A Year In Review: Book Reading List 2021

 

Another year is gone and there is much to be grateful to the Lord despite the many hardship and uncertainties from our world (post?) COVID. On a personal note though, I have been growing both professionally and spiritually. I also discovered a new hobby - the game of Chess thanks to the TV Series 'Queen's Gambit'. 

I have had the continuous pleasure last year to still be part of a Bible study group from the Living Word Association (LWA) which gathers weekly to reflect and share the word of God from the Holy Scripture. One major milestone achievement for the year 2021 was the completion of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). With a group of friends, we set our mind to read the Catechism through and through in a year and I am glad that I was able to finally read it through and learn much about the official Church teaching. The reading led to some surprising discoveries about what the Catholic Church really believes and teach in her own words. It reminded me of the first time I read the Bible through and through, at the end of it as I was closing the book of Revelation I wondered where did some people (or even some preachers) get some of their teachings they attribute to the Bible? I had the same feeling reading the Catechism. I highly recommend people to read for themselves what the Catholic Church says about itself from the source. You might just be gladly surprised as I was.

Following the yearly tradition, I will put below the list of books I read during the year 2021. Among the books, I will omit the Catechism since I have already mentioned it above. Each book come with a scoring. This scoring doesn't necessarily mean that the content was perfect or poor. It reflects simply my enthusiasm at the moment I was reading it based on information content and writing style that I found appealing. These are the books that I read and which have contributed to shape my thoughts in 2021:

I. Religious Books

A) Catholic Authors:

1. "Demonic Foes: My 25 years As A Psychiatrist Investigating Possessions, Diabolic Attacks, and the Paranormal" by Richard Gallager -- (5/5)

2. "Jesus, the Tribulation and the End of the Exile: Restoration Eschatology and the Origin of the Atonement" by Brant Pitre (PhD Thesis) -- (5/5)

3. "Renouvelle Tes Merveilles: Des dons spirituels pour aujourdhui" par Damian Stayne -- (5/5)

4. "Behold Your Mother: A Biblical and Historical Defense of the Marian Doctrines" by Tim Staples -- (4.5/5)

5. "Be Healed: A Guide to Encountering the Powerful Love of Jesus in Your Life" by Bob Schuchts -- (4/5)

6. "The Case for Catholicism: Answers to Classic and Contemporary Protestant Objections" by Trent Horn -- (4/5)

7. "Reclaiming Vatican II: What it (Really) Said, What it Means, and How It calls Us to Renew the Church" by Father Blake Britton -- (4/5)

8. "Daughter Zion: Medictations on the Church's Marian Belief" by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) -- (3.5/5)

9. "Personal Prayer: A Guide for Receiving the Father's love" by Father Thomas Acklin and Father Boniface Hocks -- (3.5/5)

B) Protestant Authors:

10. "The Potter's Promise: A Biblical Defense of Traditional Soteriology" by Leighton Flowers -- (4.5/5)

11. "Atonement and the Death of Christ: An Exegetical, Historical, and Philosophical Exploration" by William Lane Craig -- (4.5/5)

12. "Do What Jesus Did: A real-life field guide to healing the sick, routing demons and changing lives forever" by Robby Dawkins -- (4.5/5)

13. "There is More: The Secret to Experiencing God's Power to Change Your Life" by Randy Clark -- (4.5/5)

14. "Marchons par l'Esprit" by Elie et Denis Yapoundjian -- (4/5)

II. NON-Religious Books

15. "The Trouble with Africa: Why Foreign Aid isn't Working" by Robert Calderisi -- (5/5)

16. "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess" by Bobby Fischer, Dr. Stuart Margulies and Donn Mosenfelder -- (5/5)

17. "CHESS 101: Everything a new chess player needs to know" by Dave Schloss -- (4/5)

18. "One Bright Star to Guide Them" by John C. Wright -- (4.5/5)

19. "Business Strategy" by Brian Tracy -- (4/5) 

....

Overall, the year 2021 was filled with surprises both pleasant and unpleasant but we continue pressing forward with God's grace with hope that the year 2022 will be better than its predecessor and filled with favourable divine appointments for all of us.