reading his summary of Charles Taylor's philosophy, How (Not) To Be Secular, and found his writing both academically invigorating and easily accessible. The same is true here, as Smith unpacks the ways in which our hearts--that is, the deepest seat of our desires--ultimately make us into the people we are, and how cultivating habits that channel these desires rightly ultimately make us the free and full humans we are made to be. Must read!
9. The Shaping of Things To Come: Innovation and Mission for the 21st Century, by Alan Hirsch and Michael Frost - As Christianity continues its sharp decline in the Western world, theologians and missiologists Hirsch and Frost bring together decades of experience in global settings to prophetically critique the dominant Western, attractional, dualistic version of Christendom church and illustrate how the system itself is to blame. Convincingly bringing together church history, scriptural engagement, and philosophical/cultural insights, their work here should be required reading for every pastor and ministry leader in America and Europe (it will be required reading for our staff at Midtown in the next year)! If you're in ministry, you must read this and then shoot me a text so we can get coffee and chat about it!
10. JPS Commentary: Esther, by Adele Berlin - From one of the best working Hebraists in the world, this compelling linguistic, cultural, and historical examination of the book of Esther was a joy to read through as we taught through the series at Midtown this year (you can see the resulting teaching series at this link)!

What were some of the best books you read this year? Let me know!