9 Books I Recommend – January 2025
“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”
– Frederick Douglass
Here are 7 nonfiction books and 2 novels I recommend from my recent reads.
[See previously recommended books here]
NONFICTION
1. Do You Still Talk to Grandma?
When the Problematic People in Our Lives Are the Ones We Love
by Brit Barron
Brit Barron gets vulnerable in sharing how we can navigate hard conversations with people we love. She shares from her own life as well as from her professional experiences in how we can disagree, yet still stay connected, when possible, with family members and friends who have differing opinions.
2. Disability Visibility
First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century
by Alice Wong
This book of compiled essays opened my eyes to the complexity and resiliency among the disabled community in ways I hadn’t considered before. Each essay is from a perspective different than my own as a nondisabled person. I want to continue to grow in awareness of the challenges others face, and be a better ally for disability justice in whatever ways I can.
3. Aging as a Spiritual Practice
A Contemplative Guide to Growing Older and Wiser
by Lewis Richmond
I first borrowed this book from the library, but after I finished reading it, I bought my own copy so I could read it again. It blends personal reflections and practical meditations with wisdom cleaned from Buddhist philosophy. As I age, I appreciate books like this that help me see aging as an opportunity for growth instead of as something to fear.
4. The Road to Wisdom
On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust
by Francis S. Collins
Francis Collins, a physician, a geneticist, and a previous Director of the National Institutes of Health for three Presidents, is also a man of integrity and faith. His book offers mature guidance for clearer navigation of the divisions in our country. I appreciate his advice to seek truth, build trust, and approach life’s dilemmas with humility.
5. The Violent Take It by Force
The Christian Movement That Is Threatening Our Democracy
by Matthew D. Taylor
This is a deeply researched and eye-opening look at the rise of Christian nationalism and its impact on American politics and religion. While some sections felt a bit too detailed for me, the overall insights into the movement’s influence, especially its ties to far-right ideologies, were both solid and unsettling—definitely worth the read for anyone trying to understand what has been happening in America the past few years.
Read more about it here, “Don’t Let Your Beliefs Make You Violent.“
6. Star-Spangled Jesus
Leaving Christian Nationalism and Finding A True Faith
by April Ajoy
I follow April Ajoy on Instagram because she has a gift for making me laugh while tackling serious issues in the Christian world. So I was pleased to find that her book is just as engaging. Unlike some of the more academic takes on Christian nationalism (such as the one above, The Violent Take It By Force), this personal memoir is funny and accessible, while still being thought-provoking.
7. Hope for Cynics
The Surprising Science of Human Goodness
by Jamil Zaki
Be skeptical, not cynical. I wanted to read this book because I don’t want to give in to cynicism—I want to remember that trust, in the right people and places, still matters. With a mix of science and storytelling, this book gives practical ways to stay grounded in hope without ignoring hard truths.
FICTION
8. Nineteen Minutes
by Jodi Picoult
Even though Nineteen Minutes is one of Picoult’s older novels, it’s just as heartbreakingly relevant today since we continue to face one mass shooting after another in America. The story centers on a small-town high school shooting and follows the lives of those affected, including Josie, a student who survived but struggles to understand what really happened, and her mother, the judge who could potentially preside over the case.
Nineteen Minutes is one of my favorite 7 novels that I read in 2024.
9. Perfectly Nice Neighbors
by Kia Abdullah
This novel follows Salma, a Bangladeshi woman who moves with her family to a suburban neighborhood, and immediately runs into trouble with her White neighbor, Tom, after he removes her son’s anti-racist banner. It’s a twisty thriller that shows how small conflicts can spiral out of control. The plot was frustrating to me at times as the characters kept ramping up their conflicts in unnecessary ways, but it also felt realistic because I know this can happen in real life, too.
