What do Soren Kierkegaard and a parent’s approach to discipline have in common? Or, how about stories of traveling the world with children (At Home in the World) and a book on the inner workings of the human mind (The Stuff of Thought)? All topics (plus many more) made iAt’s Top Book List for 2017. Compiled by iAt’s Editorial Board, this diverse (and long) list gives a variety of topics and genres to consider as you discern what to read in 2018.
What books would you add to our 2017 book list? Leave your suggestions in the comment section below.
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, 2013.)
“A powerful, tender story of race and identity by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the award-winning author of Half of a Yellow Sun.
Ifemelu and Obinze are young and in love when they depart military-ruled Nigeria for the West. Beautiful, self-assured Ifemelu heads for America, where despite her academic success, she is forced to grapple with what it means to be black for the first time. Quiet, thoughtful Obinze had hoped to join her, but with post-9/11 America closed to him, he instead plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London. Fifteen years later, they reunite in a newly democratic Nigeria, and reignite their passion—for each other and for their homeland.”
At Home in the World: Reflections on Belonging While Wandering the Globe by Tsh Oxenreider
“As Tsh Oxenreider, author of Notes From a Blue Bike, chronicles her family’s adventure around the world—seeing, smelling, and tasting the widely varying cultures along the way—she discovers what it truly means to be at home.”
Blackflame by Will Wight
This is the third book in Will Wight’s Cradle series, “a martial arts heavy fantasy series inspired by Xianxia fiction. It involves ‘hard magic’ in the form of detailed rules of learning psuedo-magical martial arts abilities, and clear progression between levels of advancement.”
Boys in the Bunkhouse by Dan Barry
“With this Dickensian tale from America’s heartland, New York Times writer and columnist Dan Barry tells the harrowing yet uplifting story of the exploitation and abuse of a resilient group of men with intellectual disability, and the heroic efforts of those who helped them to find justice and reclaim their lives.”
The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race by Willie Jennings
“Why has Christianity, a religion premised upon neighborly love, failed in its attempts to heal social divisions? In this ambitious and wide-ranging work, Willie James Jennings delves deep into the late medieval soil in which the modern Christian imagination grew, to reveal how Christianity’s highly refined process of socialization has inadvertently created and maintained segregated societies. A probing study of the cultural fragmentation—social, spatial, and racial—that took root in the Western mind, this book shows how Christianity has consistently forged Christian nations rather than encouraging genuine communion between disparate groups and individuals.”
Emboldened: A Vision for Empowering Women in Ministry by Tara Beth Leach
“With grace and honesty, Tara Beth Leach unpacks her journey of becoming a woman senior pastor in a prominent evangelical church. In doing so, she blazes a trail for us all, both men and women, in empowering women for ministry. Robust in its theology, practical in its wisdom, Emboldened tells us why God’s mission demands nothing less of us in these times: women and men together leading God’s church.”–David Fitch, Northern Seminary, author of Faithful Presence
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
“A national bestseller when it first appeared in 1963, The Fire Next Time galvanized the nation and gave passionate voice to the emerging civil rights movement. At once a powerful evocation of James Baldwin’s early life in Harlem and a disturbing examination of the consequences of racial injustice, the book is an intensely personal and provocative document. It consists of two “letters,” written on the occasion of the centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation, that exhort Americans, both black and white, to attack the terrible legacy of racism. Described by The New York Times Book Review as “sermon, ultimatum, confession, deposition, testament, and chronicle…all presented in searing, brilliant prose,” The Fire Next Time stands as a classic of our literature.”
The Good Life: Ethics and the Pursuit of Happiness by Herbert McCabe
“The Dalai Lama once wrote that the object of human existence was to be happy. This sounds extremely glib as happiness in the popular imagination is a feeling and in the words of the song ‘the greatest gift that we possess’. On the other hand, von Hugel wrote ‘Religion has never made me happy;it’s no use shutting your eyes to the fact that the deeper you go, the more alone you will find yourself’ This small masterpiece by the late Fr Herbert McCabe of the Dominican order steers a steady courss between these two extremes. We feels instinctively that human beings are designed to enjoy themselves and to be happy and yet we are told that suffering is good for the soul. But in the Catholic tradition the true object of human existence is the vision of God and nothing less than this will ever make us truly happy. But Fr McCabe explores much deeper issues. Is Happiness a pleasure or a pain? You hardly know. Certainly it is not a comfort for comfort spells seciurity and hapiness can take you out of yourself to a degree where all secutiry is left behind. Behind a feeling of exultation, you can sense the flame of incandescent terror. This short book is entirely original and will further enhance McCabe’s posthumous reputation.”
