---
title: "Top Nonfiction Books of the Year"
description: "These are my top nonfiction books of the year.  I tried for a top 10 list, but gave up and just made it my top books.  They are not in order by which is best, but by date read.  The links are not..."
url: https://bookwi.se/top-10-nonfiction-books-of-the-year/
date: 2009-12-30
modified: 2009-12-30
author: "Adam Shields"
categories: ["Book Reviews"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Top Nonfiction Books of the Year

These are my top nonfiction books of the year.  I tried for a top 10 list, but gave up and just made it my top books.  They are not in order by which is best, but by date read.  The links are not to Amazon like I normally do, but the the blog posts about the book.  A few are linked to my account on [GoodReads](http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1844266-adam-shields) because I didn’t blog about them.

- [Together in Prayer](https://bookwi.se/together-in-prayer-by-andrew-wheeler/) by Andrew Wheeler — Only book I have read that is particularly about leading prayer in small groups
- [My Life in France](https://bookwi.se/julia-childs-my-life-in-france/) by Julia Child — My favorite biography of the year.  I am normally a big fan of biographies, but didn’t read many this year.  This was by far the best.
- [A Million Miles in a Thousand Years](https://bookwi.se/a-million-miles-in-a-thousand-years-and-blue-like-jazz-the-story-of-a-story/) by Donald Miller — I know I just said that My Life in France was the best biography, but I consider this something else.  This was a narrative about the use of story that just happened to use Miller’s own life as a means to share about story.  This is in contention for best book of the year.
- [Sacred Marriage](https://bookwi.se/sacred-marriage/) by Gary Thomas — Best book on marriage I have read in a long time.  Unlike any marriage book I have ever read. Read it with my wife.
- [Free](https://bookwi.se/free-by-chris-anderson-a-post-about-the-church/) by Chris Anderson — A great illustration about how digital economy (and digital world) is different than the physical economy.
- [200 Pomegranates and an Audience of One](https://bookwi.se/200-pomegranates-and-an-audience-of-one-creating-a-life-of-meaning-and-influence/) by Shawn Wood — Short, funny and thoughtful book about the value of doing things for God and not for others.
- [Flickering Pixels](https://bookwi.se/flickering-pixels-by-shane-hipps/) by Shane Hipps — This was an important book for me.  I am not sure I really “liked it”, but it had some great thoughts.  I ended up writing four blog posts about it.
- [Fresh Encounters](https://bookwi.se/two-books-on-prayer-by-daniel-henderson/) by Daniel Henderson — Good book on prayer.  This is describing prayer as I think we need to focus on it.
- [Gang Leader for a Day](https://bookwi.se/gang-leader-for-a-day-a-rouge-sociologist-takes-to-the-streets-by-sudhir-alladi-venkatesh/) by Sudhir Alladi Venkatesh — One of the best sociological studies on poverty and the issues of public housing, gangs ever written.
- [Blue Parakeet](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3800605-the-blue-parakeet) by Scot McKnight and [Eat This Book](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/97852.Eat_This_Book) by Eugene Peterson — Both of these books are about how to read and interpet scripture.  Different perspectives, but very good books.
- [Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: Unleash the Power of Authentic Life in Christ](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249014.Emotionally_Healthy_Spirituality) by Peter Scazzero and [Mad Church Disease](https://bookwi.se/61/) by Anne Jackson — Both about self care, particularly for clergy.  Very different but complementary perspectives.
- [The Good Book](https://bookwi.se/good-book-the-bizarre-hilarious-disturbing-marvelous-and-inspiring-things-i-learned-when-i-read-every-single-word-of-the-bible/) by David Plotz — Interesting book by a non-practicing Jewish man that doesn’t really know much about the Hebrew Bible.  This should be read by all Christians that really want to understand a non-Christian perspective of the scripture.