WHAT I’M READING NOW
- Tranquility by Tuesday
9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters
by Laura Vanderkam - Advice for Future Corpses (And Those Who Love Them)
A Practical Perspective on Death and Dying
by Sallie Tisdale - Nexus
A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI
by Yuval Noah Harari - Fierce Love
A Bold Path to Ferocious Courage and Rule-Breaking Kindness That Can Heal the World
by Jacqui Lewis - The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy
And the Path to a Shared American Future
by Robert P. Jones
What good book have you read lately? Please share in the comments.
- Throw Your Rock in the Water: How Small Actions Create Big Ripples
- Raising the Spirit of Justice: A Children’s Book That Speaks to All Ages
Thanks for sharing these 🙂
Hope for Cynics sounds great! I try really hard not to be a cynical person but it can be hard when everyone around is griping and complaining and focusing on all that is wrong in the world. I try to remain hopeful but it can be a real struggle. I really loved Nineteen Minutes even though it was so hard to read… I read it years and years ago when my boys were little and it’s one that still resonates with me.
Thanks as always, Lisa, for these recommendations. Blessings!
I don’t want to give in to cynicism either, so will have to check that one out. I did buy the aging as spiritual practice book too. that one is a keeper.
Fabulous titles and summaries, Lisa. Once I finish reading your posts, I always want to read everything that you have been reading. So many great books, never enough time! <3
Thank you for linking up with us at #what’sonyourbookshelf? We greatly appreciate it.
Oh my goodness! These are some thought provoking reads.
I am VERY interested in Star Spangled Jesus and The Violent Take It By Force. I am obsessed with religious extremism and cults and their place in the world, and those sound right up my alley!
You always find such interesting nonfiction choices. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
Lisa, thank you so much for sharing this list of nine books that you recommend. There are four books that I will definitely be collecting over this year. Disability Visibility…because I want to see life from a disabled person’s perspective; Star Spangled Jesus and The Violent Take It By Force because this is a subject that I want to dig deeper into, given the situations we find ourselves in today.
You’ve got some interesting reads here! I am intrigued by The Violent Take it by Force because I’m concerned about the weaponizing of religion in our country. I think Hope for Cynics would be a nice pairing with that one!
All your books sound interesting, but I’m thinking I’ll read The Violent Take It by Force: The Christian Movement That Is Threatening Our Democracy. The Christian right terrify me here in Canada. I expect we will get a conservative government next time we have an election, and if we do, it will be the end of women’s choice to control their own bodies.
I’ll have to look into Aging as a Spiritual Practice! I feel like I have a lot of patients who are [justifiably so, but still] worried about growing older and I’m sure there’s wisdom in there that I could hopefully share that’ll be helpful.
I’ve read Nineteen Minutes + that story definitely stayed with me for a long time. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Advice for Future Corpses!
Dear Lisa, you never fail to broaden my horizons and this array of books is no exception. I’m keeping my librarian hopping these days. Thank you, friend.
Lisa, thank you for sharing your book recommendations with us at The Crazy Little Lovebirds link party #70. I’ve always enjoyed these posts and I’m able to explore new books. I’ll need to look into a few of these.
Aging as a spiritual practice has caught my eye, Lisa and I hope my grandsons will always enjoy talking to me. Thanks for sharing your book recommendations with us at #WOYBS?
Hi Lisa, your first title ‘Do you still talk to Grandma’ caught my eye and it sounds intriguing. All your book reviews are interesting, thanks for the recommendations and for joining us for #WOYBS this month. It’s great to have you join us each month.
I’ve added the Violent Take it By Force and Hope for Cynics to my TBR list You always have really thought provoking recommendations, Lisa.
Another eclectic mix from you – I’m always fascinated to see what non-fiction you’ve been reading. It’s interesting, too to look at the politics of disability. Here in Australia, we have a NDIS – National Disability Insurance Scheme to provide public funding for disability-related therapies and aids. It’s definitely improved life and services, but there’s still a way to go. Thanks for linking up with us.
Some great books here. I will def read the top one and April Ajoy – I didn’t know she had a book. I too follow her. #WOYBS
Oh, these all sound interesting! I haven’t heard of any of them, but I think I’ll put a few on my TBR list.