Book Recommendations

Reading Log · Working Bookshelf Book Recommendations A list of some of my favorite books — biblical and theological, non-fiction, and fiction. The shelf I keep coming back to.

I

Biblical / Theological Scripture, ANE context, and the supernatural worldview Heiser · Walton · Wright · Bailey · and the wider library

Michael Heiser

Divine council · ANE · supernatural worldview of the biblical authors

• The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible
• The Unseen Realm (Expanded Edition)
• Supernatural (companion to The Unseen Realm)
• Reversing Hermon: Enoch, the Watchers & the Forgotten Mission of Jesus Christ
• Demons: What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness
• I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible

John Walton

ANE cosmology · Old Testament context · the Lost World series

• The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate
• The Lost World of Adam and Eve
• The Lost World of the Flood
• The Lost World of the Prophets: Old Testament Prophecy and Apocalyptic Literature in Ancient Context

N. T. Wright

Pauline theology · Second Temple Jewish context · narrative theology

• The Day the Revolution Began
• Paul and the Faithfulness of God
• Simply Christian
• Surprised by Hope
• Luke for Everyone (New Testament for Everyone series)

Larry Hurtado

Earliest Christian devotion · Christology

• One God, One Lord: Early Christian Devotion and Ancient Jewish Monotheism
• Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity

Kenneth E. Bailey

Middle Eastern cultural reading of the Gospels and Paul

• Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels
• Poet and Peasant / Through Peasant Eyes
• The Cross and the Prodigal
• Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes

Other Biblical Scholarship

• Judges, Ruth (New American Commentary)Daniel I. Block
• The Message of JudgesWilcock
• The Rational Bible: Exodus (and the wider Rational Bible series)Dennis Prager
• 1 Enoch (Nickelsburg/VanderKam translation; R. H. Charles translation)
• The Books of Enoch: The Angels, The Watchers and The Nephilim — With Extensive CommentaryJoseph Lumpkin
• Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the BibleRichards & O’Brien
• Noah’s Flood Revisited: New Depths of Insight from Science and ScriptureHugh Ross

Christian Living · Apologetics · New Believer

• Mere ChristianityC. S. Lewis
• The Reason for GodTim Keller
• How to Read the Bible for All Its WorthFee & Stuart
• The Cost of DiscipleshipBonhoeffer
• Knowing GodJ. I. Packer
• The Case for ChristLee Strobel
• Blue Like Jazz: Non-Religious Thoughts on Christian SpiritualityDonald Miller
• The Message: The New Testament in Contemporary LanguageEugene H. Peterson

Ancient Near Eastern Texts

Biblical background · the literary world Genesis emerged from

• The Epic of GilgameshAndrew George trans. (Penguin Classics)
• The Eridu Genesis
• The Atrahasis Epic

✦ ✦ ✦

II

Non-Fiction (Non-Biblical) Philosophy, mindset, history, science Stoics · Peterson · Goggins · Sapiens · the wider shelf

Philosophy & Stoicism

• Meditations: A New TranslationMarcus Aurelius (Gregory Hays)
• The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of LivingHoliday & Hanselman
• Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus AureliusHoliday & Hanselman
• Right Thing, Right Now: Good Values. Good Character. Good Deeds.Ryan Holiday
• How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus AureliusDonald J. Robertson
• Think Like a Stoic: Ancient Wisdom for Today’s WorldMassimo Pigliucci (Great Courses)
• The Philosophy Book: Big Ideas Simply ExplainedDK
• The Art of WarSun Tzu

Jordan Peterson

Psychology · maps of meaning · biblical narrative

• 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
• Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life
• Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief
• We Who Wrestle with God: Perceptions of the Divine

Self-Improvement & Mindset

• Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the OddsDavid Goggins
• Never Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War WithinDavid Goggins
• Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad OnesJames Clear
• The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and BusinessCharles Duhigg
• The Subtle Art of Not Giving a FckMark Manson
• Unfuk Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and into Your LifeGary John Bishop
• You Are a Badass® (Ultimate Collector’s Edition)Jen Sincero
• How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital AgeCarnegie & Associates
• Effective Communication SkillsDalton Kehoe (Great Courses)
• The Eagle and the Dragon: A Story of Strength and ReinventionChris Duffin

Leadership & Business

• The 21 Irrefutable Laws of LeadershipJohn C. Maxwell
• Strengths Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams and Why People FollowTom Rath

