Matthew’s Top Ten Books of 2017

Matthew Lucio December 18, 2017 9

Here are some of the books (print and audio) I enjoyed in 2017! The usual qualifications apply: re-reads don’t count, these are not a ranked, and I tend to emphasize non-theological works because they provide me with a mental vacation.

The Last Lion: Winston Churchill (Trilogy) – William Manchester
SPQR – Mary Beard
Christianity’s Dangerous Idea – Alistair McGrath
Alexander Hamilton – Ron Chernow
After We Believe – N.T. Wright
Al Franken: Giant of the Senate – Al Franken
American Ulysses – Ronald C. White
The Vanishing American Adult – Ben Sasse
Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu – Joshua Hammer
Old Man’s War – John Scalzi

Honorable Mention:

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Book Store by Robin Sloan (Who doesn’t love books about books?)

Time I wish I could have back:

What is the Bible by Rob Bell (Bell has absented himself from a meaningful conversation with Christian thought and practice)

Highlights:

SPQR – Beard is a master of Roman history, and it’s one of the rare books you finish wishing it were longer.
Alexander Hamilton – Eh…the play was better
Al Franken – In light of his current troubles, I imagine Franken wishes he could un-write this one…especially the part where he “praised” Roger Ailes for going two hours without sexually harassing anyone.
American Ulysses – Looking past U.S. Grant’s stumbling political career and his military success, this book was, for me, a requiem for a society that mostly agreed on what good character was.

Read on.

Tagged as: books, blog, top ten, read on, 2017, knowledge, power, introvert.

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Author

Matthew Lucio

Matthew J. Lucio is husband to a formidable wife, Laura, and together they parent two amazing girls: Aerith and Arwen. Matthew pastors in Peoria, Illinois, where he is director of their innovative digital church on YouTube, Peoria Adventists. Matthew also enjoys narrating Adventist history as the host of the Adventist History Podcast for the past six years.

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