2022 Reading List
Books read in 2022: 60Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring [A]
Author(s):Notes:- I enjoy this series more and more each time I read it.
- This time, I noticed how the adventure begins right in Hobbiton as Frodo is almost caught on a number of occasions. The movies scale the danger as the adventure goes on, but the books introduce the danger right from the start
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High [B+]
Author(s):- Joseph Grenny
- Ron McMillan
- Al Switzler
- Kerry Patterson
Notes:- I think this book is a ‘must-read’ for everyone and worth reading regularly. It provides so many practical, helpful tips applicable to relationships with a spouse, family, friends, co-workers, and bosses
Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents [B]
Author(s):Notes:- Worth reading… forecasts concerning trends in today’s culture and provides practical steps (not the least of which is to ’live not by lies’) to live a Christian in this culture
Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win [A+]
Author(s):Notes:- Absolutely fantastic read. A rare book I will read yearly.
- Very challenging book that rips out the heart of excuses and apathy.
Redeeming Mathematics: A God-Centered Approach [C]
Author(s):Notes:- Mildly interesting
- At times, the arguments seem overly simple, obvious, or forced. For example, the author argues that our ability to extrapolate natural numbers to infinity shows how we are thinking God’s thoughts after Him and imitating (in a small way) God’s infinitude. While this may be true, I don’t feel the weight/value of this argument.
Trivium: The Classical Liberal Arts of Grammar, Logic, & Rhetoric [C+]
Author(s):Notes:- Fun and informative read, providing a number of basic constructs and principles in grammar, logic, and rhetoric.
The Art of Doing Science and Engineering: Learning to Learn [C+]
Author(s):Notes:- Fascinating read on multiple levels: historically (as it describes the development of a number of computer technologies), mathematically, technologically, and philosophically.
- Good read although a bit dry or wandering at times
Math Without Numbers [C+]
Author(s):Notes:- Very fun and informative read. Does a great job of communicating the vastness, themes, and beauty of mathematics.
Husband-Coached Childbirth: The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth [C]
Author(s):Notes:- This was clearly written at a very different time (e.g. a time when husbands couldn’t be in the room w/ their wives)
- Good prep. material for husbands to understand what their wives will go through and how to support them
- While I’m certainly not an expert, he seems to be overstating the ease of unmedicated childbirth
Show Them No Mercy: 4 Views on God and Canaanite Genocide [B]
Author(s):- C. S. Cowles
- Daniel L. Gard
- Eugene H. Merrill
- Tremper Longman III
- Stanley N. Gundry (Editor)
Notes:- I felt all positions were very clearly articulated
- My agreement w/ the various views (from greatest to least) is: 1. Spiritual Continuity, 2. Moderate Discontinuity, 3. Eschatological Continuity, 4. Strong Discontinuity
- I was particularly interested by C. S. Cowles argument and responses. His response to Tremper Longman was interesting in that he seemed (like Job’s friends) to be saying ‘The book of Revelation is complicated… here’s what it means…’. Additionally, his quotation of Exodus 34:6-7 (pg. 195) was interesting b/c he cut the quotation short so that it didn’t include God’s promise to punish the guilty and punish evil-doers and their children.
Enlightening Symbols: A Short History of Mathematical Notation and Its Hidden Powers [C-]
Author(s):Notes:- Not as fascinating as I expected, but some interesting historical points
Work [B]
Author(s):Notes:- As stated in the conclusion of this book: ‘[T]his book has argued that we can hope to effect live-giving social reforms through work’
- As stated in the conclusion of this book: ‘This book maintains that despite human sin, the cultural mandate… still stands. We dare to think that Christians can do more than making a living or avoiding sin. We show that Christ, the King, has come and that His kingdom has arrived, even in our work, in every realm of life.’
- Very good read that addresses some foundational questions about work from a historical, theological, and biblical approach
The Death of Porn: Men of Integrity Building a World of Nobility [C]
Author(s):Notes:- Decent book serving as a call to action for men to reject the culture of Porn and the objectification of women.
