Pivotal Books
January 4, 2026•455 words
These books have changed, moved, or inspired me deeply. As I find new books, I'll update.
| Book | Author | Rating + Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lord of the Rings | JRR Tolkien | 10/10 . Best of the best. I read the hard covers every few years. Normal hobbits do great things |
| Chronicles of Narnia | CS Lewis | 9/10 . Read to our kids |
| Wheel of Time | Robert Jordan | 6/10 . Complex. Epic. Early and last books are the better reads |
| Foundation Series | Isaac Asimov | 7/10 . Superb plot. Great ideas |
| How Should We Then Live | Francis A. Schaeffer | 8/10 . Tracing art to intellectual thought. I fell in love with art because of this book. He challenged me to think deeply and to care about the world |
| The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant | Stephen Donaldson | 7/10 . Epic fantasy. The connection between people and the land is beautiful |
| The Stormlight Archive | Brandon Sanderson | 8/10 . He creates a fascinating other world. Great writing |
| A Game of Thrones | George RR Martin | 6/10 . The books are far better than the show |
| Dune | Frank Herbert | 7/10 . He creates such a vivid other world with major cultural commentary on the drug culture of the day |
| The Kingkiller Chronicle | Patrick Rothfuss | 6/10 . Masterful writing. |
| Lord of the Flies | William Golding | 7/10 . The power of the mob, of the group, of the abuse of power. Great social commentary |
| The Singer Trilogy | Calvin Miller | 9/10 . Word magic to my soul. |
| Celebration of Discipline | Richard Foster | 7/10 . Spiritual connection exercises that can work if given a chance |
| The Screwtape Letters | CS Lewis | 8/10 |
| Long Walk to Freedom | Nelson Mandela | 7/10 . His autobiography. A powerfully resilient, courageous, and surprising humble human being |
| Things Fall Apart | Chinua Achebe | 6/10 An African giant |
| Spiritual Leadership | J. Oswald Sanders | 8/10 Ancient leadership |
| Proficient Motorcycling | Donald Hough | 5/10 Comprehensive preparation for two wheelers |
| Sheet Music | Dr. Kevin Leman | 7/10 |
| Planet Urth | Jennifer and Christopher Martucci | 6/10 |
| Pilgrim's Progress | John Bunyan | 8/10 |
| The Forgotten Series | M.R. Forbes | 6/10 |
| The Eyedulan Series | Mark Brandon Powell | 6/10 |
| The Dragon Guard Series | Jada Fisher | 6/10 |