Book Review: The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt

I tend not to read issue books.  Issue books are fleeting, especially political ones – soon the event or issue passes from the scene to become yesterday’s news.  It is my hope that will not be the case with The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt.  The book is about what Haidt calls the “great rewiring” of the brains of 10-14 years olds in most English-speaking nations.  His argument is that smart phone use, which provides 24-hour access to social media, pornography and gaming, has completely changed the brains of our vulnerable pre-teen and early teen children, especially girls.  His data is rather chilling.

First of all, Haidt is not a Christian and this is not a Christian book.  Haidt is actually an atheist, although in at least one passage in the book he admits struggling to find words and explain concepts without spiritual references, which I thought was interesting.

Haidt’s story begins with what he calls a tidal wave of suffering that exists today in the lives of our teens and young adults.  These young men and women are being diagnosed with anxiety and depressive disorders at an alarming rate.  What is causing this?  His answer has many facets, but the tipping point of the problem rests with the ability of impressionable young minds to have continual access to things like social media or online gaming, especially through the smart phones that every child has in his or her pocket.  For him, the Internet is not the problem.  Unfettered 24-hour access to it can be.

Today’s child did not grow up in the same way that I grew up.  My friends and I ran around the neighborhood.  We engaged in risky play.  We were often left alone on the playground or in the neighborhood to settle our own disagreements.  We walked to school by ourselves.  We developed what Haidt calls our antifragility – the risky, broadening experiences of our childhood and early teen years gave us a strength of mind and emotions that set us in good stead for the future.  In the vast majority of cases, that is not happening today.  Parents helicopter, always hovering, diving in to solve their kids’ problems for them.  They do not allow their children to take risks at play.  Even playgrounds are designed in such a way that it is hard to get hurt even if you tried.

As a result, kids grow up differently today.  And parents parent differently.  Now add in smart phone technology and unscrupulous social media companies that want to addict those children as young as possible, and you have trouble.  Being glued to their phones has replaced the free play that was once part of growing up.  Girls are increasingly anxious and depressed because they can never match up with what is found on social media, and any attempts to do so can be viciously undermined by their peers.  Boys can get lost in the world of online gaming or pornography and having never been allowed or encouraged to take risks in childhood, refuse to take risks as an adult.  Either way, it is not good, and our children are paying the price.

Does Haidt have a solution?  Many, actually.  In one fascinating chapter, he taps into spiritual wisdom from the past like being slow to anger and quick to forgive to provide ways for people to break free from the anxiety and depression in their lives.  While not all the ideas are Christian, many of them have Christian parallels.  He encourages governments to set age limits on social media accounts (13 is the present limit, he encourages at least 16, he prefers 18).  He calls on social media companies to use the technology available to actually verify the age of their users, which they do not typically bother doing.  He sets a vision for schools to provide elementary kids with more free play (longer recess, better playgrounds with more risk allowed, and less supervision and rules) and phone-free school days.  And he calls on parents to be proactive and to band together, not only to demand change, but also to create sub-communities where their kids can grow up with other kids who are also not being given a smart phone and social media access at 10 years old.

Haidt’s solutions are practical and well thought out. Time will tell whether legislators can put aside party and band together to pass laws for the health of our kids.  I am truly skeptical that amoral social media companies will change without being forced to by law.  Parents can and should read this book and change their parenting habits.

And as a parent – how was I challenged?  I need to let my son take risks.  As he grows older, given him more and more freedom and responsibility so he can grow in areas that will benefit him as an adult.  Limit daily screen time.  And be very cautious about handing him a fully functional smartphone at a young age.  According to Haidt, the benefit of these things will be lifelong.

 

Best Ministry-Related Reads of 2023

2022 was the first year a number of years where I did not reach my goal of reading 20 or more ministry-related books in a year.  It is just a challenge for me to find reading time during my ministry week.  But this year, I stumbled upon a way to inject more reading time into my day.  I started reading during my morning and afternoon walk breaks in our church gym.  Obviously, there are only certain books you can read this way, which is why you will find a great number of biographies, religious history and issue books on this list than most years.  But some of those books – like Remaking the World, and the Watts and Ryle biographies – were really great reads.