Health & Nutrition

• Wired to Eat: Turn Off Cravings, Rewire Your Appetite for Weight LossRobb Wolf

History, Science & True Stories

• Sapiens: A Brief History of HumankindYuval Noah Harari
• The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has DeclinedSteven Pinker
• American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert OppenheimerBird & Sherwin
• The Skeptics’ Guide to the UniverseSteven Novella et al.
• The Disappearing SpoonSam Kean
• A Grown-Up Guide to DinosaursBen Garrod
• Rivals! Frenemies Who Changed the WorldScott McCormick
• In the Matter of Nikola TeslaAnthony Flacco
• Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson MurdersBugliosi & Gentry
• Lone SurvivorMarcus Luttrell
• Into Thin AirJon Krakauer
• Into the WildJon Krakauer
• Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest TrailCheryl Strayed
• BadassBen Thompson

✦ ✦ ✦

III

Fiction Sci-fi, fantasy, horror, crime, the rest PKD · King · Tolkien · Herbert · and a long shelf

Philip K. Dick

Consciousness · reality · the questions science fiction was built to ask

• The Man in the High Castle
• VALIS
• Ubik
• A Scanner Darkly
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (basis for Blade Runner)
• “The Minority Report” (short story)
• “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale” (basis for Total Recall)

Stephen King

Standalones

• It
• The Stand
• Fairy Tale
• Billy Summers
• Doctor Sleep (sequel to The Shining)
• UR

The Dark Tower Series

• Book 1The Gunslinger
• Book 2The Drawing of the Three
• Book 3The Waste Lands
• Book 4Wizard and Glass
• Book 5Wolves of the Calla
• Book 6Song of Susannah
• Book 7The Dark Tower
• Book 8The Wind Through the Keyhole

Bill Hodges Trilogy

• Book 1Mr. Mercedes
• Book 2Finders Keepers
• Book 3End of Watch

C. S. Lewis — The Chronicles of Narnia

• The Magician’s Nephew
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
• The Horse and His Boy
• Prince Caspian
• The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
• The Silver Chair
• The Last Battle

J. R. R. Tolkien — The Lord of the Rings

• The Hobbit
• The Fellowship of the Ring
• The Two Towers
• The Return of the King
• Unfinished Tales

Frank Herbert / Brian Herbert — Dune Universe

Original Frank Herbert series

• Dune
• Dune Messiah
• Children of Dune
• God Emperor of Dune
• Heretics of Dune
• Chapterhouse Dune

Prelude to Dune (Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson)

• House Atreides
• House Harkonnen
• House Corrino

Legends of Dune

• Dune: The Butlerian Jihad

Schools of Dune

• Sisterhood of Dune
• Mentats of Dune
• Navigators of Dune

George R. R. Martin — A Song of Ice and Fire

• A Game of Thrones
• A Clash of Kings
• A Storm of Swords
• A Feast for Crows
• A Dance with Dragons
• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (HBO Tie-In Edition)
• The World of Ice & Fire: The Untold History of Westeros
• Rogues (anthology)Martin · Dozois · Flynn · Gaiman

Brandon Sanderson — The Stormlight Archive

• Book 1The Way of Kings
• Book 2Words of Radiance
• Book 2.5Edgedancer
• Book 3Oathbringer
• Book 4Rhythm of War
• Book 5Wind and Truth

Pierce Brown — Red Rising Saga

• Book 1Red Rising
• Book 2Golden Son
• Book 3Morning Star
• Book 4Iron Gold
• Book 5Dark Age
• Book 6Light Bringer
• Book 7Red God

Larry Correia

Saga of the Forgotten Warrior

• Son of the Black Sword
• House of Assassins
• Destroyer of Worlds
• Tower of Silence
• City of Demons
• Heart of the Mountain

Monster Hunter International

• Monster Hunter International
• Monster Hunter Vendetta
• Monster Hunter Alpha
• Monster Hunter Legion
• Monster Hunter Nemesis
• Monster Hunter Siege
• Monster Hunter Guardian
• Monster Hunter Bloodlines
• Monster Hunter Memoirs: Grunge
• Monster Hunter Memoirs: Sinners
• Monster Hunter Memoirs: Fever
• Monster Hunter Fantom (anthology)
• The Monster Hunter Files (anthology)

Other Correia

• Academy of Outcasts
• The Adventures of Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent
• A Murder of Manatees
• #1 in Customer Service
• Murder on the Orient Elite (Grimnoir Chronicles)

David Wong / Jason Pargin — John Dies at the End series

• John Dies at the End
• This Book Is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don’t Touch It
• What the Hell Did I Just Read
• If This Book Exists, You’re in the Wrong Universe

Zoey Ashe series

• Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits
• Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick
• Zoey Is Too Drunk for This Dystopia

Other Pargin

• I’m Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom

Dean Koontz — Odd Thomas series

• Book 1Odd Thomas
• Book 2Forever Odd
• Book 3Brother Odd
• Book 4Odd Hours
• Book 5Odd Apocalypse
• Book 6Deeply Odd
• Book 7Saint Odd
• SpecialOdd Interlude

