The best book lists of 2018

12 December 2018

It’s that time of year when everyone who reads starts sharing their highlights of the year and recommending books and so on. It’s a time to feel guilty about how much time you spent watching Netflix or doing something even less productive on your tablet device. So here I’m compiling all those lists together in one helpful place (which may or may not get updated).

We’ll start by introducing this Icelandic custom

https://twitter.com/IndieBookshopUK/status/1063526780156485633

I think we need customs like this to help ourselves and our kids as Ben Sasse says become addicted to reading. *books added to my wish list = 2

The lists and top tens and all that

Christian

Christianity Today’s 2019 Book Awards *books added to my wish list = 3
2018 TGC Book Awards *books added to my wish list = 2
Andrew Wilson gives his Books of the Year (prepare to feel a little daunted) *books added to my wish list = 2
Andrew Bunt then offers up his Smaller Collection of Books of the Year
*books added to my wish list = 1
John Hosier offers up his book list for the common person *books added to my wish list = 1
Trevin Wax offers his ten favourite reads of the past year *books added to my wish list = 1
Russell Moore offers his Favourite Books of 2018 *books added to my wish list = 1
Scot McKnight has the Jesus Creed Books of the Year *books added to my wish list = 1

Non-Christian

Jason Kottke does what I’m doing but writ large. Here’s his list of lists that helps you find the The Best Books of 2018 *books added to my wish list = 2
WIRED offer up their best books of 2018 in tech, science, business and ideas *books added to my wish list = 3
Tim Harford recommends Self help books that work *books added to my wish list = 4 – which from a list of 6 may say more about me than the list
Tyler Cowen offers his Best non-fiction books of 2018 *books added to my wish list = 1

Total books added to my wish list = 24

Some additional recommendations randomly selected: Ann of Green Gables, Global Humility, The Economics of Arrival,

Consider buying from a small bookshop if possible. Of course having added all the books we want to read from all these lists makes bookshelf envy a thing