Dear Zoe…
Dear Zoe,
Thank you so much for asking me for my list of 50 favorite books. I’m going to begin by sharing a few books and a few authors, with a little commentary on some important influences.
My first quarter of college, I signed up for a Religion course which sounded interesting…(three Religion and/or Philosophy courses were required.) That course ended up becoming extremely influential and leading to my hearing a call to ministry. In that class, we read Man’s Search for Meaning (Viktor Frankl) as well as Paul Tillich’s sermon, “You Are Accepted.” (That sermon helped steer me towards ministry.)
I continued to read Tillich through my undergraduate years, including one quarter in which I took a class that was a deep dive into his Systematic Theology. In seminary, my theology professor was Sallie McFague - I continue to draw on her work on Models of God.
During seminary, I began (on my own) reading Thomas Merton, and visited Gethsemani Abbey in Kentucky for retreats twice in those years. My senior thesis focused on a biography of Thomas Merton and one on Dorothy Day (The Seven Mountains of Thomas Merton, by Michael Mott; and Dorothy Day: A Biography, by William D. Miller.) I took a course on spiritual autobiography and became fascinated with the ways that spirituality intersects with daily life and our life stories.
Early on, I also began reading Henri Nouwen. His books, The Wounded Healer, With Open Hands, Letters to Marc about Jesus - among many others - are falling apart on my shelves.
Frederick Buechner has been a constant companion: Whistling in the Dark, The Alphabet of Grace, Wishful Thinking, Peculiar Treasures, Telling the Truth, The Sacred Journey, Now and Then, Telling Secrets.
In terms of biblical theology and biblical studies, I have read more Walter Brueggemann than anyone else. Brueggemann’s books are not all accessible, but Amy-Jill Levine has several gems, including Short Stories by Jesus.
My preaching gurus are Fred Craddock, Barbara Brown Taylor and David Buttrick (the first two are saints to me, Buttrick was a wonderful professor of preaching.). I don’t know that I’d recommend their books to anyone but preaching students, but I’d certainly recommend listening to Barbara Brown Taylor preach (try youtube or just google her name) and then read some of her sermons, with that gorgeous voice in the back of your mind.
Over the last twenty years, I have found the work of these modern theologians to be helpful in trying to help make the Christian way of life relevant to our contemporary setting — John Crossan, Marcus Borg, John Spong, Diana Butler Bass, Brian McLaren. And especially Richard Rohr. His The Universal Christ has become like a new systematic theology for me.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS AND NOTES
GENERAL RELIGIOUS/SPIRITUAL NON-FICTION
The Good Life and The Good Book, by Peter Gomes
Anything and everything by Rachel Held Evans
Anne Lamott - particularly Bird by Bird, Traveling Mercies, Plan B, and Grace (Eventually).
Saving Paradise, by Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker
Kathleen Norris: Acedia and Me, The Cloister Walk, Amazing Grace
Eugene Peterson: all of his books have become a part of who I am as a pastor.
Kate Bowler: I like her books, but I really love her podcast — it’s very intelligent and warm!
To Bless the Space Between Us, John O’Donohue
One Long River of Song, Brian Doyle
The Monastic Heart, Joan Chittister
Nadia Bolz-Weber: Pastrix and Accidental Saints
Sabbath, Wayne Muller
Stealing Jesus, Bruce Bawer
Over a period of 1-2 years, I read several spiritual memoirs by women and thought it would be fun to teach a class or lead a discussion based on these books - that didn’t happen - but I value reading these:
The Spiral Staircase, Karen Armstrong
Stalking the Divine, Kristin Ohlson
Take This Bread, Sara Miles
Still, Lauren Winner
GENERAL NON-FICTION*
Being Mortal, Atul Gawande
The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion
The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker (a book I REALLY wish I’d read earlier in my ministry!)
Living an Examined Life, James Hollis (he’s a Jungian analyst - I found all of his books incredibly helpful to read slowly and reflect on, but especially this one)
Isabel Wilkerson: The Warmth of Other Suns and Caste
Just Mercy, Bryan Stephenson
Suzanne Stabile’s writings on the Enneagram
Rapt, Winifred Gallagher
Dave Eggers, especially What Is the What and Zeitoun
The Road to Character, David Brooks
Far from the Tree, Andrew Solomon
Parker Palmer: Let Your Life Speak and Healing the Heart of Democracy
Matthew Desmond: Poverty and Evicted
Ross Gay: Inciting Joy and The Book of Delights
Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert
Susan Cain: Quiet and Bittersweet
The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron
The Anthropocene Reviewed, John Green
Gift from the Sea, Anne Morrow Lindbergh
The Empathy Exams, Leslie Jamison
Dreamland, Sam Quinones
Darkness Visible, William Styron
Terry, George McGovern
Solitary, Albert Woodfox
My Age of Anxiety, Scott Stossel
Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates
Picking Cotton, Jennifer Thompson-Cannino
Mary Oliver: all of her poetry and Upstream (essays)
The poetry of David Whyte and Padraig O’Tuama (among others!)
SOME OF MY FAVORITE RECENT FICTION
Ann Patchett: especially Bel Canto and These Precious Days (essays)
Sue Monk Kidd, especially The Book of Longings, The Invention of Wings and The Secret Life of Bees
Abraham Verghese: The Covenant of Water and Cutting for Stone
Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
Marilynne Robinson: especially Gilead
A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles
Colson Whitehead: The Nickel Boys and The Underground Railroad
The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah
The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien
*Some of these nonfiction books have taught me in invaluable ways about different life situations, giving me empathy and helping me in my pastoral and preaching roles. I would mention in particular the Didion book (understanding the grief journey), several books about race and racism, the McGovern book (understanding alcoholism), the Styron book (understanding depression), The Age of Anxiety, several books about the criminal justice system…and Far From the Tree is like an empathy Bible.