2025 Summer Reading List: Yours
It’s that time of year again, nerds: that collective moment when we push our glasses up on our nose, promise ourselves we will read the books we already own, and then – in a fit of indulgence brought on by other people’s suggestions – will mouse-click our way to new books we swear we’ll read.
Later this week, I’ll post the list of what I plan to read this summer, but for today, here are the top ten titles I think you should consider. I read all of these sometime in the last year, and I think they’re worthy of a spot on your shelf. Or Kindle. Or beach bag. Whatevs.
(A side note is in order here: four of these appeared on my 2024 Year in Review post, so you may have seen them before. And while I don’t often assign a “favorite” rating to these lists, my two hands-down favorites are unapologetically heralded below.)
Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War (Mark Bowden) I have a vague memory of watching this 2001 movie, but I can’t imagine it was able to do justice to the book. Raw and at times hard to read, the level of detail and timelines the author was able to cover is just astounding.
Building Spiritual Habits in the Home: Small Steps You Can Take Today (Chris Pappalardo and Clayton Greene) My friends Chris and Clayton take the big idea of family discipleship and break it down into bite-sized – and dare I say, fun – chunks. (Top Ten Quotes post)
Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law (Mary Roach) Mrs. Roach’s books are simply a delight to read. Quirky, irreverent, and laugh-out-loud hilarious, Fuzz tackles leopards in India, seagulls in St. Peter’s Square, and every ne’er-do-well animal in between.
How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen (David Brooks) This was one of those books I started as an audiobook and knew I needed to actually read. If you want to be a person who helps other people be known, this needs to be on your list.
On Speaking Well: How to Give a Speech with Style, Substance, and Clarity (Peggy Noonan) Anyone who is a speechwriter for Reagan and a consultant for The West Wing is bound to have some stories to tell. Noonan runs the gamut from history-making speeches to how your particular speech can better land with your audience. (Top Ten Quotes post)
Surprised by Oxford: A Memoir (Carolyn Weber) This was my second-favorite book I read in the past year. With the exception of the first two chapters, I devoured the entire thing on a Saturday, while my wife glanced in my direction from time to time and helpfully asked, “Are you gonna do anything else today?” (Spoiler: I did not.)
Surrender to Love: Discovering the Heart of Christian Spirituality (David Benner) A friend and I read through this together this spring. It carries heavy Gentle and Lowly vibes, and would serve well as a brief devotional book. (Top Ten Quotes post)
The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness (Jonathan Haidt) This is the book that every parent has heard of, but not enough have read. It’s sobering, shocking, but strangely hopeful and helpful to the parent who wants to wisely navigate kids and tech.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (Rebecca Skloot) Hands-down my favorite book of the last twelve months. This is the true story of a woman diagnosed with cervical cancer in the 50s, whose cells were taken without knowledge or consent and used for research in every field imaginable. The timeline runs from 1910 to 2009, and bounces backwards and forwards, Lost-style. Written by a science writer but like a novelist, you won’t be able to put this one down.
Write Better: A Lifelong Editor on Craft, Art, and Spirituality (Andrew Le Peau) I read this with a group of friends and wanna-get-better writers last year. Even I-don’t-wanna-be-a-writer readers will enjoy Le Peau’s style and examples. It’ll make you realize why you like to read what you like to read. (Top Ten Quotes post)
(BONUS) The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien) Chances are great that you’ve read The Hobbit. But if you haven’t listened to The Hobbit – specifically the Audible version narrated by Andy Serkis, download it now. Serkis voices ’em all, but especially the voice of Gollum, which originally won him acclaim from the Peter Jackson movies. And as a bonus to the bonus: I’m currently wrapping up the final Audible book in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which Serkis also narrates. These books are well worth the – clears throat – 73 hours you’ll invest in them.
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