What writers are in your top ten? You may read for pleasure. You may read for your work. You may read to help you think (as in my case). You may read for a variety of reasons. Regardless of your reason for reading, who are some of your favorite authors?
What contemporary authors would be in your top ten?
My own list includes: N. T. Wright, Scot McKnight, Gary Thomas, Eugene Peterson, William Willimon, etc. I read very few novels but I do pay attention to Anne Tyler. I try to read widely. I regularly read numerous book reviews (as per Tim Keller’s suggestion). I occasionally read books, such as Andy Andrews’, The Noticer, as well as an occasional book by John Maxwell.
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What contemporary writers are in your top ten?
NT Wright
Dallas Willard
Philip Yancey
Eugene Peterson
John Mark Hicks
Stephen King
Wendell Berry
RA Salvatore (fantasy fiction)
Neal Stephenson (futuristic)
JK Rowling
Looks like I will be introduced to some new authors through this post. Thanks Nick! RA Salvatore and Neal Stephenson are new to me.
Hi Nick–
Great authors. Salvatore and Stephenson are both new to me. Thanks for introducing me!
For me it is:
Scot McKnight, Eugene Peterson, Adam Hamilton, NT Wright, Henri Nouwen, Kathleen Norris, Mark McMinn, Max Lucado, C.S. Lewis, Joseph Girzone, Thomas Merton…..it's not easy to pick just ten
Hi Ricky,
Good list. Mark McMinn and Joseph Girzone are both new to me.
Philip Yancey, Brennan Manning and John Eldredge would definitely be in my top ten. On the fiction side, I'd include John Grisham, Jeffrey Deaver, Kathy Reichs (a recent discovery) and Robert Harris. How many is that….?
Hello Rob– I'm weak on fiction. Deaver, Reichs, and Harris are all new to me.
Brenning Manning
Larry Crabb
John Piper
Ruth Haley Barton
Linda Dillow
Joyce Meyers
Richard Foster
started a book last night by Jim Cymbala
Hi Cathy. Good list. Linda Dillow is new to me. Thanks very much.
I read various writers for various reasons:
Eugene Peterson
Bill Hybels
John MacArthur
Dallas Willard
Haddon Robinson
Gary Smalley
Charles Swindoll
John Maxwell
Wayne Jackson
George Will
Eddy– I am familiar with your writers. Just started Dallas Willard's newest book.
I forgot about Brennan Manning and Ruth Haley Barton! Good stuff! Throw John Eldredge in there, too.
Here are some of my favourite authors:
Peter Scazzero
John Ortberg
John MacArthur
Erwin McManus
Andy Stanley
Henry Blackaby
Steve Aterburn
John Maxwell
Bill Hybels
Erwin McManus, John Eldredge, Andy Stanley, Reggie McNeal, Frank Viola, Tony & Felicity Dale, John Stott, AW Tozer, Watchmen Nee, Neil Cole, Len Sweet
Check this out – great for book lovers… http://www.librarything.com/catalog/jmlake42
Madeleine L. Engle (trying to read through all her books right now)
Henri Nouwen
Scot McKnight
Brennan Manning
David Benner
John Ortberg
Tim Downs (fiction)
Lauren Winner
Ruth Haley Barton
Keri Wyatt Kent
Eugene Peterson – want to read some stuff by him
Kevin– Just read Peter Scazzero's newest book on emotionally healthy spirituality. I think you went to his most recent seminar (?)
Mark– Familiar with your names until I got to Tony and Felicity Dale. They are new to me as well as Neil Cole. Thanks for the link to Librarything. A great tool.
I'm reading a book by the Dales titled The Rabbit and the Elephant. While the premis is in support of "simple church", I've found it to be an excellent book on the heart of what church is – a family through our relationship with God and others. They do a great job presenting the value of simple church without tearing down "legacy churches". Neil Cole has some excellent resources on organic church and discipleship.
Mark,
Hmm. I am not familiar with this book by Dales. This looks very interesting. Thanks for the follow-up.
Hello Dianne– I am not familiar with either Tim Downs or Keri Wyatt Kent. Good list.
Jim, Linda Dillow wrote Calm My Anxious Heart, i have gone thru it 3 times with different groups of women. it is definitely a keeper!!
Thank you Cathie.
Brennan Manning, Anne Lamont, Bird By Bird, Plan B, , Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Timothy Keller, the Prodigal Father, Randy Harris, (Please get God Work ASAP),
My reading has changed significantly since leaving ministry as a profession. I'm more into historical biographies these days, particularly re: American War of Northern Aggression. I enjoyed Swindoll, Ortberg, Willard, Willimon, Terry Rush, Crabb, Peterson, Hybels. I was leaving the "market" when I learned of N. T. Wright and Scot McKnight, but what little I read by them was excellent.
Greg– What historical biographies are you reading? How do you select what you are going to read? (By character or by author or is there another interest?)
Presently I'm reading several books on the life of Abraham Lincoln … some very contrasting accounts of his life, which makes it all the more interesting.
I would add John Eldridge, Francine Rivers, Philip Gulley. (Jim, if you have not read Gulley's "Home to Harmony" I think you would like it just for fun.) I always enjoy seeing what you are reading.
Steve,
I recognize Phillip Gulley's name but have never read anything by him. Several people have recommended his books.
Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen, Dallas Willard, Brennan Manning, Eugene Peterson, Frederick Buechner, Madeline L'Engle, Donald Miller, Catherine Marshall, Kathleen Norris, Richard Foster, Thomas Keating, Gene Edwards (I know that's more than 10, but I couldn't bear to leave any of them out!)
I also enjoy reading mysteries of the Agatha Christie type – nothing horrid or bloody, just simple whodunnits that keep you guessing till the end!
I left off Jim Palmer (DIVINE NOBODIES and WIDE OPEN SPACES).
Connie,
Please tell me about Jim Palmer. This is a new name to me. Thanks very much.
C. S. Lewis, Tim Keller (books and sermons – of course he's my pastor), Larry Bossidy (business – his book "Execution" was life changing in terms of productivity) , occassional business books to improve productivity, Jack Miller (Heart of a Servant Leader was amazingly perceptive for searching out pride), The Bible (mostly out loud), New York Times (arts, culture, editorial, business, real estate, the magazine and book review) Wall Street Journal ( to counter the NYT) Paul Johnson (wonderful catholic historian), Susan Howatch (great british Fiction. I'm pretty sure she is a believer but energetic writing mostly interested in powers and principalities), Charles Stanley (he helps me to focus on heart change and viewing daily circumstances in view of God's larger purpose) & RC Sproul (such clarity) , CT, World, sports on the web, blogs. That's about it. Good question.
Max,
Tim Keller is very much a favorite. In fact, I'm surprised I didn't list him. I read his books and try to keep track of various articles and special presentations. I have been helped greatly by reading and listening to him. (Listened to some lectures from Gordon Conwell last year that were so helpful. And he is your pastor… That's great!
I subscribe to the New York Times Book Reviews, and look online at the paper a few times a week. Right now, I am reading the Washington Post via my Kindle.
I am familiar with several of your authors. Several, however, are new to me. Larry Bossidy and Susan Howatch are not familiar names to me. I will need to browse through their books on Amazon.
I am curious about your reading of the Bible "mostly out loud." Is this a long time practice? Are there benefits that you gain from reading aloud? I am asking these questions because I have practiced reading the Psalms aloud for a number of years but do not usually read other books of the Bible aloud.
I went to your website and enjoyed the visit. I would love to see both the Gospel of Mark and Screwtape. (One of my favorite Lewis' books.) This must be very interesting work.
Thanks again, Max.
Don Bloesch
Willimon
Richard Foster
Dallas Willard
John Grisham (for fun!)
Ron White (I'm reading his bio. of Lincoln right now.)
Adam Hamilton
Peterson
Tim Keller (I've become a fan!)
Jan Karon
Clay–
Good authors. Have not read Don Bloesch in quite sometime. I am not familiar with Ron White (I like bio.'s very much).
My wife loves Jan Karon.
How could I not mention N.T. Wright and Scot McKnight?!
NT Wright
CS Lewis
Eugene Peterson
Stanley Hauerwas
Leif Enger
Sorry thats as far as I can get! (some similarities to Nick Gill I notice)
Liam,
Good authors. Can you introduce me to Leif Enger? This is a new name to me. Thanks very much.
Donna Leon
Geraldine Brooks
Tim Winton
Tim Parks
Philip Yancey
F W Boreham
Wendy,
Please tell me about your authors. (I am familiar with Yancey.) What kind of literature do they write? Thanks Wendy.
Eugene Peterson
Frederick Buechner
Henri Nouwen
Tony Earley
Walter Wangerin Jr.
Wendell Berry
Brennan Manning
Bonhoeffer
Rick Reilly
Tim Keller
Hoops,
I really need to read Wendell Berry. I have read so many quotes from his various books. Yet, I have never read an entire book of his. Where would you begin?
While I was earning my Bible degree I read the Bible as though it were a text book. it contained all the answers to the questions that would be on my tests. However, after college I started reading many many many books about the Bible, but did not read the Bible that much, even though I preached from it every week. About 10 years into my ministry I decided to stop reading so many books about the Bible and simply read and study the Bible in depth. In fact I decided that for the next year I would read no other book except the Bible unless I just had to. Conclusion: It revolutionized my relationship with God, my preaching, and everything else about my life. I discovered that the book I had been preaching from for 10 years, yet reading so little, was millions of times better than all the other books combined. I now read a lot of other books, but my main reading by far is still the Bible. Once one begins to really mine out the blessings found in the Bible that are hidden beneath the surface, he or she will never take God's word for granted again.
sdjquad– Thanks for this. Sounds like this has been a good journey for you. There is something to be said for saturating oneself with the message of the Bible. Glad to hear that on the other side of this that you continue to be encouraged by the message of Scripture. Thanks very much.
Give it to Bishop David Oyedepo, the powerful anointed man of God, with the largest church auditorium in the world. read his devotions at http://www.everydaydevotional.com/
Actually, you and I are reading many of the same things by many of the same people, but I would add to your list works by: Gayle Erwin, Chris Altrock, Bercot, Willard, Roper and Stott. In addition, I enjoy a wide variety of poetry: Frost, Kay Ryan, Billy Collins and Ted Kooser, to name a few.
Gary, you are right. The list could be much longer. You have listed a few of my favorite authors! You are way ahead of me in reading poetry. Thanks for sharing the names of these authors.