- Simple, short. Not earth-shaking, but encouraging and worth reading
Four Views on Free Will [C]
Author(s):- John Martin Fischer
- Robert Kane
- Derk Pereboom
- Manuel Vargas
Notes:- Very informative introduction - the intro alone is worth reading as it sets the stage for this fascinating topic
Theology and Sanity [A]
Author(s):Notes:- One of the best theology books I’ve read - it addresses pertinent, enlightening, and awe-inspiring topics usually neglected by theology books I’ve read
- Even as a Protestant, I find this book fascinating and insightful
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Ring [A]
Author(s):Notes:- Fantastic conclusion to the trilogy
- Even better than the movie
- Gets better every time I read it
The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy [B]
Author(s):- Thomas J. Stanley
- William D. Danko
Notes:- Good book w/ many surprises and practical insights into how to build wealth
- Easy skim
How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life [C]
Author(s):Notes:- Good book w/ some helpful practical tips
- Not the best book on the subject of time/life management, but not bad and worth a skim
Artificial Intelligence: Thinking Machines and Smart Robots with Science Activities for Kids [C]
Author(s):- Angie Smibert
- Alexis Cornell
Notes:- Good intro for kids w/ some fun projects
Learning to Invest: Principles for Abundant Living [C]
Author(s):Notes:- Good intro to various aspects of investing
- Very basic, but a good intro and jumping-off point for beginners
Scale: The Universal Laws of Growth, Innovation, Sustainability, and the Pace of Life in Organisms, Cities, Economies, and Companies [C+]
Author(s):Notes:- The subtitle is very accurate; basic thesis: There are ’laws’ of scale that apply across diverse contexts and seem to be woven into the universe
- For example, the ratio between size with heart rate for mammals (and this extends to other animals too) is very similar
- I’m surprised I’ve never heard of this book before
- Fascinating book I’d like to re-read as I didn’t get focus on it as much as I’d like
The Call to Mastery [C+]
Author(s):Notes:- Encouraging and inspiring podcast celebrating the role of good work in the Christian life
Practical Java Machine Learning: Projects with Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services [C]
Author(s):Notes:- Decent book - has a great overview of machine learning models and approaches (and how they map to Java)
The Cartoon Guide to the Computer [B]
Author(s):Notes:- Fun read!
- It’s always interesting to read a computer book written decades ago… the discussion of the future of high level languages is hilarious look back on a time when Fortran was cutting edge
Perelandra [A+]
Author(s):Notes:- Such a great story
- I think this is one of Lewis’ best worlds
Superintelligence [C]
Author(s):Notes:- Pessimistic about the future of superintelligence
- Assumes superintelligence possible and doesn’t get much into the philosophy supporting this claim
- Appreciated the term ‘superintelligence’ instead of ‘artificial intelligence’
- Appreciated the emphasis on the difficulty/impossibility of bounding work given to a superintelligent being/computer (e.g. telling a superintelligence to optimize production of paper clips could cause the super intelligence to take over the world to ensure paper clip production)
Humble Pi: When Math Goes Wrong in the Real World [A]
Author(s):Notes:- Fun, cathartic read for those in engineering, computer science, or math
- Fascinating study in what can go wrong (and leads quickly into a discussion of how to avoid things going wrong)
- A very sobering reminder of what can go wrong when engineers, mathematicians, or designers get something wrong
The Briefing [A]
Author(s):Notes:- Fantastic news resource providing ‘a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview’
Data Science on the Google Cloud Platform: Implementing End-to-End Real-Time Data Pipelines: From Ingest to Machine Learning [C]
Author(s):Notes:- Decent introduction to GCP which picks a project and walks through a solution
Language Families of the World [A]
Author(s):Notes:
Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win [A]
Author(s):Notes:- Read this book again this year… still very good
- Appreciated emphasis on seeking win-win solutions rather than settling for win-lose or lose-lose options
Farming the Woods: An Integrated Permaculture Approach to Growing Food and Medicinals in Temperate Forests [A+]
Author(s):Notes:- Fantastic read - very clear, informative, and practical
- Accessible for those unfamiliar with Agroforestry
- Great pictures/graphics throughout the book
- One of the fascinating themes in the book is the ecological changes that climate change will bring. Apparently, tree species can move about 100 meters a year in any new direction. But to keep up with climate change, tree species would have to move about 10 kilometers a year! Thus, many farmers are proactively ‘helping’ tree species move (called ‘assisted migration’).
Fragments of Infinity: A Kaleidoscope of Math and Art [10]
Author(s):Notes:- Good read, one with many inspirations for mathematicians and artists
- Good source for names of mathematicians/artists
Beautiful Geometry [10]
Author(s):Notes:- Fun read w/ a number of interesting art works throughout the book to illustrate the concepts being discussed
Dividend Cafe [1]
Author(s):Notes:
Always Ready: Directions for Defending the Faith [10]
Author(s):Notes:- Good intro to presuppositional apologetics
- Before reading this book, I would not have considered myself a presuppositional apologist, but after reading it I now do
- When claiming that one of the steps of the apologist is to demonstrate internal inconsistencies in other world-views, his entire argument relies on the KJV translation of 2 Tim. 2:25… other translations translate this passage in way that does not support his conclusion
Dune [10]
Author(s):Notes:- It is hard for me to say too many good things about this book… this is great science fiction; it strikes the perfect balance of futuristic and exotic with relatable and clear
- My one negative critique is that there are scenes which jump significant amounts of time without warning and sometimes leave the reader (at least me) with a sense of ‘whiplash’. I would have appreciated smoother transitions at a few points.