 

Remaking the World:  How 1776 Created the Post-Christian West by Andrew Wilson.  Easily the best book, apart from the Bible, that I read this year.  Wilson’s book is a remarkable synthesis of Western history in the last two centuries from a Christian worldview.  He explains how the West became WIERDER (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic, Ex-Christian, and Romantic) and how all of these movements were at a critical point in the year 1776.  Highly recommended!

Write It on their Hearts:  Practical Help for Discipling Your Kids by Chris and Melissa Swain.  What a great little book.  It is short, to the point and very practical.  The authors cast a powerful vision for actively discipling your children in your home, rather than just expecting church or Christian school program to do it for you.  It is a book I wish I had when our biological kids were younger, and I am looking forward to integrating many of their ideas into our family as Dawson grows up.

 Counterfeit Kingdom:  The Dangers of New Revelation, New Prophets and New Age Practices in the Church by Holly Pivec and R. Douglas Geivett.  Pivec and Geivett are serious scholars who have studied the New Apostolic Reformation movement, which is led by churches like Bethel Church in Redding, CA.  The authors expose their faulty theology, their strange and even at times cult-like practices and how their music provides a gateway to that leads unsuspecting people to their inadequate teaching.  This is a timely warning for all faithful believers. 

Forgive:  Why Should I and How Can I? by Tim Keller.  Before Tim Keller passed away in 2023, he published this, his final book.  Forgive is a typical Keller book – very biblical, well-reasoned and filled with thought provoking ideas.  Keller’s treatment of forgiveness is very accessible, even for those who are not believers and asks and answers some of the tough questions that come with the call to forgive those around us.

 

Isaac Watts:  His Life and Thought by Graham Beynon.  This one surprised me.  This is a really good biography about a fascinating man of God.  Most people would only know Isaac Watts for the hymns he wrote (When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, Joy to the World and many others).  Watts’ hymn writing did change worship in the evangelical church in England, but beyond that he was a faithful pastor, a children’s book author, and a philosopher, all the while battling ill health for many years of his ministry.

 

J. C. Ryle: Prepared to Stand Alone by Iain Murray.  This is another biography I really enjoyed.  Ryle was a 19^th century churchman in England who became a bishop of the Church of England at a time of great theological drift.  Ryle was a faithful pastor and best-selling author who was faithful amidst a church that he begun to truly lose its way theologically.  As such, Ryle becomes a model for our times as theological drift becomes more and more prevalent in the church in America.

 

The Holy Spirit by Gregg R. Allison and Andreas J. Koestenberger.  This is an excellent volume unpacking the theology of the Holy Spirit.  In the first half, Koestenberger provides a biblical theology of the Spirit, showing the progressive revelation of the Spirit and His work throughout Scripture.  In the second half, Allison gives the reader a systematic theology of the Spirit and His varied ministry in the world.  You may not agree with some of the theological positions taken in the volume, but it is still an excellent resource and a great store of knowledge.

 

Preaching as Reminding:  Stirring Memory in an Age of Forgetfulness by Jeffrey D. Arthurs.  This is another book that surprised me.  Arthurs’ premise is that we all forget what is important and true at time.   His argument is that a pastor’s role is to be the one who reminds the people of God about who God is and what He has done.  Arthurs’ fills his book with practical ways a pastor can do this through sermons, stories, songs and even the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

 

2^nd Tier Reads – still very good and highly recommended:

Lead:  12 Gospel Principles for Leadership in the Church by Paul D. Tripp

Has the Church Replaced Israel? By Michael J. Vlach

Scribes and Scripture:  The Amazing Story of How We Got the Bible by John D. Meade and Peter J. Gurry

The Art of Preaching Old Testament Narrative by Steven D. Mathewson

Belong:  Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another by Barnabas Piper

Surprised by Jesus:  Subversive Grace in the Four Gospels by Dane Ortlund

Fault Lines:  The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe by Voddie T. Baucham Jr.

