It’s that time of year when book enthusiasts everywhere humblebrag about the books we enjoyed! I am, of course, no exception to this, with this being my fourteenth annual compilation.
As always, my reading spans genres and mediums, so this list does not represent a single focus. Some were published before 2024. Even so, I think they’re pretty rad. So, without further ado, here are my favorite books of 2024—or at least the ones that most stuck with me.
Faith, Formation, & Spiritual Memoirs
Van Gogh Has a Broken Heart by Russ Ramsey
If I had to choose a book that was a contender for my favorite of the year, from a spiritual point of view, it’s this one. Russ Ramsey has done a beautiful job following up the equally outstanding Rembrandt is in the Wind with this exploration of love, joy, pain, sorrow, and hope through the work and lives of 11 classic and contemporary artists.
Two artists’ stories that stood out in particular to me were the heart-wrenching story of Van Gogh cutting his ear off—and if you’ve got some chachki that makes fun of this incident, throw it in the trash—and Norman Rockwell’s trajectory and transformation as an artist—one who was a master storyteller with layers of complexity that we’re inclined to miss if we only glance at his work. Every story is a reminder of the complexity of human life, and the beauty that God can bring from pain. Get your copy of this book as soon as you can.
Retrieving Augustine’s Doctrine of Creation by Gavin Ortlund
This is definitely a heady read, but it’s probably my favorite work of theology proper that I read in 2024. Which also happened to be released in 2020. This book is designed to make us think—to challenge us to consider whether or not we’re asking the right questions of Genesis 1–3 at all, especially in the debates between different perspectives on how the world came to be within Christian circles. This book encourages us to learn from the wisdom of one of the church’s greatest teachers, Augustine of Hippo, who wrestled with the first chapters of Genesis throughout his life. Ultimately, Ortlund’s exploration of Augustine’s teaching encourages us to embrace intellectual and theological humility and curiosity about this subject. To wrestle and keep wrestling with the text as we seek to follow it where it leads.
The Good Gift of Weakness by Eric Schumacher
I wrote a review of this for The Gospel Coalition back in July that I’d encourage checking out. This book is another much-needed corrective against the anti-Christian narratives challenging us in our moment, those that encourage us to pursue strength on the world’s terms and in the world’s way. Instead, this book shows readers the essential goodness of biblical strength—a strength that is born out of weakness.
Culture and Current Affairs
The Sex Talk You Never Got by Sam Jolman
This book flew under the radar of most people, I think, and that’s a shame. Sam Jolman, who, by the way, is a professional therapist, offers an outstanding counter-narrative to what the world and, sadly, often the church teaches about men and sexuality. One of the things that I love most about this book is that it calls men to a higher standard. We are not slaves to our appetites, and thinking that way only dehumanizes us. He also doesn’t want us feeling ashamed or confused, which is what we see too often today. Jolman wants readers to see the goodness of this aspect of life that God created—to recapture a sense of both innocence and wonder as our understanding is reoriented toward God’s intentions.
To Be a Woman by Katie J. McCoy
This is another book that, despite some fairly significant attention early on, has flown under the radar of too many. This is a beautiful exploration of one of the most debated issues of our day that shouldn’t even be a question at all—how to define what it means to be a woman—and celebrate the uniqueness of their design. This book was super-helpful to me in a writing project of my own that you’ll learn about in 2025, and one that will bless everyone who reads it.
The Case Against the Sexual Revolution by Louise Perry
Perry’s exploration of the fruit of the sexual revolution of the late 1960s will be unsurprising to Christians because it’s very much in line with our own perspective. The eradication of the context for sexuality, the rise of hook-up culture, and the danger many practices pose to women have been unquestionably harmful to women and society as a whole. The best thing for women, and society, is to embrace marriage as a good thing.
What makes this book stand out, though, is that its author is writing as a non-Christian to society as a whole. When Perry was in college, she held many of the views of her peers, but after working in a crisis center for women, her perspective began to change, which is what led her to write this book that argues for the innate differences between men and women, something seen as societally heretical today. And yet, it is true. Perry wrote (and I’m paraphrasing) that nothing in its pages would be novel. And she was right. But challenging the status quo doesn’t require novelty. It takes common sense, especially when confronting the unchecked excesses of our hyper-sexualized culture.
Fiction and Books with Pictures
I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger
It’s rare for a book to be completely not what I expected while simultaneously exactly what I expected. And yet, that’s what happens with every book I read of Leif Enger’s. He is a masterful storyteller and knows how to write beautiful sentences, which is what we find in its opening line: “Here at the beginning, it must be said the End was on everyone’s mind.” What’s unusual about this book, and perhaps somewhat jarring for those familiar with Enger’s past works, is that this book is set in a near-future dystopia. Yet, the setting is no less conducive for meditating on loneliness, grief, love, and community.
I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons by Peter S. Beagle
The first time I encountered Beagle’s work was through the animated film adaptation of his novel, The Last Unicorn. (And if the theme song by America is stuck in your head now, I’m sorry.) But I never got around to reading one of his books until Dragons. This is a different kind of fantasy novel than is typical post-Wheel of Time and Game of Thrones. It has a self-awareness and tongue-in-cheek wit that makes its dramatic moments feel earned as its characters wrestle with their roles as princes, princesses, dragon hunters, and more. Whether you’re a fan of the genre or not, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
I’ve loved this book for decades now. It’s a classic work that doesn’t require much justification for being on any list. However, it made the cut this year, not because of the story but because of the experience. My son and I were on a road trip to Canada together at the end of June. On the trip, we decided to listen to an audiobook edition. The sense of wonder he had from hearing Tolkien’s words read aloud reminded me of my own experience reading it around his age. It was a joy to share that with him.
Nightwing Vol. 5: Time of the Titans by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo
I admit, this is a strange one to add to the list, despite it staring my all-time favorite DC character. It functions as almost an interlude in the larger story of Taylor’s run on this series. But what makes this volume stand out is that is exemplifies how inventive and interesting Taylor’s run has been. One particular story—the Eisner-award winning issue 105—is told entirely from a first-person perspective. It probably shouldn’t work, but the team pulled it off exceptionally well. And even though I’m not a dog person—I’m not even a cat person despite having one—the addition of Haley, the three-legged dog affectionately known as Bite-wing, to Nightwing’s cast, is a delight.
My favorites from previous years
