I don't usually post my favorite books of the year as a list, probably because I feel like compared to music it's less complete. I tend to spend the most time reading things that are of interest, that's for review, or that's scratching an itch as a pastor or disciple, etc. It's not a hobby as with music that I can do when also doing other things. Much of it is work or based on need. So it's just different for me.
But we all have books that have significantly affected us during the year. I figured a "The Reader Speaks" list would be a great place for getting a variety of books listed that we could all benefit from. So share your #1 book, a few faves, a Top 5 or 10, faves according to genre, or whatever works for what you consider to be the best books of 2012. ALSO (per Jared Wilson's comment), feel free to list books not published in 2012 but that you read in 2012. If you have an affiliate account somewhere and you know how to link your books in the comments with html, feel free. For other readers, if you see a book you like, use the affiliate links. It blesses those in ministry around you.
I know I will be posting my top books pretty soon, but I will share my top 5:
1. The Explicit Gospel by Matt Chandler
2. Gospel Deeps by Jared C Wilson
3. The Church: The Gospel Made Visible by Mark Dever
4. Center Church by Tim Keller
5. Gospel-Centered Discipleship by Jonathan Dodson
Posted by: Chris Land | 12/05/2012 at 09:17 AM
Bookends of the Christian Life- Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington
Explicit Gospel- Matt Chandler with Jared Wilson
Everyday Church- Tim Chester and Steve Timmis
Posted by: Scott Slayton | 12/05/2012 at 09:22 AM
Steve, do they have to have been published in 2012? Or just our favorite reads of the year?
If the latter, *Moby Dick* was my favorite read, followed closely by "The Lobster Chronicles" by Linda Greenlaw and "1776" by David McCullough. Also really profited from Jonathan Leeman's little book on "Church Discipline" (in the healthy churches series from 9 Marks) and, while I haven't yet finished it, Hamilton's "God's Glory in Salvation Through Judgment." Honorable mention to "Defiant Grace" by Dane Ortlund.
Posted by: Jared Wilson | 12/05/2012 at 09:23 AM
Nice list. And to all my readers...feel free to post a link to your posts and lists here too. I'm happy for people to find them through my blog.
Posted by: Steve McCoy | 12/05/2012 at 09:25 AM
Jared, I was just about to comment after Scott's comment that I'd love to get favorite reads of the year (even if not published this year) as well as ones published this year. Thanks for asking that.
Posted by: Steve McCoy | 12/05/2012 at 09:27 AM
No rank intended, but here are a couple that come to mind. (Maybe I'll have to throw up a 2012 list later).
1. "Gilead" Marilynne Robinson
2. "11/22/63" Stephen King
3. "Charity & It's Fruits" (unfinished yet) Jonathan Edwards
4. "In the Garden of Beasts" Erik Larson
5. "Room" Emma Donoghue
6. "Between Noon & Three: Romance, Law, & the Outrage of Grace" Robert Farror Capon
Posted by: BJ Stockman | 12/05/2012 at 09:31 AM
Best book I read this year, "Dietrich Bonhoeffer" by Eric Metaxas
Posted by: Todd Pylant | 12/05/2012 at 09:47 AM
My Top 7 not in any certain order
1. Jesus Storybook Bible
2. Amazing Grace Timothy George
3. Dangerous Calling Paul Tripp
4. The Freedom of Self-Forgetfullness Timothy Keller
5. Christians Get Depressed To David Murrey
6. Gospel Wakefullness Jared Wilson
7. Last of The Mohicans James Fenimore Cooper
Posted by: GW | 12/05/2012 at 10:40 AM
Since they don't have to be published this year, I would add:
Theology of John's Gospel and Letter- Andreas Kostenberger
And one I forgot earlier:
The Art of Neighboring- Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon
Posted by: Scott Slayton | 12/05/2012 at 10:50 AM
"The Great Gain of Godliness" by Thomas Watson
"The Great Awakening" by Thomas Kidd
"Evangelism Handbook" by Alvin Reid
"Bloodlines" by John Piper
Also, I read a majority of the "Counterpoints" series by Zondervan. Highly recommend them.
Posted by: BrandonSmith85 | 12/05/2012 at 10:57 AM
#1 - Everyday Church by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis
#2 - The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
#3 - One Of by Greg Nettle and Alex Absalom
#4 - God is the Gospel by John Piper
#5 - The Metamorphisis by Franz Kafka
#6 - Boenheffer by Eric Metaxas
#7 - Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther
#8 - Subversive Kingdom by Ed Stetzer
#9 - The Art of Neighboring by Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon
#10 - A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
There's my Top 10 books I read this year!
Posted by: Joshua Crabb | 12/05/2012 at 11:05 AM
'The New Jim Crow,' Michelle Alexander
'Folks, This Ain't Normal,' Joel Salatin
'Return on Influence,' Mark Sheafer
'War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning,' Chris Hedges
Posted by: Marty Duren | 12/05/2012 at 11:05 AM
Great lists everyone! Books I loved as well as stuff I've never heard of. Keep'm coming. If you have a list on your blog or somewhere else, feel free to just comment with your link so we can click thru to your site.
Posted by: Steve McCoy | 12/05/2012 at 11:07 AM
Ministry - Letters of John Newton, Banner of Truth
Novel - In the Beauty of the Lilies, John Updike
With my teenage kids at dinner - The Good News We Almost Forgot, Kevin DeYoung
Posted by: SpencerDeBurgh | 12/05/2012 at 11:25 AM
In no particular order:
1. Tempted and Tried by Russell Moore
2. Wordsmithy b Douglas Wilson
3. Gospel Deeps by Jared Wilson
4. Evangellyfish by Douglas Wilson
5. When God Comes to Church by Ray Ortlund
6. Church Planter by Darrin Patrick
7. Supernatural Living by Ray Ortlund
8. How Sermons Work by David Murray
9. Christ-centered Biblical Theology by Graeme Goldsworthy
10. Transforming Grace by Jerry Bridges
Posted by: Jeff Medders | 12/05/2012 at 03:13 PM
1. Why we're not Emergent by Two Guys who should be
2. The Pastor: A Memoir
3. Evangellyfish
Very different books, but they all were excellent.
Posted by: Logan Paschke | 12/05/2012 at 07:17 PM
Four books I enjoyed reading this year...
1. A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories, by Flannery O'Connor
2. The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky (Pevear/Volokhonsky translation)
3. How Postmodernism Serves My Faith, by Chrystal L. Downing
4. You Can Change, by Tim Chester (fantastic!)
Posted by: Scott Morgan | 12/06/2012 at 02:06 PM
Here is my top 10 for the year:http://hammernanvil.wordpress.com/2012/12/06/top-ten-of-2012/
Posted by: Jesse Benack | 12/06/2012 at 02:12 PM
The Cross from a Distance by Peter Bolt.
King's Cross by Timothy Keller.
I Shall Not Hate by Izzeldin Abuelaish.
The Good God by Michael Reeves.
Jesus Christ and the Life of the Mind by Mark Noll.
Posted by: Phil Taylor | 12/11/2012 at 05:42 AM
1. God, Marriage, and Family by Andreas Köstenberger and David Jones
2. Heaven Misplaced by Douglas Wilson
3. Notes from The Tilt-A-Whirl by N.D. Wilson
4. Crime and Punishment by Fyoder Dostoyevsky
5. Puritan Reformed Spirituality by Joel Beeke
Posted by: Doug Elliott | 12/13/2012 at 11:10 AM