God For Us:  Discovering the Heart of the Father through the Life of the Son by Abby Ross Hutto

Midnight Rider for the Morning Star by Mark Alan Leslie (historical fiction)

The Heresy of Orthodoxy:  How Contemporary Culture’s Fascination with Diversity has Reshaped our Understanding of Early Christianity by Andreas J. Kostenberger and Michael J. Kruger

The Rise of Christianity:  How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries by Rodney Stark

Yours, Till Heaven:  The Untold Love Story of Charles and Susie Spurgeon by Ray Rhodes Jr.

Amillennialism and the Age to Come:  A Premillennial Critique of the Two-Age Model by Matt Waymeyer

Jack:  A Life of C. S. Lewis by George Sayer

Tried by Fire:  The Story of Christianity’s First Thousand Years by Willam J. Bennett

Galileo by Mitch Stokes

The Truth and Beauty:  How the Lives and Works of England’s Greatest Poets Point the Way to a Deeper Understanding of the Words of Jesus by Andrew Klavan

Anatomy of the Soul by Curt Thompson

Five Lies of our Anti-Christian Age by Rosaria Butterfield

God Shines Forth:  How the Nature of God Shapes and Drives the Mission of the Church by Daniel Hames and Michael Reeves

Lincoln’s Battle with God:  A President’s Struggle with Faith and what it meant for America by Stephen Mansfield

The Christmas We Didn’t Expect by David Mathis

 

 

Best Fiction Reads of 2023

As I look back at my fiction reads for 2023, I see that for the second year in a row, science fiction was quite popular with me.  I still read some good fantasy novels – see below – and at least one thriller, but for some reason over the past few years I have re-discovered how fun good sci-fi can be.

 Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson.  It is always a good year for a new Brandon Sanderson book – and since he broke Kickstarter with his 4 “secret projects”, we get 4 of them.  Tress is a bit different than any other Sanderson novel.  His inspiration was the William’s Goldman’s classic novel The Princess Bride, but he then asks the question – what would it look like if the princess went in search of her lost love?  This is a wonderful, light-hearted and surprisingly humorous read.

 

Murtagh by Christopher Paolini.  Christopher Paolini burst on the scene years ago as the teenage bestselling author of Eragon.  After four Eragon novels, he moved into science fiction.  With Murtagh, he returns to the world of Eragon with a stand-alone novel after the events of the inheritance cycle.  The book stars Eragon’s half-brother and his dragon Thorn.  The plot is rather simple, but Paolini adds character depth and brings it to life nevertheless.

 

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi.  This is a great little science fiction novel.  Human beings have spread throughout the universe and have encountered many alien races, some very dangerous.  As a result, soldiers are always needed.  As every human on Earth approaches retirement, they get offered a choice.  Live on subsistence until death or, volunteer as a soldier and receive a newly rejuvenated body.   This is the story of a group of those soldiers.

 

The Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan.  Ryan has built another intriguing world with this series, of which The Waking Fire is the first installment.  The series has a unique “magic” system and lots and lots of dragons to go along with all the adventure, combat and world building.  What is not to like?

 

Fairhaven Rising by L. E. Modesitt Jr.  I am not sure why I love Modesitt’s Recluse series of books so well.  My son thinks they are boring and slow moving.  They are slow moving and even at times formulaic, but I find them deeply immersive, although I find his fascination with food a bit strange.  This book – the 22^nd Recluse novel!! – is about the origins and growing power of the wizard city of Fairhaven.

 

2^nd Tier Reads – still very entertaining.