- I really appreciated the complexity of the world he created. I love how politics, religion, philosophy, environmentalism, and anthropology are all woven into the story
Universal Patterns (The Golden Relationship : Art, Math & Nature, Book 1) [10]
Author(s):- Martha Boles
- Rochelle Newman
Notes:- Fascinating, fun read with some practical art projects one can work on
The Horse and His Boy [1]
Author(s):Notes:- One of my favorite books in the Narniad
- Exciting, well-written story with great quotes and profound conversations
Blog and Mablog [1]
Author(s):Notes:- Aside from being one of the best named blogs out there, this podcast is insightful, poignant, often hilarious, and well written even if you don’t agree with Doug Wilson
How to Solve It [100]
Author(s):Notes:- Interesting read, but underwhelming. I had high expectations for this book based on a friend’s review and was definitely disappointed.
- A few good tips for solving problems, but nothing earth-shaking
Having Two Legs [0]
Author(s):Notes:- Perhaps one of the best podcasts I have found. The posts are thoughtful, biblical, short, and (perhaps most uniquely) encouraging.
- This podcast is joyful and encouraging in a way that few others are.
Mathematics and Art: A Cultural History [1]
Author(s):Notes:- Great read covering a number of fascinating topics
There’s No Free Lunch: 250 Economic Truths [1]
Author(s):Notes:- Really approachable, enjoyable, and informative read
- Love the idea of a book that is a commentary on notable quotes
- The quotes in this book cohere to form a compelling argument for the free market and a healthy definition of economics in which human creativity and passion fuels production to meet needs and facilitate human flourishing
- This book introduced me to the ‘Knowledge Problem’
The Brothers Karamazov [100]
Author(s):Notes:- Underwhelming… below the expectations set by the reviews of this book I have heard in the past
- IMO, not one of Dostoevsky’s better works
- Intriguing and captivating storyline which was much more engaging than ‘Crime and Punishment’
A Guide to a Georgia Barrier Island: Featuring Jekyll Island With St. Simons & Sapelo Islands [10]
Author(s):Notes:- Fascinating book on a rare and unique part of the US
A Naturalist’s Guide to the Okefenokee Swamp [100]
Author(s):Notes:- Good read about a fascinating ecosystem
Tree Houses: Fairy Tale Castles [10]
Author(s):Notes:
The Florida Everglades [100]
Author(s):Notes:- Interesting read about a unique part of the US
Personal Financial Planning for Executives and Entrepreneurs: The Path to Financial Peace of Mind (2nd ed.) [1]
Author(s):- Many: https://www.amazon.com/Personal-Financial-Planning-Executives-Entrepreneurs/dp/3030653994
Notes:- Very informative and practical guide for more than just executives and entrepreneurs
- Highly recommended
Hawk Watch: A Guide for Beginners [1]
Author(s):Notes:- Really helpful introduction to Hawk Watching
- Very helpful guides detailing how to differentiate raptors from one another
That Hideous Strength [1]
Author(s):Notes:- One of Lewis’ most tense, dramatic, and humorous works
- Fascinating in light of COVID lockdowns and the ’emergency actions’ taken by various governments… this is the first thing that NICE does as well
Forward: Notes on the Future of Our Democracy [10]
Author(s):Notes:- While I disagree with most of Andrew Yang’s answers, he is absolutely asking the right questions and has, perhaps, the best appreciation of the many things Americans should fix about our economy and government
- I disagree with most of Andrew Yang’s answers to the problems he rightly identifies because most of Andrew Yang’s answers boil down to: Make the government better. Most of my answers boil down to: Make government smaller/simpler
1421: The Year China Discovered America [100]
Author(s):Notes:- Interesting read asserting that Chinese explorers explored and colonized the world around 1421. Although I think some points are a stretch, I think the overall argument is compelling (although I have not read any academic responses to Mr. Menzies’ argument).
- One recurring argument of particular interest was the argument that some distortions and errors on early maps can be explained by considering that early explorers were just viewing land from a ship a sea (sometimes are great distances) and, at certain latitudes, would have a hard time finding their longitude (a challenge he discusses at length in the book).
The Wingfeather Saga: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness [10]
Author(s):Notes:- Fantastic story (for both kids and adults) that we are excited to share with friends and family.
Eating on the Wild Side: The Missing Link to Optimum Health [1]
Author(s):Notes:- Great reference book - I don’t recommend reading cover-to-cover (unless you want to, of course), but the intro is helpful and specific chapters may be particularly relevant to your location and diet
Leadership Strategy and Tactics: Field Manual [10]
Author(s):Notes:- Good book - fleshes out and clarifies a lot of what is discussed in Extreme Ownership
The Case for Dividend Growth: Investing in a Post-Crisis World [1]
Author(s):Notes:- Fantastic intro to a powerful investing concept
The Night the Bear Ate Goombaw [100]
Author(s):Notes:- Fun read as usual with McManus
Great Lakes Alvars [1000]
Author(s):Notes:- Fun read about a unique landscape
- An alvar is a flat, barren, treeless limestone opening. They are unique landscapes home to many fascinating flora and fauna.