Top Six Books of 2021

 I read a lot— I repeat, a lot— of amazing books in 2021. It was so hard to figure out which ones to include on this list! But finally I narrowed it down to six books (and seven honorable mentions) who particularly changed, inspired, or entertained me this year.

You can check out all my book reviews here.

I'd also absolutely love to hear what some of your favorite books last year were!

TOP SIX:

"Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation" by Kristen Kobes Du Mez

This stunning, deeply-researched history of modern evangelicalism should be on any Christian's to-read list for the upcoming year. It brought clarity and cohesion to so much of what I've experienced in deconstruction, and is easily the top influential book of the year. Full review here.

"The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World" by Wade Davis

A beautifully-written collection of stories of Indigenous peoples of the past and present made me rethink everything I've internalized about what "civilization" means. And I learned a ton, too! Full review here.

"How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy" by Jenny Odell 

I've never seen the topic of rest, technology, and minimalism tackled in such a sensitive and inspired way. I'm already itching for a re-read! Full review here.

"Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Love, Loss, and the Hidden Order of Life" by Lulu Miller

This book is an absolutely wild ride, one that stays in your memory long after you've read it. It's about fish… and existentialism… and eugenics… and picking up the pieces of life when it all goes to pot. Full review here.

"Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving Westboro Baptist Church" by Megan Phelps-Roper

Reading this memoir early in the year, when my deconstruction wasn't yet in full swing, had a massive impact on me, revealing for the first time the ways that Westboro's "God hates —" rhetoric was very much in line with (simply more extreme than) my own mainstream evangelical upbringing. Full review here.

"Opening Israel's Scriptures" by Ellen F. Davis

I almost didn't include this on my top six because it's an obscure academic text, but you know what? I loved it! It was amazing! I loved going through chapter by chapter and hearing academic analyses on the various books of the Bible, learning a ton about genre, wording, subversive storytelling, history, various hermeneutics, and more. Full review here.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

"Dear White Peacemakers: Dismantling Racism with Grit and Grace" by Osheta Moore

Thought-provoking, challenging, and full of calls to action, this book is a stirring guide to confronting racism through the lens of peacemaking. Full review here.

"Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body" by Rebekah Taussig 

Packed full of both eye-opening stories and important information, this book is an excellent introduction to disability, challenging the way we culturally and personally frame it and giving practical advice for ways forward. Full review here.

"Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again" by Rachel Held Evans

A beautiful, creative, accessible introduction to different ways of reading the Bible. Full review here.

"Heavy Burdens: 7 Ways LGBTQ People Experience Harm in the Church" by Bridget Eileen Rivera

A must-read for any Christian, especially those who are worried about how queer people are treated in the church. Full review here.

"The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth" by Beth Allison Barr

Part memoir, part history, this book persuasively shows that women have always taught and preached the Gospel. Full review here.

"The Archipelago of Hope: Wisdom and Resilience from the Edge of Climate Change" by Gleb Raygorodetsky

Another series of stories about Indigenous people, focused on climate change. Full review here.

"Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work or Watch or Weep" by Tish Harrison Warren

Simple, profound reflections on suffering, lament, joy, and waiting in the Christian life. Full review here.

What were your favorite books you read in 2021?

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