Lesser Evil by Timothy Zahn (Thrawn Ascendency #3)

Old Bones by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Foreigner:  A Novel of First Contact by C. J. Cherryh

Caliban’s War by James S. A. Corey (The Expanse #2)

Abaddon’s Gate by James S. A. Corey (The Expanse #3)

The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn by Tyler Whitesides (Kingdom of Grit, #1)

Cibola Burn by James S. A. Corey (The Expanse #4)

Nemesis Games by James S. A. Corey (The Expanse #5)

 

3^rd Tier Reads – I finished them, but they were disappointing on some level:

Babel:  An Arcane History by R. F. Kuang

 

Best History/Biography Reads of 2023

As I review the history and biography books I read this year, I notice, as is frequently the case, that I read a lot of Canadian history again this year.  As well, some of my favorite historians ended up the list again – Sean McMeekin, David Kertzer, Allen Guelzo, Tim Cook, Adrian Goldsworthy, John McManus – along with a few new “favorite” authors like Ronald C. White.  Overall, I read a lot of good, serious
s history this year, as well as a few “just for fun” books like the story of the Princess Bride movie and a history of the World Hockey Association.  Choosing a handful of the best books was difficult.

 

On Great Fields:  The Life and Unlikely Heroism of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain by Ronald C. White.  Ever since I read Michael Shaara’s classic novel Killer Angels, I have been fascinated by Joshua Chamberlain, the hero of Little Round Top at Gettysburg.  White’s excellent biography traces all of Chamberlain’s life, from his early days to his time as President of Bowdoin College and as Governor of Maine.  The book also places Chamberlain’s faith in proper perspective, something many modern biographies fail to do.

 

Rendezvous with Destiny:  Ronald Reagan and the Campaign that Changed America by Craig Shirley.  Enough time has passed for historians to begin to write balanced history of Ronald Reagan’s time in office.  Shirley’s book is about Reagan’s 1980 campaign for the presidency.  The book is remarkable; understated at times and sarcastic at others.  There are times he criticizes Reagan and other times he gives him the utmost praise. But through it all, the book is very incisive, not only with regard to Reagan but also about his competitor, Jimmy Carter.

 

The Fight for History:  75 Years of Forgetting, Remembering and Remaking Canada’s Second World War by Tim Cook.  This was a fascinating book for me to read.  I was never taught much about the Canadian experience during World War 2, and this book explains why.  From the hallowing of the great national sacrifices of World War 1, the power of the Canadian Legion vets, the overshadowing of the Canadian effort by the Americans and the British and the battle for the new Canadian War Museum, Cook explains why Canada has struggled for decades to tell at tale that needs to be told.

 

The Pope at War:  The Secret History of Pius XII, Mussolini and Hitler by David I. Kertzer.  David’s Kertzer’s specialty is the history of the papacy in the last couple of centuries.  Having access to newly opened archives, Kertzer shows that Pope Pius XII did all he can to stay in the good graces of the Germans and Italians during World War 2, which naturally means that he did not have the courage to speak up to protect Jews from the Holocaust.  Kertzer’s portrait is balanced and scholarly, but ultimate so very sad and disappointing.

 

Hundred Days:  The Campaign that Ended World War 1 by Nick Lloyd.  I read Lloyd’s amazing book on the Western Front in World War 1 a few years ago.  This volume pre-dates that one, is shorter and is focused on the final 100 days of combat during the war.  Over the years, historians have argued that the Germans were not truly defeated on the field of battle, but surrendered for other reasons like strife at home.  Lloyd proves otherwise – that by the end of the war, the German army was a beaten force in every way.

 

Ottoman Endgame:  War, Revolution and the Making of the Modern Middle East, 1908-1923 by Sean McMeekin.  Sean McMeekin is one of my favorite historians.  This book is a history of the end of the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire, from the years leading up to World War 1, through the war, the dismantlement of the Empire and finally it’s revival (in part) by Mustafa Kemal as the nation of Turkey.  Fascinating, well-told history.

 

At the Sharp End:  Canadians Fighting the Great War 1914-1916 and Shock Troops:  Canadians Fighting the Great War 1917-1918 by Tim Cook.  This is Cook’s 2-part history of the Canadian military during World War 1.  Cook leaves no stone unturned, speaking of the corruption and megalomania of Sam Hughes (Canada’s Defense Minister), the raising and training of units, their first experiences in combat to the days when they were among the finest troops serving overseas under the leadership of the brilliant Canadian General Sir Arthur Currie.