Graphic novel prequels

• In Odd We Trust
• Odd Is on Our Side
• House of Odd

Drew Hayes

Villains’ Code

• Forging Hephaestus
• Bones of the Past
• Villains’ Vignettes Volume I
• Chilling Reflections

5-Minute Sherlock

• The Case of the Damaged Detective
• The Case of the Haunted Haunted House
• The Case of the Felonious Faire

Other Hayes

• Split the Party (Spells, Swords, & Stealth, Book 2)
• Second Hand Curses

Sherlock Holmes & Cosmic Horror

• Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive CollectionDoyle (Stephen Fry intros)
• James Moriarty, Consulting CriminalAndy Weir

Mycroft Holmes (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar & Anna Waterhouse)

• Mycroft Holmes
• Mycroft and Sherlock
• Mycroft and Sherlock: The Empty Birdcage

The Cthulhu Casebooks (James Lovegrove)

• Sherlock Holmes and the Shadwell Shadows
• Sherlock Holmes and the Miskatonic Monstrosities
• Sherlock Holmes and the Sussex Sea-Devils
• Sherlock Holmes and the Highgate Horrors

Classic Horror & Cosmic Horror

The King in Yellow — Robert W. Chambers

• “The Repairer of Reputations”
• “The Mask”
• “In the Court of the Dragon”
• “The Yellow Sign”

H. P. Lovecraft & related

• NecronomiconH. P. Lovecraft
• The Nameless CityH. P. Lovecraft
• H. P. Lovecraft: The Complete Omnibus Collection, Volume I (1917–1926)
• The Complete Fiction Omnibus, Second Edition: The Prime Years (1926–1936)
• FrankensteinMary Shelley
• The Picture of Dorian GrayOscar Wilde
• Carter & LovecraftJonathan L. Howard

H. G. Wells

• H. G. Wells: The Science Fiction Collection
• The War of the Worlds
• The Island of Doctor Moreau
• The Invisible Man

Dystopian / Classics

• 1984George Orwell
• 1984: An Audible Original adaptationJoe White
• American PsychoBret Easton Ellis
• No Country for Old MenCormac McCarthy
• The Godfather: 50th Anniversary EditionMario Puzo
• Earth AbidesGeorge R. Stewart
• Starship TroopersRobert A. Heinlein
• The Adventures of Tom SawyerMark Twain

Chuck Palahniuk

• Fight Club
• Rant
• Damned
• Invisible Monsters Remix

Sci-Fi (the wider shelf)

• The MartianAndy Weir
• Project Hail MaryAndy Weir
• ArtemisAndy Weir
• The Egg and Other StoriesAndy Weir
• Ender’s Game: Special 20th Anniversary EditionOrson Scott Card
• Ready Player OneErnest Cline
• SevenevesNeal Stephenson
• Dark MatterBlake Crouch
• RecursionBlake Crouch
• Pines (Wayward Pines, Book 1)Blake Crouch
• Altered Carbon (Takeshi Kovacs Trilogy)Richard K. Morgan
• Redshirts: A Novel with Three CodasJohn Scalzi
• Not AloneCraig A. Falconer
• KindredOctavia E. Butler
• Ordinary Monsters: The Talents, Book 1J. M. Miro

Bobiverse — Dennis E. Taylor

• Book 1We Are Legion (We Are Bob)
• Book 2For We Are Many
• Book 3All These Worlds
• Book 4Heaven’s River
• Book 5Not Till We Are Lost

Thrillers · Crime · Mystery

• Gone GirlGillian Flynn
• The ExorcistWilliam Peter Blatty
• PsychoRobert Bloch
• Beat the ReaperJosh Bazell
• Wild ThingJosh Bazell
• I Am Not a Serial KillerDan Wells
• The Snowman: A Harry Hole NovelJo Nesbo
• Bad MonkeyCarl Hiaasen
• DarktownThomas Mullen
• LullabyJonathan Maberry
• The Neon LawyerVictor Methos
• The Revenant: A Novel of RevengeMichael Punke
• Red RabbitAlex Grecian
• The RookDaniel O’Malley

Stieg Larsson — Millennium Series

• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
• The Girl Who Played with Fire
• The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest
• The Girl in the Spider’s WebDavid Lagercrantz
• The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an EyeDavid Lagercrantz
• The Girl Who Lived TwiceDavid Lagercrantz

Christopher Moore

• Fool
• A Dirty Job

Ted Dekker — The Circle Series

• Book 1Black
• Book 2Red
• Book 3White
• Book 0Green (The Beginning and the End)

Patrick Rothfuss — Kingkiller Chronicle

• Book 1The Name of the Wind
• Book 2The Wise Man’s Fear

✦ ✦ ✦ The shelf I keep coming back to · Soli Deo gloria