Book Reccomendations
OUR MOST RECOMMENDED BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY
There are a lot of books in our library. But which is right for you? This is a guide to help you sort it out. But be advised: a book isn’t like a soul mate. There are lots of good books in the library, and many of them may fit what you’re looking for—or there may be a book for you that you’re not looking for. So have an open mind.
We offer these book recommendations as a guide for you to find a book. Some of them are favorites of the Lewis House staff. Some of them are organized by topic. But all of them are aimed at getting you a book that we think you’ll enjoy or that’ll be good for you. Happy reading!
The Lewis House Top 10
Okay, it’d be impossible to boil down our favorite books to a Top 10 list. But these are the books that we all love at Lewis House. We come back to these again and again—and recommend them again and again. If you pick any book off this list, you can’t go wrong.
The Confessions – Augustine
Anyone old enough to understand themselves will find a kindred spirit in Augustine. Outside of the Bible, this is the book that looms largest in the Christian tradition. Part memoir, part prayer, part theological reflection, Augustine chronicles his own life in a way Christians have connected with for centuries.
Tech-Wise Family – Andy Crouch
This short book is great for anyone with a family or technology. Yes, it’s written to help families navigate the crazy world of technology. But it’s full of practical advice for how anyone could use their tech with wisdom.
Making Sense of God – Tim Keller
Keller’s Reason for God is his more famous book, but this one goes further upstream. He looks at the cultural forces leading to nonbelief, and offers a pastor’s insight on the central issues plaguing our culture.
Mere Christianity – C. S. Lewis
A classic. There’s not much else to say, other than: if you’ve not yet read Mere Christianity, drop your other books and read this one.
The Great Divorce – C. S. Lewis
Mere Christianity gets all the acclaim (and rightly so), but this may be Lewis at his best. He combines his incredible theological mind and his remarkable imagination toward considering the ways we all choose heaven and hell: even in the smallest ways in our daily lives.
The Apostles Creed – Ben Myers
The Apostle’s Creed is a bedrock of the faith. It’s not Scripture, of course, but it is an ancient summary of critical Christian beliefs. But many aren’t familiar with it. In this short book, Myers gives an excellent introduction to the Apostles Creed and why these beliefs are so important for our faith.
Epic of Eden – Sandra Richter
The Old Testament can be a scary place. Sandra Richter identifies the “Great Barrier”—time and place—between us and them in this book. And then she gives us some handles for reading the Old Testament well. Few places are better for understanding the wide narrative of the Bible and, especially, the Old Testament.
How (Not) to be Secular – James K. A. Smith
This book isn’t long, but it packs a big punch and there’s a lot here. Smith distills a much larger work by Charles Taylor called A Secular Age. It’s arguably one of the most important books of the last 50 years and captures many important truths about our culture today. Thankfully, Smith summarizes many of the key ideas in this book.
Liturgy of the Ordinary – Tish Harrison Warren
Liturgy is not something many of us do. Well, we don’t think we do. But this book shows how our habits and practices—from making our bed, to brushing our teeth, to eating leftovers—are forming us. And Warren gives us some simple, practical advice