Every January 1 or December 31, my wife and I write down goals for the upcoming year. We also pull the previous year’s resolutions, written in a massive list on notebook paper, off the fridge and evaluate, reflect and remember all of the good times and big dreams we shared.

Once again, there were multiple literary goals on my list. This post is my gathering place — and accountability partner — for my goal of reading 75 books this year. I’m also going to provide three ‘takeaways’ which should not be confused with the texts’ theses or key arguments, but simply what I can recall whenever I sit down to type. Sort of like a C+ book report….

If I do this correctly, it will be updated every few days.

January

• “Ploductivity: A Practical Theology of Work and Wealth” by Douglas Wilson: 1) We are super wealthy today because of how advanced our tools are. By pulling out a smart phone, we can summon tens of thousands of servants even the richest kings of old couldn’t have dreamed of. For more on this, watch “Superabundance” a ‘Man Rampant’ season six sit down with Gale Pooley where he and Wilson chat about the “materialist’s superstition of limited resources.” 2) Ploductivity meaning: Don’t approach your goals with the ‘well, if I could clear my schedule for the next 8 months, then I could write the next great American novel’ approach. That will never happen, and even if it did, you wouldn’t be the type of person to get the job done. You do have 15 minutes every day. Use it – to write, read, learn, and chip away at your big dreams and monster goals. Write the next great American novel without anyone knowing you did. 3) With that in mind, keep a book at the ready for red lights, have a small notebook in your pocket when big ideas come, and always, always be willing and excited to set both aside if your kids say, “Hey Dad, do you have a second?” {I did not touch at all on Wilson’s actual theology of work and wealth, but these points stuck out as applications for me!} Grade: 9.8/10. Everyone should read this book. It will make you be a better steward of your time, talents and resources.
• “Neglected Qualification: Black Sheep in Pastor’s Homes” by Doug Wilson: 1) Wow, this topic is about as neat and tidy as I imagined (i.e. not so neat and tidy). 2) If you’re a pastor – or just a dad – and you have five kids who are walking with the Lord and one who walks astray, the appropriate response is to “leave the 99” and go after him. 3) Wilson knew growing up that if he were to leave the faith, it would mean his father would step down later that afternoon. This wasn’t a coercive reality. He recognized his father would be the type who would “go after the 99.” He also lived in a home where he always felt as though his dad’s most important work were his children, not his church. The church work stopped for his kids, not the other way around. Grade: 8/10; Pastors should for sure read this book, as should people in church leadership.
• “A Study in Scarlet” by Arthur Conan Doyle – I thought this was two separate books….mind BLOWN!
• “Answered Prayer” by Jim Wilson
• “Wisdom, not Knowledge” by Jim Wilson
• “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen – Status is the only thing Mrs. Bennett cares about more than having her daughters married. The lovably brash Elizabeth Bennett doesn’t care about either, and thinks Mr. Darcy is detestable….until she doesn’t. Did we need 10 hrs to flesh that out? Grade: 7.8/10, only because Austen’s ability to develop a character’s voice is worth studying.
• “Is Christianity Good for the World?” by Christopher Hitchens and Doug Wilson – Super great 90-minute read. Spoiler: Hitchens never answers Wilson’s first question. Grade: 10/10
• “How to be Free from Bitterness” by Jim Wilson
• “Final Word” by John MacArthur
• “Principals of War” by Jim Wilson
• “Blackthorn Winter,” by Doug Wilson
• “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” by Arthur Conan Doyle

February

• “Disciplines of a Godly Man” by R. Kent Hughes
• “The Church Impotent” by Leon J. Podles
• “Stand Firm” by John MacArthur
• “Chesterton’s Tavern,” Kevin Belmonte
• “The Sign of the Four,” by Arthur Conan Doyle

March

• “The Valley of Fear” by Arthur Conan Doyle
• “The Roar on the Other Side,” by Suzanne U. Clark – Though the focus is poetry, this is a great book for writers of all genres. Definitely adding this to the homeschool repetoire and need to read it again.
• “Why Children Matter” – by Doug Wilson (3x)
• “The Legendary Jackrabbit Johansen” by Alice Johannsen – This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Extremely well-written prose. Yes, it’s about a man who lived 111 years, and skied almost every day, but, if you appreciate good writing and people who live a full life, you’ll love this book and get something from it. The Jackrabbit’s blueprint for life is one that every person should at least be aware of, and maybe consider following to a ‘t.’
• “The Four: A survey of the Gospels” – By Peter Leithart
• “Ascent to Love – a guide to Dante’s Divine Comedy – ” by Peter Leithart

April

• “Leadership and Emotional Sabotage” by Joe Rigney
• “The Household and the War for the Cosmos” by C.R. Wiley
• “Pushing the Antithesis,” by Greg Bahnsen
• “Live like a Narnian,” by Joe Rigney
• “What I learned in Narnia,” by Doug Wilson
• “How to Read a Book: Advice for Christian Readers,” by Andy Naselli
• “Strangely Bright” by Joe Rigney – One of my favorite reads this year. Challenged my ‘why’ thesis for sports for sure! Would like to re-listen.

