I love to read. More than almost any other decision, the one I made in my early 20’s to become a serious reader and consumer of information (and great works of literature) has proven to be the undergirding catalyst in whatever personal or professional success I’ve enjoyed thus far. Certainly this includes the consumption of current, modern information, but it is the wisdom of the ages—in fiction or non-fiction form—that has added layers of richness to my life that the high school version of R.J. Moeller would have missed had I stayed on the mindless course I was most definitely on.
That reading makes you a “better” person is, of course, debatable. That reading a diverse menu of literature is the common characteristic of a wise person cannot be contested.
This is my third annual “Books to Read” list, and I’ve included works of both fiction and non-fiction in my list. There is no rhyme or reason for the order in which these books are placed. Enjoy yourselves!
January – The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad. From the author who brought you Heart of Darkness (and, indirectly, Apocalypse Now) comes the fascinating story of Mr. Adolf Verloc and the turn-of-the-19th-century world of anarchists, terrorism, and clandestine operations among the intelligentsia in Great Britain. For those who loved G.K. Chesterton’s Man Who Was Thursday, Secret Agent offers the reader a more real-to-life, in-depth look at the imperfect world of professional espionage. Plus, this book was a favorite read of Ted Kaczynski (the Unabomber). Intrigued?
February – Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose. If you have never read this captivating re-telling of the greatest American adventure story, change that in 2015! In every sense of the term, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were American originals. These brave men and their Corps of Discovery channeled their inner hipster and ventured into the great unknown of the American West before it was cool to do so. Theirs is truly a remarkable tale of courage, fortitude, and tragedy.
March – President Me by Adam Carolla. Professional funny man Adam Carolla’s third book is a humorous, candid examination of our modern government and politics. Carolla’s language might sometimes be blue, but his clear-headed, well-reasoned appraisal of the current mess the country finds itself in is unlike anything you will ever hear from someone holding elected office. Unlike the more cynical comedian commentators out there, Carolla actually likes and appreciates America. You will laugh. You will cry. You will want to know why a college dropout like Carolla sounds so much more sensible than those leading our nation today.
April – The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne. Last year, my friend Eric Metaxas recommended this book to me and after taking him up on his challenge I felt it needed to be included in my 2015 list. This is a gripping tale of a handful of Union soldiers during the Civil War who attempt a prison escape from Richmond, VA in a hot air balloon and end up on a mysterious island in the Pacific Ocean. Jules Verne loves to give the reader plenty of details about the most mundane aspects of how these men survived for years on a (presumably) deserted island, but his attention to detail also adds a depth to the characters that will endear the reader to them in ways that most contemporary books and movies seem incapable of. For fans of television series like LOST, this is a must read!
May – Hitler in the Crosshairs by Dr. John Woodbridge and Maurice Possley. For lovers of World War II history, here is a thoughtful non-fiction account of an American military hero named Ira Palm who fought his way across Europe as a member of General Patton’s 3rd Army and ended up volunteering for a secret suicide mission to find Hitler in Munich and end the war. Along the way, the American forces discovered a secret network of German officers covertly engaged in the systematic sabotage of their own side’s communications and operations—the only successful one of its kind in the entire war. Full disclosure: my production company has acquired the rights to this book and we are actively working to see it turned into a film or TV series.
June – Napoleon and Wellington: The Long Duel by Andrew Roberts. Think of how many times you have heard the name “Napoleon” in your life. Now think of what you can actually describe about the man, his conquests, and his eventual (and epic) defeat. Historian Andrew Roberts has gifted readers with a thorough, accessible account of the great 19th century conqueror of Europe and the British general (Lord Wellington) who vanquished him on the field of battle. So good!
July – Bossypants by Tina Fey. The funniest woman alive has penned an autobiography that is worthy of your time. Ms. Fey is all kinds of talented, and her first-hand accounts of the people she has worked with and the unique experiences she has enjoyed in her career are thoughtful and engaging. Personally, I am a sucker for any behind-the-scenes Saturday Night Live gossip.
August – The Little Way of Ruthie Leming by Rod Dreher. “The book focuses on the life and times of Ruthie Leming—Rod Dreher’s younger sister—who died in 2011 from lung cancer. But the book is more than that. It’s the story of Dreher’s sojourn away from his native south Louisiana roots and of how he found his way back. It’s about a boy who resented his hometown and who couldn’t wait to be free from it but who also grew into a man who realized that his heart never left it. This work is not for the faint of heart. It’s emotionally raw. Dreher leaves it all on the field in this one. And you walk with him through the grief that called him away from the life of an east coastal elite and back to ‘the little way of Ruthie Leming’ in rural south Louisiana.” (Review from Denny Burk)
September – The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Given the wild success of the excellent BBC version of the world’s greatest detective, you would do well to re-visit these classic stories of the Baker Street sleuth and his trusty companion (Dr. Watson). What else can be said: it’s Sherlock Holmes, ya’ll!
October – The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis. No list from yours truly would be complete without a contribution from the greatest Christian storyteller of the 20th century. With a film version of this specific entry in the Chronicles of Narnia series in the works for 2016, this year offers a great opportunity to familiarize (or re-familiarize) yourselves with a powerful tale of that magical world’s greatest man-hunt. The young Price Rillian of Narnia has gone missing, lured into a netherworld of entrapment and enchantment by an evil queen. Aslan calls on the unsuspecting tandem of two British children and a frog-like creature named Puddleglum to save the day.
November – Life by Keith Richards. If you have ever wanted to know what it is like to be one of the most famous people on earth, then I have the book for you! Few celebrities have enjoyed the type of enigmatic stardom that Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones has since the early 1960’s. He is a rock music legend and one of the most recognizable pop-culture references of the past half-century. And yet much has remained unknown about the man himself. Until now, that is. This hard-to-put-down autobiography will amaze and entertain even the most casual of Rolling Stones fans.
December – Demons (The Possessed) by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Ending the year on a pleasant note, this penetrating narrative from the greatest writer of the last two hundred years is a methodical study of the impact that bad ideas and base values have on the children of those who espouse them. There is murder, revolutionary scheming, unrequited love, and theological exploration in this lesser-known Dostoevsky novel.
Happy reading!
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