The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt
“In his widely praised book, award-winning psychologist Jonathan Haidt examines the world’s philosophical wisdom through the lens of psychological science, showing how a deeper understanding of enduring maxims–like “do unto others as you would have others do unto you,” or “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”–can enrich and even transform our lives.”
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson (Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and awarded the PEN/Hemingway Award for best first novel)
“A modern classic, Housekeeping is the story of Ruth and her younger sister, Lucille, who grow up haphazardly, first under the care of their competent grandmother, then of two comically bumbling great-aunts, and finally of Sylvie, their eccentric and remote aunt. The family house is in the small Far West town of Fingerbone set on a glacial lake, the same lake where their grandfather died in a spectacular train wreck, and their mother drove off a cliff to her death. It is a town ‘chastened by an outsized landscape and extravagant weather, and chastened again by an awareness that the whole of human history had occurred elsewhere.’ Ruth and Lucille’s struggle toward adulthood beautifully illuminates the price of loss and survival, and the dangerous and deep undertow of transience.”
How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen by Joanna Faber
“A must-have resource for anyone who lives or works with young kids, with an introduction by Adele Faber, coauthor of How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk, the international mega-bestseller The Boston Globe dubbed ‘The Parenting Bible.'”
How to Think: A Survival Guide for a World at Odds by Alan Jacobs
“Absolutely splendid . . . essential for understanding why there is so much bad thinking in political life right now.” —David Brooks, New York Times
Kierkegaard: A Single Life by Stephen Backhouse.
“Søren Kierkegaard is a writer, thinker, and historical figure of international renown and name recognition, yet fiendishly complicated. This book highlights the interesting and controversial aspects of his life and provides brief, straightforward overviews of his key works.”
The Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren
“Framed around one ordinary day, this book explores daily life through the lens of liturgy, small practices, and habits that form us. Each chapter looks at something author Tish Harrison Warren does in a day-making the bed, brushing her teeth, losing her keys-and relates it to spiritual practice as well as to our Sunday worship.”
Misbehaving: The Making of Behavior Economics by Richard Thaler
“Nobel laureate Richard H. Thaler has spent his career studying the radical notion that the central agents in the economy are humans―predictable, error-prone individuals. Misbehaving is his arresting, frequently hilarious account of the struggle to bring an academic discipline back down to earth―and change the way we think about economics, ourselves, and our world.”
Modern Social Imaginaries by Charles Taylor
“In Modern Social Imaginaries, Taylor continues his recent reflections on the theme of multiple modernities. To account for the differences among modernities, Taylor sets out his idea of the social imaginary, a broad understanding of the way a given people imagine their collective social life.”
Montessori From the Start by Paul Polk Lillard
“What can parents do to help their youngest children in their task of self-formation? How does the Montessori method of hands-on learning and self-discovery relate to the youngest infants? This authoritative and accessible book answers these and many other questions. Based on Dr. Maria Montessori’s instructions for raising infants, its comprehensive exploration of the first three years incorporates the furnishings and tools she created for the care and comfort of babies. From the design of the baby’s bedroom to the child-sized kitchen table, from diet and food preparation to clothing and movement, the authors provide guidance for the establishment of a beautiful and serviceable environment for babies and very young children. They introduce concepts and tasks, taking into account childrens’ ‘sensitive periods’ for learning such skills as dressing themselves, food preparation, and toilet training. Brimming with anecdote and encouragement, and written in a clear, engaging style, Montessori from the Start is a practical and useful guide to raising calm, competent, and confident children.”
The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own by Josh Becker
“The More of Less delivers an empowering plan for living more by owning less. With practical suggestions and encouragement to personalize your own minimalist style, Joshua Becker shows you why minimizing possessions is the best way to maximize life.”
