The people that we spend time with and the books we read help shape our thinking on a variety of subjects. I also firmly believe the cliche that “leaders are learners”. In addition to my doctoral studies, I try to read at least one book a week. Last year, I read 41 books. This year, I decided I wanted to read more and am pleased to find out that I read 63 books in 2011. The funny thing is that I forgot to count along the way until I made the list below based on all the book reviews I have posted on my website this year. I absolutely love to read and will read just about anything I can get my hands on. I’m not a huge fiction reader, but every once in a while I read a fiction book in an effort to stimulate creativity. Along with all of these books, I read the Bible every day. This year I have done a number of devotional plans through YouVersion.com. I have pasted below all of the books I read in 2011 along with a link to the book review I wrote about them. I am grateful that God has given me a love for reading and a desire to sharpen the mind that he has blessed me with. I have a stack of books ready to roll for 2012 and look forward to seeing how God uses those books to challenge my mind and deepen my love for Him.
January 2011
What is the Gospel (Greg Gilbert)
Profiles of Remarkable Businesses (Collection)
Walt Disney’s Way (New Word City)
What’s Your Strategic Heartbeat (Dunkin Donuts-Jon Luther)
February 2011
Book of Daniel (Bible)
Compete by Changing (Jim Champy)
The Truth About Public Speaking (James O’Rourke)
Simplifying Complexity (Jim Champy)
Compete by Meeting Unmet Needs (Jim Champy)
Piggybacking to Success (Jim Champy)
We Are Smarter Than Me (Barry Libert and Jon Spector)
March 2011
Applying Educational Research (M.D. Gall, Joyce P. Gall, Walter R. Borg)
April 2011
Think (John Piper)
For One More Day (Mitch Albom)
When the Saints Went Kicking In (Jeff Duncan)
Devotions for Lent
May 2011
Creative Matters (Creative Collective)
40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Ron Klug)
The Question Behind the Question (John G. Miller)
June 2011
Quitter (Jon Acuff)
The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
iFaith (Daniel Darling)
Radical Together (David Platt)
The Millenials (Thom Ranier and Jesse Ranier)
Clutter-Free Home Living (Eugenia Orr)
Business for the Glory of God (Wayne Grudem)
July 2011
Sustaining Change:Leadership that Works (Deborah Rowland and Malcolm Higgs
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen Covey)
Mentor Like Jesus (Regi Campbell)
How Did You Do It Truett? (Truett Cathy)
August 2011
Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People (Truett Cathy)
On This Day in Christian History (Robert J. Morgan)
Louder Than Words (Andy Stanley)
Read This Before Our Next Meeting (Al Pittampalli)
Enemies of the Heart (Andy Stanley)
The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace (Gary Chapman and Paul White)
September 2011
Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions (George Barna)
The Treasure Principle (Randy Alcorn)
The E-Myth Revisited (Michael Gerber)
October 2011
Winners Never Cheat (Jon M. Huntsman)
A Thousand Splendid Suns (Khaled Hosseini)
Experiencing God Day by Day Devotional (Henry Blackaby and Richard Blackaby)
November 2011
Choosing to See (Mary Beth Chapman)
Raising Motivated Kids (Cheri Fuller)
Conflict Resolution for the Helping Professions (Alan Barsky)
December 2011
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy (Eric Metaxas)
The Mentor Leader (Tony Dungy)
The Case for Christmas (Lee Strobel)
Thinking. Loving. Doing. (John Piper and David Mathis)
Jesus+Nothing=Everything (Tullian Tchividjian)
The Disciplined Life (Calvin Miller)
Organized Teacher, Happy Classroom (Melanie Unger)
Kisses from Katie (Katie Davis)
Analysis Without Paralysis (Babette E. Bensoussan and Craig S. Fleisher)
Unfashionable (Tullian Tchividjian)