2023: Books I've Read and Where TRB is Going

Based on consistent posting this year, I’ve been able to see what kinds of subjects you prefer to read about. The Renaissance Biologist has since its inception been a wider-ranging blog, so I don’t think it can meet your reading needs in its present form. Therefore, once you’ve checked out my 2023 reading list for recommendations . . .

Head to The Bibliovore's Wife for the latest posts on philosophy, book reflections, and home education!

By the Numbers

How many books did I complete this year? 66!

How many of those books were wholly or in part via Audible? 9, mostly toward year's end as I used my phone on cold walks more.

How many pages in total? Excluding those on the DNF list (because I don't remember how far I got in any of them), and the Audible-only books (because they were not printed for me to access), 17,849 (mean of 49 pages per day, which seems excessive to me).

Which books did I enjoy the most? See green-highlighted titles in the list below!

List in Chronological Order

DNF List: because of being repetitive, not useful, or with anemic theology

1. Curtain & Pesola. Languages and Children: Making the Match. Why didn’t I finish? Can't apply to homeschool. Repetitive.
2. C. Kruse. John (commentary). Why didn’t I finish? Repetitive, predictable.
3. A. Murray. With Christ in the School of Prayer. Why didn’t I finish? Nauseatingly pietistic.

Finished: most productive months were May (11), March (9), and December (7-8). Least productive months were June (2), August (2), and April/February (4).