The Mystery of Risk: Drugs, Alcohol, Pregnancy, and the Vulnerable Child by Ira J. Chasnoff
“The ill effects of a baby’s exposure to drugs and alcohol while in the womb are demonstrated in this essential reference with cutting-edge information from the fields of medicine, neuroscience, and child psychology. These findings posit that many of the learning and behavior problems seen in children–from poor school performance to patterns of impulsivity often diagnosed as ADHD–are both treatable and preventable. The book first traces the history of fetal malformation back to the time of Aristotle, then presents a resounding call for integrated systems of care for high-risk children and their families. Methods for applying behavior management and treatment techniques are included for health care practitioners, social workers, early childhood intervention specialists, special education teachers, and parents, whether for use at home, at school, or in the clinical setting.”
No Drama Discipline by Daniel Siegel
“No-Drama Discipline is based on recent discoveries about the brain that give us deep insights into the children we care for, what they need, and how to discipline them in ways that foster optimal development. It offers a ‘relational’ approach that builds on children’s innate desire to please their parents and get along well with others. Following the same successful formula that made The Whole-Brain Child a bestseller, No-Drama Discipline presents clear messages in a practical and inviting format to communicate its core concepts and practices. You can discipline your children in a way that’s high on relationship-building, high on respect, and low on drama and conflict.”
Out of Sorts: Making Peace with an Evolving Faith by Sarah Bessey
“In Out of Sorts, Sarah Bessey—award-winning blogger and author of Jesus Feminist, which was hailed as “lucid, compelling, and beautifully written” (Frank Viola, author of God’s Favorite Place on Earth)—helps us grapple with core Christian issues using a mixture of beautiful storytelling and biblical teaching, a style well described as ‘narrative theology.'”
The Pietist Option by Chris Gehrz and Mark Pattie
“The Pietist Option introduces Pietism to those who don’t know it—and reintroduces it to those who perceive it as an outdated and inward-focused spirituality, a nitpicking divisiveness, or an anti-intellectual withdrawal. With its emphasis on our walk with Jesus and its vibrant hope for a better future, Pietism connects decisively with the ideas and issues of our day. Here is a revitalizing option for all who desire to be faithful and fruitful in God’s mission.”
Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist
“Present Over Perfect is bestselling author Shauna Niequist’s motto for how to live a rich, engaged, and loving life in the midst of what often feels terribly messy and imperfect. Similar in format to Shauna’s previous books, Present Over Perfect is a collection of essays that focuses on the journey from frantic and tired to connected and free. Many of us find ourselves busier than we want to be, missing the sweetest moments along the way. We end up resentful and distracted, full of regret and feeling disconnected. Present Over Perfect is a hand reaching out to a new way of living—full of grace, space, and connection.”
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
“When a newborn baby dies after a routine hospital procedure, there is no doubt about who will be held responsible: the nurse who had been banned from looking after him by his father. What the nurse, her lawyer and the father of the child cannot know is how this death will irrevocably change all of their lives, in ways both expected and not. Small Great Things is about prejudice and power; it is about that which divides and unites us. It is about opening your eyes.”
The Stuff of Thought: Language as Window Into Human Nature by Steven Pinker
“This New York Times bestseller is an exciting and fearless investigation of language from the author of Better Angels of Our Nature and The Sense of Style and the forthcoming Enlightenment Now.”
Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner
“Thick as Thieves is the eagerly anticipated new stand-alone novel set in the world of the Queen’s Thief. New York Times-bestselling author Megan Whalen Turner’s entrancing and award-winning Queen’s Thief novels bring to life the world of the epics and feature one of the most charismatic and incorrigible characters of fiction, Eugenides the thief. Megan Whalen Turner’s Queen’s Thief novels are rich with political machinations and intrigue, battles lost and won, dangerous journeys, divine intervention, power, passion, revenge, and deception.Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, Patrick Rothfuss, and George R. R. Martin.”
To the End of June: The Intimate Life of American Foster Care by Cris Beam
“Who are the children of foster care? What, as a country, do we owe them? Cris Beam, a foster mother herself, spent five years immersed in the world of foster care, looking into these questions and tracing firsthand stories. The result is To the End of June, an unforgettable portrait that takes us deep inside the lives of foster children at the critical points in their search for a stable, loving family.”
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