May

• “Love Among the Chickens” by P.G. Wodehouse. Clever, funny.

June

• “You Are What You Love” by James K Smith
• “Habits of the Household,” by Justin Earley
• “Why I love the Apostle Paul,” by John Piper

July

• “The Boys in the Boat” – by Daniel James Brown – this is the best book I’ve ever read. Brilliant writing, captivating story, incredible message. Needed 20 minutes to compose myself after finishing…
• “Working for God” – by Andrew Murray
• “A Primer on Worship and Reformation” – by Doug Wilson – I’ve re-listened to this book…and I think I need to re-listen again! It’s good.
• “Leadership and Emotional Sabotage” – by Joe Rigney – listened to this again…
• “Fit to Burst: Abundance, Mayhem and the Joys of Motherhood” by Rachel Jankovic – a good read for moms and dads…
• “Westminster Systematics” by Doug Wilson – I probably need to listen to this again.
• “The Great Divorce” by C.S. Lewis. Not going to lie, I wasn’t ridiculously captivated by this book.
• “Knowing God” by JI Packer. This book should just be read and re-read continually for the rest of my life as a necessary ingredient to the morning devotional. Very impactful, very rich.

August

• “Cold Comfort” by Barton Sutter. A delightful collection of essays on all things Duluth. Really great writing; funny, deep, passionate…almost makes me want to move back and be a Minnesotan.
• “Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution” by Carl Trueman. This is a must read for anyone who wants to understand how we got to where we are in our crazy world today. Very insightful, rewarding book to read. One of the best of the year for me.

Some books I’d recommend from 2023

• Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
• The Silence of Great Distance: women running long, by Frank Murphy
• Winter’s Children: a celebration of Nordic Skiing, by Ryan Rodgers
• Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, by Donald Whitney
• Blind Descent, by James Tabor
• Expository Apologetics, by Voddie Baucham
• The Last Stand of Payne Stewart, by Kevin Robbins
• Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe
• The Death of Marco Pantani, by Matt Rendell
• Running for my Life, by Lopez Lomong
• Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster
• The Toxic War on Masculinity, by Nancy Pearcey
• Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
• The Golden Nugget, by P.G. Wodehouse
• My Man Jeeves, by P.G. Wodehouse
• Writers to Read, by Doug Wilson
• Reforming Marriage, by Doug Wilson
• Get the Guy: How to be the kind of woman, the kind of man you want to marry, would want to marry, by Doug Wilson
• The Amazing Dr. Ransom’s Bestiary of Adorable Fallacies, by Doug Wilson
• Men and Marriage, by George Gilder
• Mere Christendom, by Doug Wilson
• Same-Sex Mirage, by Doug Wilson
• Papa Don’t Pope, by Doug Wilson
• Family Shepherds, by Voddie Baucham
• Kill the Dragon, Get the Girl, by Cheston Hervey and Darren Doane
• Refuting the New Athiests, by Doug Wilson
• Thoughts for Young Men, by J.C. Ryle
• Blackthorn Winter, by Doug Wilson
• Skin and Blood, a Gospel Approach to race and racial animosity, by Doug Wilson
• My Life for Yours: a walk through the Christian home, by Doug Wilson
• Wordsmithy, by Doug Wilson
• Get the Girl: how to be the kind of man the kind of woman you want to marry would want to marry, by Doug Wilson
• Ride, Sally, Ride (Sex rules), a novel, by Doug Wilson
• Federal Husband, by Doug Wilson
• To a Thousand Generations, by Doug Wilson
• When the man comes around, by Doug Wilson
• Confessions of a Food Catholic, by Doug Wilson
• Covenant Household, by Doug Wilson
• Reforming Marriage, by Doug Wilson
• Future Men, by Doug wilson
• Masculine Christianity, by Zach M. Garris
• How to Exasperate your wife, by Doug Wilson
• Gashmu Saith it, by Doug Wilson
• Why Children Matter, by Doug Wilson
• Standing on the Promises:a handbook of Biblical childrearing, by Doug Wilson
• Father Hunger, by Doug Wilson
• Orthodoxy, by GK Chesterton
• When the Stars Disappear: Help and Hope from Stories of Suffering in Scripture, by Mark Talbot
• Black and Tan, by Doug Wilson
• A Dream of Persuasions, by Doug Wilson