In 2013, Barnes & Noble abandoned its flagship store in Washington, D.C., a move that symbolized the retailer’s struggles to compete with Amazon. However, the company reopened that multi-floor location in the Georgetown neighborhood last month. It’s one of 60 new Barnes & Noble stores this year as the company is experiencing a surprising rebound after closing hundreds of locations in recent years.
Ironically, Barnes & Noble today is tearing a page from the playbook of Indie bookstores who were harmed by the giant chain before Amazon kneecapped them all. Part of the brand’s recovery has been dropping the one-size-fits-all model to give local branches more control over which books they stock and display. They’re also connecting with popular book trends on TikTok and elsewhere. The turnaround shows that people still want to see a book in person and that when a community starts talking about a book it can drive more sales.
We don’t manage a local bookstore or a Barnes & Noble branch, but if you haven’t noticed yet, we like books. We think it’s important for Christians to be well-read. That’s one reason we’ve reviewed and given away an autographed book we like every month to a paid subscriber. In many ways, we’ve slowly created, one month at a time, a list of some of our top books of the year.
January: Walter Brueggemann’s Prophetic Imagination by Conrad Kanagy
February: God Gave Rock & Roll to You by Leah Payne
March: Jesus’ Vision for Your One Wild and Precious Life by Mike Graves
April: Ministers of Propaganda by Scott Coley
May: Baptizing America by Brian Kaylor and Beau Underwood
June: The Religion of Whiteness by Michael Emerson and Glenn Bracey
July: The Good News of Church Politics by Ross Kane
August: The Contemporary Black Church by Jason Shelton
September: The Violent Take It By Force by Matthew Taylor
October: American Heretics by Jerome Copulsky
November: How to End Christian Nationalism by Amanda Tyler
Obviously, we still recommend those books. But for this issue of A Public Witness, we’re going to briefly highlight 15 books beyond those from our longer giveaway reviews. As in previous years, the table of contents is as follows: 1. Five books featured on our podcast Dangerous Dogma, 2. Five books recommended by Brian (that haven’t led to Dangerous Dogma episodes), 3. Five books recommended by Beau, and 4. A succinct conclusion.
5 Books Featured on Dangerous Dogma
1. Reckoning with Power: Why the Church Fails When It’s on the Wrong Side of Power by David Fitch (Brazos Press). A seminary professor and pastoral staff member at a local church, Fitch thinks a lot about the Bible and ministry. But he also thinks a lot about power. This book is a great resource for pastors, church leaders, and other Christians who haven’t been reading, studying, and considering issues of power. He deals with some significant scholarship but presents it in an accessible style loaded with practical examples. You can hear from Fitch in episode 136.
2. Together We Rise – An Easter Story for All of Us by Paul Raushenbush (Do Gooder Media). Good children’s books about biblical stories or issues of faith are hard to find. Sure, lots of them have nice art. But the theology isn’t always what we want to teach. That’s what makes Raushenbush’s children’s book a real gift. He tells the story of Easter in a way that’s faithful without adding layers of theologies found in many evangelical churches but that don’t match what he wants his children to think about God and faith. The drawings are also wonderfully diverse and thoughtful. You can hear from Raushenbush about his book and his work at the Interfaith Alliance in episode 137.
3. Kingdom of Rage: The Rise of Christian Extremism and the Path Back to Peace by Elizabeth Neumann (Worthy Books). A homeland security expert who served in both the George W. Bush and Donald Trump administrations, Neumann might not be the first person one would expect to pen a book warning about the dangerous Christian Nationalism backing Trump. But events during Trump’s first administration — and especially the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, — shook her. Her book offers insights into addressing Christian Nationalism that she’s gleaned from a career of trying to stop violent extremism. You can hear some of Neumann’s insights in episode 144.
4. Surviving God: A New Vision of God through the Eyes of Sexual Abuse Survivors by Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Susan Shaw (Broadleaf Books). This book by two scholars of religion and gender is a must-read. They will lead you to read biblical stories in fresh ways as they unpack the stories of sexual abuse survivors in Scripture — with practical suggestions to help churches. They also consider new metaphors for God, which can bring healing for survivors and new insights for everyone. And through it all, they also embark on a journey toward joy. You can hear from both authors in episode 145.
5. Strange Worship: Six Steps for Challenging Christian Nationalism by Drew Strait (Cascade Books). There are a lot of new books about Christian Nationalism, but this one covers some important fresh ground. With an Anabaptist perspective, Strait explores issues of political idolatry, strategic nonviolence, empathy as resistance, and authoritarian misuse of Scripture. A New Testament professor, Strait helps us all think more carefully about biblical teachings and how today’s political idolatry conflicts with what Jesus taught. This slim, accessible volume is timely in helping Christians think about how to resist Christian Nationalism in the current U.S. context. You can hear some of Strait’s insights in episode 168.
5 Books Recommended by Brian
1. Patriot: A Memoir by Alexi Navalny (Knopf). Earlier this year, the Russian authoritarian regime killed the nation’s leading dissenter. A lawyer and anti-corruption blogger who became the political opposition to Vladimir Putin, Navalny is an inspiring figure. After surviving a near-fatal poisoning attack in 2020 and receiving medical attention in Germany, he returned to Russia the next year and was promptly arrested. In prison since then, he died in February of this year at the age of 47. Fortunately, by that time he had finished much of his memoir, with details of his prison life added from his diary entries. In an age of tyrants, we need more Navalnys — and more people need to know his story. Someday, Putin will go the way of all tyrants, dying unloved by the people he oppressed. But thanks to this memoir, the words and witness of Navalny will live on.