 

2^nd Tier Reads, but still great books:

Blood and Iron:  The Rise and Fall of the German Empire, 1871-1918 by Katja Hoyer

The Making of Oliver Cromwell by Ronald Hutton

The Anglo-Saxons:  A History of the Beginning of England, 400-1066 by Marc Morris

The Rebel League:  The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association by Ed Willes

The Fleet at Flood Tide:  America at Total War in the Pacific, 1944-1945 by James D. Hornfischer

Thomas Jefferson:  A Biography of Spirit and Flesh by Thomas S. Kidd

As You Wish:  Inconceivable Takes from the Making of the Princess Bride by Cary Elwes and Joe Layden

The Wager:  A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Gramm

To the End of the Earth:  The US Army and the Downfall of Japan, 1945 by John C. McManus

Everest 1953:  The Epic Story of the First Ascent by Mick Conefrey

The Ghosts of Medak Pocket:  The Story of Canada’s Secret War by Carol Off

King:  William Lyon MacKenzie King, A Life guided by the Hand of Destiny by Allan Levine

Jungle of Stone:  The Extraordinary Journey of John L. Stephens and Frederick Catherwood and the Discovery of the Lost Civilization of the Maya by William Carlsen

The Marshall Plan:  Dawn of the Cold War by Benn Steil

Rome Resurgent:  War and Empire in the Age of Justinian by Peter Heather

The Mad Trapper of Rat River:  A True Story of Canada’s Biggest Manhunt by Dick North

The Berlin-Baghdad Express:  The Ottoman Empire and Germany’s Bid for World Power by Sean McMeekin

Lincoln and Douglas:  The Debates that Defined America by Allen C. Guelzo

The Last Outlaws:  The Desperate Final Days of the Dalton Gang by Tom Clavin

American Sanctuary:  Mutiny, Martyrdom and National Identity in the Age of Revolution by Roger Ekirch

Longstreet:  The Confederate General who Defied the South by Elizabeth R.  Varon

Rome and Persia:  The Seven Hundred Year Rivalry by Adrian Goldsworthy

 

3^rd Tier Reads, good but somewhat disappointing as well.

Ravenna:  Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe by Judith Herrin

A New World Begins:  The History of the French Revolution by Jeremy D Popkin

The Attack on the Liberty:  The Untold Story of Israel’s Deadly 1967 Assault on a US Spy Ship by James Scott

 

Best Reads of 2022 - Ministry and Faith

Whew!  It is the first week of February and I have finally found time to finish the last of my yearly book blogs.  Sadly, this is the first year since I have kept track of my reading that I did not reach my ministry book reading goals.  I usually aim for 20 ministry-oriented books every year, but fell one short in 2022 with 19.  Unfortunately, I am not on track to meet that goal this year either – I have yet to find time to read a single chapter in a ministry-oriented book in 2023.  Sigh…

Here are the best ministry and faith books I read this year:

Deeper:  Real Change for Real Sinners by Dane Ortlund.  Dane Ortlund blessed the body of Christ with his book Gently and Lowly a few years ago.  You could say Deeper is the follow-up to that book.  It addresses the topic of sanctification – how do we grow in our relationship with the Jesus whose is gentle and lowly in spirit, and whose yoke is easy and whose burden is light?  I thought the chapters on the Bible and the work of the Spirit were especially good.

 

Strange New World:  How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution by Carl R. Trueman.  This is a shortened version of Trueman’s book, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self.  Trueman asks the question – who do people think and see themselves so differently now than 20 or 30 years ago?  He chalks it up to the acceptance of what he calls “expressive individualism” which is summed up in the assumption that a person’s heart desires are the most important and for them to be genuine they must follow where their heart desires lead.  It is, I believe, a powerfully accurate diagnosis of what we see today in modern society.

 

In the Lord I Take Refuge:  150 Daily Devotions through the Psalms by Dane Ortlund.  I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find it difficult to find a good devotional book that has meaty content and thought-provoking ideas.  Ortlund’s journey through each of the Psalms is one of those.  There is a short devotional for each of the psalms in which he highlights a theme or a portion of the psalm and frequently looks at it through a gospel lens.  I enjoyed it so much, it provided the impetus to create a sermon series on the Psalms, which I am currently preaching through.

