In November of 2014, I read a blog post encouraging folks to set aside a bookshelf for all the books read in a calendar year. As the year goes by, you see the shelf filling and are reminded of time well spent. (I wish I could remember who to thank.)

The project was so rewarding I’ve continued it every year. I’ve found the process of adding books enjoyable and helpful. Sometimes you forget a really good book.

In looking over this year’s list, it’s clear I like historical fiction, especially ones that read like a memoir. I also really enjoy memoirs on audiobooks when they are read by the author.

Helpful Hints

• If you read most of your books electronically, or through library loans, consider setting up a virtual bookshelf on Pinterest.
• Another option for a virtual bookshelf is to set up a profile on Goodreads. Be sure to fill in a start and end date for each book you complete. You can even set up a reading challenge for the year.
• My list includes books I read and books I listen to while traveling. (I now have a short commute to church and a longer one to see our granddaughter.) There are wonderful, free audiobooks available through your local library. I’ve been buying audiobooks at deep discounts via Chirp. 

So my friends here’s my 2022 bookshelf. I hope it encourages you and that you find a treasure or two. Should it be helpful to you, I’m glad to provide more feedback on specific selections. Just leave a comment below. Also, feel free to leave your book recommendations in the comments.

Happy reading. Happy exploring. Happy growing. – Lisa <><

Novels

• Gap Creek by Robert Morgan
• The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
• Raphael, Painter in Rome by Stephanie Storey
• The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron
• Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Memoirs and Biography

• Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig
• The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography by Sidney Poitier
• A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War: How J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Rediscovered Faith, Friendship, and Heroism in the Cataclysm of 1914-18 by Joseph Loconte
• Kiss Me Like a Stranger: My Search for Love and Art by Gene Wilder
• Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake by Frank W. Abagnale with Stan Redding
• Interrupted: An Adventure in Relearning the Essentials of Faith by Jen Hatmaker
• Adam: God’s Beloved by Henri J.M. Nouwen

Christian Theology and Bible Study

• Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul: Celtic Wisdom for Reawakening to What Our Souls Know and Healing the World by John Philip Newell
• The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi: My Journey into the Heart of Scriptural Faith and the Land Where It All Began by Kathie Lee Gifford with Rabbi Jason Sobel
• Finding God in the Margins: The Book of Ruth by Carolyn Custis James

Devotionals and Spiritual Practices

• When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life’s Sacred Questions by Sue Monk Kidd
• The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tuto
• The Scandal of Forgiveness: Grace Put to the Test by Philip Yancey
• Rediscover Jesus: An Invitation by Matthew Kelly