2. James: A Novel by Percival Everett (Doubleday). Mark Twain is one of my favorite authors. While most people are familiar with his tales about Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, I particularly like his other works. But this imaginative novel by Everett works alongside Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Only this time the book isn’t told from Huck’s perspective but that of the enslaved man called Jim in that classic novel. It’s an understatement to say James, as he introduces himself, brings a different perspective to the events. This darker yet still funny work tackles weighty issues of slavery, violence, and religion. It’s a great counterpart to the Huck tale that I think the subversive Twain would enjoy.
3. Great Expectations: A Novel by Vinson Cunningham (Hogarth). This debut novel takes readers inside the first presidential campaign of Barack Obama, at least kind of. It’s not really about the campaign, though the narrator works there as a young staffer (and does on multiple occasions meet “the Senator,” as Obama is called in the novel). From observing the dynamics of the campaign and interactions with other staffers, the narrator reflects on a wide variety of issues dealing with politics, racism, Black culture, and American history. But more than politics, this narrator thinks about religion, with musings on the Bible and Black church life. Few mainstream novels dig so deeply into faith.
4. Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown, and Company). I love Gladwell’s books, as well as his Revisionist History podcast. This one is no exception. He revisits concepts from his first book, The Tipping Point, to consider again some of the ideas in light of new research and examples that have emerged in the two decades since that work came out. A key focus of the book is considering how epidemics emerge, spread, and are defeated. While it’s clearly geared toward understanding the COVID-19 pandemic, he offers his insights from a wide variety of areas, including crime in Miami, the genetics of cheetahs, sports at Ivy League schools, White flight, and more.
5. Mr. President, the Class Is Yours: Jimmy Carter’s Sunday School Lessons in Washington, D.C. by Christi Harlan (Christi Harlan Media). In October, Carter celebrated his 100th birthday. During his four decades since leaving the Oval Office, he’s been known for his faithful witness, humanitarian work, and teaching a Sunday School at his Baptist church in Georgia. But he also sometimes taught a class at First Baptist Church in D.C. while president. This book provides transcripts for 14 of his presidential lessons made from recordings archived by the church. It’s a fascinating look into his theology and his teaching style (as the chapters even include his interactions with members of the class). One president sells Bibles; another taught it. Buy the book of the latter.
5 Books Recommended by Beau
1. Sanctuary People: Faith-Based Organizing in Latina/o Communities by Gina Pérez (NYU Press). In a political season where threats of mass deportations have swept Donald Trump back into the White House, churches across America are going to be asked to provide sanctuary to undocumented immigrants fearful that violence awaits them if returned to their home countries. This ethnographic study of churches in Ohio illuminates how faith communities have previously met that call. While not necessarily a guide for what to do now, it offers a rich portrait of what providing refuge looks like in the United States today that will help pastors and church leaders imagine what the Lord might require of them.
2. Over from Union Road: My Christian-Left-Intellectual Life by Gary Dorrien (Baylor University Press). I’ll confess that Gary Dorrien’s trilogy on “American liberal theology” sits unread on my bookshelf. The day (months) will come when I will tackle this masterful work of intellectual history. For now, I’m satisfied to read his memoir that pulls back the veil on his upbringing, helping us to understand how this giant of theological education was formed spiritually, academically, and politically. Unless you have plans to befriend Dorrien personally, this is the way to get to know one of the recent giants of liberal Protestantism.
3. A Journey Called Hope: Today’s Immigrant Stories and the American Dream by Rick Rouse (Chalice Press). Like Sanctuary People mentioned above, this book puts the stories of immigrants front and center. Rouse helps the reader understand how immigration is not a detriment to our nation’s success, but a key ingredient in our shared prosperity. Debates over immigration policy will be front and center in the years ahead, Christians need to enter those debates remembering their own story of being foreigners in a strange land. This is a resource that reminds us of who we really are, as a nation of immigrants and as people called to welcome the stranger.
4. What’s Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service by Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack. If you’re a fan of The West Wing, this is the book you’ve been waiting for since the show ended. Written by two actors from the series, it provides behind-the-scenes details about the Bartlett White House and the cast, crew, and writers that brought it to life. If you’re like me and constantly rewatching this series (because it’s the best drama ever written for TV), then this book will only increase your passion for the show. And, if you’ve never made time to watch the series (what were you doing?!?!?!), then this volume is a great companion for your first time through Aaron Sorkin’s beautiful, captivating story.
5. Goodbye Religion: The Causes and Consequences of Secularization by Ryan Cragun and Jesse Smith (NYU Press). There is a seismic shift underway in how Americans believe, belong, and behave in terms of religion. This book examines some of the factors driving secularization and what those who have left organized religion behind do with their time and money after abandoning the faith. While neither a short nor easy read, its use of data and interviews provides valuable insights into the changes shaking the foundations of religion in the U.S. Whether you’re just curious about those developments or the leader of a faith community ministering in this shifting context, this book is worthy of your attention.
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Reading Differently, Reading Well
These two lists reveal an ongoing debate between us. While Brian enjoys the creativity that fiction provides (in addition to reading nonfiction), Beau spends all of his free time reading nonfiction books that end up touching on his vocational pursuits. We may disagree on the best approach, but the real error would be failing to pick up a book at all.
Books offer us access to the minds of other people. They stoke our imaginations and inform our understanding. In their pages, we have access to brilliant literary artists and world-class experts on any and every topic under the sun.
We hope you appreciate our suggestions on what you might read this holiday season or into the new year. Please do yourself a favor in these trying times by feeding your soul with a good book or two. And, of course, we have one particular volume that we’d recommend to you above all else.
As a public witness,
Brian Kaylor & Beau Underwood
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