1. (Theology) 1/1 A. Thiselton. Why Hermeneutics? Helpful glossary. Feels like philosophy Cliff notes. Strong-of-pearls vs argument. Case for Humanities hermeneutics course.
2. (Philosophy) 1/11 T. Kuhn. Structure of Scientific Revolutions (re-read). First time fall 2017. Flowed better, no surprises.
3. (Theology) 1/17 H. Ferrer. Mama Bear Apologetics (re-read). First time winter 2021 (ish). Decent job summarizing "isms" with balance. Informality was less bothersome this time around.
4. (Historical novel) 1/21 L. C. Douglas. The Robe (a novel!!). Mostly good character development, OK history.
5. (Education) 1/28 K. Andreola. A Charlotte Mason Companion (re-read). Detailed enough to design/implement. 1990s - pietist, resources outdated.
6. (Sexual ethics) 2/12 S. Alberry. Why does God care who I sleep with? Christianity on sexuality for a non-Christian audience.
7. (Philosophy) 2/15 A. MacIntyre. After Virtue, 3rd ed. "Practical" to Husband = "only superficially theoretical" to me. Read and find Aristotle useful on virtues (but, as we'll see later, not for everything).
8. (Theology) 2/25 N. T. Wright. The Challenge of Jesus. See black notebook for notes.
9. (Theology) 2/26 G. Ortlund. Finding the Right Hills to Die On: The Case for Theological Triage. Need all on both sides to read! 4-tier system is helpful.
10. (Philosophical novel) 3/4 C. S. Lewis. Space Trilogy. (3 books on Audible) Philosophy sci-fi for Christian adults!
11. Book 2: Perelandra
12. Book 3: That Hideous Strength
13. (Theology) 3/11 N. T. Wright. Paul. Fleshes out Challenge (notebook).
14. (Origins philosophy) 3/13 A. Plantiga. Where the Conflict Really Lies. Evolution is OK with theism; neither are ok with naturalism.
15. (Theology) 3/18 M. Bird et al. How God Became Jesus. Response to Bart Ehrman.
16. (Theology) 3/18 J. Jeremias. Infant Baptism in the First Four Centuries. It was the norm, and theologically supported.
17. (Academia) 3/19 R. Fitzpatrick. Write Useful Books. Longevity! Worth a re-read.
18. (Devotional) 3/24 H. Blackaby. Experiencing God. (Re-read). Pietistic/Baptist background.
19. (Philosophy/theology) 4/3 M. Noll. Scandal of the Evangelical Mind. Grab quotes!
20. (Academia) 4/8 D. Carnegie. The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking. Classic self-help: attitude, be oneself, extraversion, care about audience.
21. (Education) 4/8 J. Capeheart. Cherishing and Challenging Your Children. I know most/out of date except age-appropriate chores.
22. (Sexual ethics) 4/12 S. Klusendorf. The Case for Life. Lay-level, systematic, rational, gracious. Should be part of church curricula.
23. (Leadership) 4/22 A. Morgan & C. Lynch. Leading From the Front. Practical female leadership advice.
24. (Theology) 5/4 N. T. Wright. Surprised by Hope.
25. (Philosophy) 5/9 Plato. Republic (full). Full of himself. Husband's note: Since I read a substantial number of additional dialogues, this actually counts for 5 more.
26. (Academia) 5/9 P. J. Silva. How to Write a Lot. Schedule it like a 2-3 hour class time.
27. (Education) 5/14 C. Mason. Essay Towards a Philosophy of Education. PDF/e-reader from Smidgen Press.
28. (Education) 5/21 K. Magro. Autistics on Autism. Moved to CUW office.
29. (Education/theology) 5/27 S. Ashmon. The Idea and Practice of a Christian University. LCMS view.
30. (Devotional) 5/28 P. Scazzero. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (Updated). Gnostic, prep for Sunday school.
31. (Novel) 6/7 J. Austen. Pride and Prejudice (re-read!) (NOVEL!).
32. (Novel) 6/23 G. Bowers. Lost Dragon of Wessex. Took forever for story to get moving, but it was a good story. Smidgen Press.
33. (Theology/history) 7/12 M. Holmes. The Apostolic Fathers. Awesome except for Shepherd of Hermas which was weird.
34. (Theology) 7/17 A. Childers. Another Gospel? Reformed stereotypes.
35. (Theology) 7/25 D. Groothuis. Christian Apologetics (2nd ed.). Brick was pretty good!
36. (Education) 7/29 J. Gottman. Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child. Emotion coaching!
37. (Sexual ethics) 7/30 L. Jacobson & P. Masonheimer. The Flirtation Experiment. Got deeper well!
38. (Theology) 8/12 N. T. Wright. The Day the Revolution Began. Crucifixion as part of Israel's narrative/plan (Paul loved Judaism; God has one covenant, of vocation our primary goal; sin as symptom of idolatry).
39. (Disability theology) 8/21 A. Kenny. My Body is Not a Prayer Request. Charismatic, for class.
40. (History/philosophy) 9/2 C. Evans. A History of Western Philosophy. Clear read!
41. (Novel) 9/3 N. Juster. The Phantom Tollbooth (re-read) (novel)
42. (Theology) 9/10 S. McKnight. Reading Romans Backwards. (re-read)
43. (Academia) 9/16 H. Lipmanowicz & K. McCandless. The Surprising Power of Liberating Structures. Last part helpful. Small-group interactions.
44. (Education) 9/25 C. Kranowitz. The Out-of-Sync Child. Sensory processing disorder.
45. (Theology) 9/30 G. Yancey & A. Qosigk. One Faith No Longer. Evangelicalism's split in the USA.
46. (Philosophy/theology) 10/11 D. Sayers. The Whimsical Christian. Theology-in-literature (allegory, poetry, translation of Dante).
47. (Academia) 10/12 R. Ritchhart & M. Church. The Power of Making Thinking Visible.
48. (History/theology) 10/12 J. Walton & J. Walton. The Lost World of the Torah. Wanted to copy every paragraph!
49. (Theology) 10/13 N. Crain. Faithfully Different.
50. (Theology) 10/21 N. T. Wright. For All the Saints? Short, clarifies CTK Sunday (misplaced), 11/1, and 11/2 regarding the resurrection.
51. (Theology) 11/5 N. T. Wright. The Climax of the Covenant: Christ and the Law in Pauline Theology. Essays on Torah, Christ, exegesis.
52. (Social justice) 11/6 M. Desmond. Evicted. Recommended novel of sorts.
53. (Academia/philosophy/theology) 11/19 N. Wolterstorff. Educating for Shalom. Dutch Reformed, quite silly.
54. (Novel) 12/7 J. R. R. Tolkien. The Hobbit. (Audible--re-read).
55. (Sexual ethics) 12/9 J. Gottman. 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work (finally!) (Audible) (in progress since 9/2020)
56. (Academia) 12/15 M. Berg & B. K. Seeber. The Slow Professor. 
57. (Origins/theology) 12/15 D. Lamoreux. Evolutionary Creation. I wish I had had this back in undergrad!
58. (Sexual ethics) 12/22 P. Sprinkle. People to be Loved. (Audible).
59. (Theology) N. T. Wright. After You Believe. (paper and Audible)
60. (Novel) J. R. R. Tolkien. Fellowship of the Ring. (Audible, re-read)
61. (Theology) C. Watkin. Biblical Critical Theory. (paper and Audible). Husband finished book #64 last night and has a stack of thin books-in-progress, so there is no way I can catch up.

Thanks for sticking with me this year! I hope you saw some books that you liked and/or would like to read. See you starting next week over at The Bibliovore's Wife!