Favourite Reads of 2020

Every year I try to maintain some level of regularity and variety in my literary consumption. Most of the time I have a book or two I'm reading through. Some are read quickly from cover to cover; others are taken a page or two at a time. Some are easy to read, others are heavier going. Some are practical, some are thought-provoking, some are educational, and some are inspiring. Some get passed around the family after I finish them. Some are old, and others are new publications. Let's take a look at some of my favourite titles read throughout 2020.

 

The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich

By Timothy Ferriss

I'm almost in two minds about including this one. My worldview is in many ways different from the author's, and I disagree with some of the main premises (such as everybody wanting to reduce or eliminate work as much as possible), BUT there are so many practical suggestions that I find myself implementing and successfully improving my own time management, so I've decided to go ahead and include it. As the title suggests, this book is about learning to finance your life with minimal time spent working. Mostly this is discussed in terms of drop-shipping type start-ups, but there are suggestions relevant to other career paths as well. I particularly appreciated the author's distinction between work and things that only look like work, something I still consider somewhat regularly. If you feel like you're always busy but never really moving forward, this book may provide useful insight.

Next Door Saviour: Near Enough to Touch, Strong Enough to Trust

By Max Lucado

Mum gave me this book and I thought it looked less intellectual than I felt like reading ha! I was right, but once I got into the swing of it, I did end up enjoying it. Max Lucado reminds us of Jesus' humanity, and how He experienced many of the things we do, and can relate to us. Great reminder and encouragement if God feels distant or difficult to talk to.

 

God's Crime Scene: A Cold-Case Detective Examines the Evidence for a Divinely Created Universe

By J. Warner Wallace

This book's author, J. Warner Wallace, grew up an atheist. Later in life he decided to apply his training as a cold-case detective to examine the claims of Christianity. This book lays out the results of his examination in a clear and easy to follow format with plenty of illustrations. Such a fascinating read. Highly recommend!

Wrestling Prayer: A Passionate Communion with God

By Eric and Leslie Ludy

Do we just "say a prayer" now and again, or is real prayer a regular part of our lives? What would it take for us to communicate as closely with God as biblical heroes of old? Or to see miracles worked in answer to our prayers? Eric and Leslie Ludy share some biblical principles of prayer that are mostly forgotten in modern culture.

Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us

By Donald Trump Jr.

Plenty of language I'm not fond of used in this to communicate some important concepts we would do well to remember. Also interesting personal anecdotes from the campaign trail and elsewhere. I didn't realise Don Jr. had grandparents in Czechoslovakia and spent childhood summers visiting them there, but he draws some relevant insight from those experiences.

 

Practical Christianity

By Arthur W. Pink

Probably one of the oldest books I had read for a while, Practical Christianity was heavier going and took longer to get into. Once I did though I discovered it to be a treasure trove of information. So good, and so convicting.

The Devil's Nightmare

By Ray Comfort

When it comes to evangelism, God's way works far better than anything flashy and glittery that we can dream up. Funny that.

Unborn. Untold.: True Stories of Abortion and God's Healing Grace

By Ruth Coghill and Sara Davison

I saw this mentioned in a few places and eventually decided to grab myself a copy and see what it was like. So glad I did! This recent publication compiles some absolutely incredible true stories of abortion. Refused by some, chosen by some, survived by some. Powerful and important testimonies that need to be shared. Although heart-wrenching in places, this book is woven through with hope.

The Final Choice: End of Life Suffering - Is Assisted Dying the Answer?

By Caralise Trayes

Kiwi journalist Caralise interviewed a number of people on both sides of the euthanasia debate, in New Zealand and abroad for this book. This is a great resource for learning what's in our new legislation, and what all the debate surrounding its introduction was about.

 

Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done

By Laura Vanderkam

If that subtitle doesn't describe my ideal, I don't know what does. This is relatively quick to read, and another book with practical ideas I'm applying to my own life with success. I've spent more time relaxing and reflecting since I read this, and kept up with demanding commitments and knocked my goals off one by one at the same time. Are you practicing alignment?

Twelve Ordinary Men: How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness, and What He Wants to do with You

By John MacArthur

Meet the apostles like never before. Who did Jesus choose to continue His ministry? No one we would've selected. This was such an amazing book to read. John MacArthur digs into the gospels and other historical records to find out who these twelve men were, in far greater detail than I've previously been aware of. Interesting, easy to read, and relevant to us today. I came away feeling like I needed to get into the gospels and compare them myself.

It's hard to believe I read some of these titles almost a year ago; they still feel so recent. I enjoyed some pretty amazing books during 2020 and looking over this list brings back good memories. I'm glad I made time to acquire and read all of these.

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