 

Rejoice and Tremble:  The Surprising Good News about the Fear of the Lord by Michael Reeves.  I have yet to read a disappointing Michael Reeves book.  Christians today do not talk enough about the fear of God.  In this inviting yet challenging book. Reeves talks about what it does and does not mean to fear God and how that fear, properly understood and applied, should change our walk with Jesus.

 

Is Atheism Dead? by Eric Metaxas.  Metaxas asks the question – does the evidence of science, archeology and history point to the fact that atheism is dying?  The book takes us on three journeys.  First, Metaxas unpacks the myriad of scientific evidence that the universe was created by a designer.  Second, speaks to the many different ways archeology has proven the Bible to be an accurate ancient record.  And finally, he addresses the historical track record of atheist regimes, showing that atheism has never produced any kind of free society.  As a caveat, Metaxas is not a young earth creationist, but much of his information is not dependent on whether you agree with him or not.

 

The Expulsive Power of a New Affection by Thomas Chalmers.  Chalmers was a Scottish pastor who lived from 1780 to 1847.  I was first exposed to his ministry a few years ago.  This past year, I was able to pick up a copy of his most famous sermon – The Expulsive Power of a New Affection.  Chalmers speaks about how it is our growing affection for Christ that has the power to bring true, lasting victory over the sin in our lives.  At only 72 pages, this is a little booklet well worth your time.

God’s Kingdom through God’s Covenants:  A Concise Biblical Theology by Peter J. Gentry and Stephen J. Wellum.  Christians are frequently divided in their understanding of the Bible between two poles – dispensationalism and covenant theology.  Or, how I like to explain it, discontinuity and continuity.  I struggle with aspects of both viewpoints, and have good friends that share both viewpoints.  Gentry and Wellum’s perspective, called progressive covenantalism, seeks to find a middle ground between these two camps.  Time will tell if they have succeeded.  It was a very interesting read.  I liked a lot of what I read here, but I found I could not agree with everything.  Thus, my quest continues….

Other very good books I read this year:

When Harry Became Sally:  Responding to the Transgender Moment by Ryan T. Anderson

Embodied:  Transgender Identities, the Church & What the Bible has to Say by Preston Sprinkle

Gender Ideology:  What do Christians Need to Know? by Sharon James

Hidden in the Gospel:  Truths You Forget to Tell Yourself Every Day by William P. Farley

A Journey to Victorious Praying:  Finding Discipline and Delight in Your Prayer Life by Bill Thrasher

Resilient Ministry:  What Pastors Told Us About Surviving and Thriving by Bob Burns, Tasha D. Chapman and Donald C. Guthrie

Chief Scottish Man:  The Life and Ministry of Thomas Chalmers by Sandy Finlayson

With All Your Heart:  Orienting your Mind, Desires and Will toward Christ by A. Craig Troxel

The Loveliest Place:  The Beauty and Glory of the Church by Dustin Benge

A Still and Quiet Mind:  Twelve Strategies for Changing Unwanted Thoughts by Esther Smith

Changes that Heal:  Four Practical Steps to a Happier, Healthier You by Henry Cloud

 

Books that I found disappointing (which surprised me, because I generally like Guthrie’s books):

Blessed:  Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Revelation by Nancy Guthrie

Best Reads of 2022 - Fiction

This is part 2 of my annual review of the best books I read in 2022.  This is the collection of fiction books for the year.  As you will see, 2022 was a heavy science fiction year.  Not sure if I have any reason for that….but here goes.

Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey.  This is the first in a series of books that provide the foundation of the Amazon Prime series The Expanse.  After watching The Expanse, I decided to read some of the series.  Leviathan Wakes is excellent and I almost wish I had read it before watching the TV show because there are departures from the show that I had to adjust to.  I am looking forward to reading a few more volumes of the series in 2023.

