This has been a good year for me when it comes to reading books. I didn’t quite manage one book a week, for which I have my excuses, but I’ve still managed to read and finish 35 books this year and reviewed 33. There are a few on the go that I’ve not yet finished that should lead to a strong early showing for 2012 too.

Often with my top ten’s I’ve not read quite enough to make it really meaningful, when half make the list. This time more books miss out and that makes the selection a little more worthy. So what makes a book good? Good writing, interesting ideas, thought provoking, worth talking about, worth recommending and sometimes even inspirational. If a book, even if I disagree with it, manages some or all of these (highly subjective criteria) then it makes the cut. The links to the full reviews are in the titles.

10.  Holiness & Mission by Morna Hooker and Frances Young. What I said, “an excellent little book that I will refer to many times I think as I seek to understand God’s heart for cities.”

9. Freakonomics by Steven Levitt & Stephen Dubner. “It’s humorous, intelligent and thought provoking and makes for great travel reading which probably explains why it’s sold in its millions”

8. Generous Justice by Tim Keller. I said, “Well worth having a copy on your shelves.”

7. The Road to Missional by Michael Frost. “I thoroughly enjoyed reading and being provoked by Frost who is an engaging and interesting writer and I’d be interested in reading more.”

6. The Translator by Daoud Hari.  “Simply put for first hand insight into the events that took place in Darfur start here.”

5. The Spirit Filled Church by Terry Virgo. “I found the insights on leaders being able to confront with grace, the primacy of prayer in the life of a church and the chapters explaining grace and the baptism of the Holy Spirit to be outstanding and as such places I’d turn to again and again.”

4. Love Wins by Rob Bell. There’s no question this was the most debated book I read this year! “This book will be influential, it is raises big questions, it answers them with verve, wit and style even if wrongly and it’s not all bad.”

3. The Great Divorce by CS Lewis. Lewis approaches the same issues as Bell in a completely different way and as ever is masterful with his language and insight. I didn’t have a pithy quote for this one!

2. Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose. I may have been unduly influenced by the TV on this one, but I found this book, “a well written, pacey, gripping story but it’s the men of Easy company who, for all their faults, during the second world war at least, were genuine heroes.” For me, inspirational.

1. Consumer Detox by Mark Powley. I need to be upfront, Mark’s a great friend but that’s not necessarily to his advantage! Anyway, this was the first book I read in 2011 and I probably need to read it again. “In short this is now the book that I would recommend and give to anyone beginning the journey to a deeper discipleship in our materialistic and consumer driven society. Ironically given the subject matter this is a must buy.”