Chaos Rising by Timothy Zahn.  I usually don’t read books that are spin offs from popular movies or shows like Star Trek or Star Wars.  But way back in college, I remember reading a set of books by Zahn set in the Star Wars universe featuring Admiral Thrawn, who is a mix between a brilliant detective and a masterful tactician and general. Imagine my surprise to find that there were other Thrawn books.  This is the first of a prequel series that was just excellent.

The Disappearance of Winter’s Daughter by Michael J. Sullivan.  This is the fourth of a series entitled the Riyria Chronicles and features Sullivan’s wonderful characters, Royce and Hadrian.  The chemistry between the two characters is as delightful as always and the plot races right along, keeping the reader on their seat until it comes to a satisfying ending.

Into the Narrowdark by Tad Williams.  This is book 3 in one of the best continuing fantasy series today, The Last King of Osten Ard.  Set decades after his original trilogy (Memory, Sorrow and Thorn), the story builds from the first two books with more twists and turns leading to a cliff-hanger ending that leaves one waiting until book #4 is published.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir.  Weir is best known as the author of The Martian, which was made into a movie staring Matt Damon.  In this book, Weir tells the story of an expedition sent deep in space to try to stop the deterioration of our sun and the ultimate destruction of life on earth.  The premise is intriguing, the storyline keeps you reading and the plot has more than a few surprises.

The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson.  It is always a good year when there is a new Brandon Sanderson book to read.  This novel concludes his second Mistborn series again featuring Wax, Wayne and their cohorts.  While this series is a mix of steampunk and fantasy, it is more light-hearted than some of his other series and once again leads the reader on a breath-taking ride to a powerful conclusion.

 

Other excellent fiction titles I read this year:

Beyond the Shadows by Brent Weeks

The Starless Crown by James Rollins

Greater Good by Timothy Zahn (Thrawn Ascendency, #2)

Crooked River by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Thrawn by Timothy Zahn (Thrawn, #1)

Thrawn:  Alliances by Timothy Zahn (Thrawn, #2)

Thrawn:  Treason by Timothy Zahn (Thrawn, #3)

Kesrith by C. J. Cherryh (Faded Sun, #1)

Shon’Jir by C. J. Cherryh (Faded Sun, #2)

Kutath by C. J. Cherryh (Faded Sun, #3)

Brothers of the Wind by Tad Williams

Best Reads of 2022 - History/Biography

 It is the middle of January and I have finally found time to start writing my annual summary of the best books from the past year.  As in past years, I have read a lot of good books this year.  I plan to divide these posts into three groups again – history/biography books, ministry-oriented books and fiction books.

Here is my description of the best history/biography books I read this year, followed by a list of the others I finished during 2022.

Stalin’s War:  A New History of World War II by Sean McMeekin.  This is a truly
remarkable, eye-opening book.  McMeekin’s argument is that Stalin, not Hitler, was the prime driver behind World War 2.  The author details how Stalin manipulated Hitler to bring about war, and then when Hitler turned on him, how he made himself the darling of the West.  McMeekin details the necessity and excesses of the Lend Lease program and the extent to which the US went to continue to supply the Russians with raw materials and manufactured goods which enabled them to get a jump on the Cold War.

Island Infernos:  The US Army’s Pacific War Odyssey, 1944 by John C. McManus.  This is McManus’ second book in a three-part series on the US Army in the Pacific during World War 2.  Like the previous book, it is amazingly well written and researched.  McManus unpacks the Army’s role in places like Saipan, Guam, New Guinea and Leyte Island in the Philippines and he does not shy away from addressing the Marine Corps’ bias against the Army by some of its leadership. 

Intellectuals:  From Marx and Tolstoy to Sartre and  Chomsky by Paul Johnson.  Another absolutely fascinating book.  Johnson details the life of intellectual after intellectual who each made absolute claims about how society should operate and how others should live.  But when their own lives are examined, they are exposed for the hypocrites that they truly were.  One wonders who would star in such a book if it was written about today’s intellectual class.

A War of Empires:  Japan, India, Burma & Britain, 1941-45 by Robert Lyman.  The CBI or China-Burma-India theater of World War 2 is often overlooked.  But the fact is, Allied troops fought the Japanese longer there than any other place in the Pacific War.  Lyman focuses our attention on this theater and especially on the struggles and subsequent triumphs of the Indian Army soldiers which made up the bulk of the troops. 

Victory at Sea:  Naval Power and the Transformation of the Global Order in World War 2 by Paul Kennedy.  Kennedy’s book is a high-level study of the navies of World War 2.  He focuses on the changes in the global world order as some navies who entered the war eroded or were destroyed, while others like the US Navy displayed remarkable growth.  It is a fascinating synthesis made better by some great naval art by artist Ian Marshall.

July 1914:  Countdown to War by Sean McMeekin.  You might start noticing a theme here.  This is a Sean McMeekin year.  After reading Stalin’s War, I sought out other McMeekin books.  This volume is about the political and diplomatic machinations that brought about World War 1.  Blunders and miscommunication abound everywhere, and while blaming Austria as well as Germany, McMeekin brings the pivotal roles of Russian, France and Britain to the fore as well.  Bottom line – no one comes out looking good here.

The Russian Revolution:  A New History by Sean McMeekin.  One more McMeekin book.  This is a very readable account of how the Russian revelation came about.  He brings out how fragile and risky Lenin’s position really was at the beginning.  The book is rather grim in spots, and McMeekin does not shy away from the horror of Communist rule or the guilt belonging to other nations in allowing the revolution to begin and continue to its end.

Other excellent books I read:

Brothers in Arms:  One Legendary Tank Regiment’s Bloody War from D-Day to VE-Day by James Holland

Poland 1939:  The Outbreak of World War 2 by Roger Moorhouse

Maverick:  A Biography of Thomas Sowell by Jason L. Riley

Operation Pedestal:  The Fleet and Battled to Malta, 1942 by Max Hastings

The Greek Revolution:  1821 and the Making of Modern Europe by Mark Mazower

Island of the Blue Foxes:  Disaster and Triumph on the World’s Greatest Scientific Expedition by Stephen R. Bown

Fears of a Setting Sun:  The Disillusionment of America’s Founders by Dennis C. Rasmussen

The Last Emperor of Mexico by Edward Shawcross

The White Ship:  Conquest, Anarchy and the Wrecking of Henry I’s Dream by Charles Spencer

Thaddeus Stevens:  Civil War Revolutionary, Fighter for Racial Justice by Bruce Levine

River of the Gods:  Genius, Courage and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile by Candice Millard

Agent Sonya:  The Spy Next Door by Ben MacIntyre

Icebound:  Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World by Andrea Pitzer

The Last Battle:  When US and German Soldiers joined forces in the Waning Hours of World War II in Europe by Stephen Harding

The Red Prince:  John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster by Helen Carr

Salmon P. Chase:  Lincoln’s Vital Rival by Walter Stahr

Shadow Man:  An Elusive Psycho Killer and the Birth of FBI Profiling by Ron Franscell

Who Can Hold the Sea:  The US Navy in the Cold War, 1945-1960 by James Hornfischer

Rebels at Sea:  Privateering in the American Revolution by Eric Jay Dolin

Path Lit by Lightning:  The Life of Jim Thorpe by David Maraniss

Everest 1922:  The Epic Story of the First Attempt on the World’s Highest Mountain by Mick Conefrey

Together We Stand:  North Africa 1942-1943:  Turning the Tide in the West by James Holland

Blood and Smoke:  A True Tale of Mystery, Mayhem and the Birth of the Indy 500 by Charles Leerhsen

The Revolutionary Samuel Adams by Stacy Schiff

George V:  Never a Dull Moment by Jane Ridley

A Man of Iron:  The Turbulent Life and Improbable Presidency of Grover Cleveland by
Troy Senik

The Last Campaign:  Sherman, Geronimo and the War for America by H. W.  Brands

A Fire in the Wilderness:  The First Battle between Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee by John Reeves

 

And a few that were somewhat disappointing:

Eight Days in May:  The Final Collapse of the Third Reich by Volker Ullrich

All Roads Led to Gettysburg:  A New Look at the Civil War’s Pivotal Campaign by Troy D. Harman