Books from the Pastor’s Desk
The Last Voyage of Columbus
Martin Dugard (2006)
This is one of the rare books that I have read more than once. In fact, I have read it three times and intend to read it again. The last voyage of Columbus was filled with more drama than even his first voyage of discovery. You will read it and wonder why we’ve never heard these great accounts before.
Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling
Ross King (2014)
Timeline
Michael Crichton (1999)
Michael Crichton, to me, is one of the best novel writers ever, and this is his best. If you love history, this book will help you travel back in time and feel what it was like to live in a different age. Reading this book will make you wishfully believe time travel was possible.
Mayflower
Nathaniel Philbrick (2007)
The Lord of the Rings
J.R.R. Tolkien
Columbus and the Quest for Jerusalem
Carol Delaney (2012)
This is a classic story that holds your attention from one page to the next. Best of all, these books make you think about how the story parallels the person of Jesus. The three main characters each show a different aspect of the life and ministry of Jesus — Jesus as a man, Jesus as our high priest and Jesus as King and Savior.
Lexington and Concord
Arthur B. Tourtellot (2000)
This describes perhaps the most important day in our nation’s history. Tourtellot shows us how the day unfolded. He will leave you with a sense of awe for the courage and patriotism of these farmers and tradesmen who began the war for independence. It is my favorite book about one of the historical events that is my passion.
The Agony and the Ecstasy
Irving Stone (1987)
A novel about Michelangelo, describes the period of his life when he changed art forever with his painting of the Sistine Chapel. This book first got me interested in Michelangelo, one of the most amazingly gifted men in history.
The Testament
John Grisham (2005)
Written by one of the great creative writers of our generation, this book stands out above the rest of Grisham’s efforts because it presents the heart of a missionary and the impact of that heart on a hard-hearted family member. Sometimes storylines can get lost with the passage of time — but although I read this book more than a decade ago, the strong images from this story still encourage me.
By the Hand of Providence
Rod Gragg (2012)
When you see the clear, detailed evidence of God’s hand in the beginning of this nation, you will wonder how anyone could doubt the supernatural interventions of God upon the events that led to the United States of America. The writing is so good that if I ever see another book written by Cragg, I will read it — regardless of the subject.
Leonardo da Vinci
Walter Isaacson (2018)
Perhaps the two greatest artists and multi-talented men in all of history are Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. And, what’s more, they came from the same country at the about the same time, even working as competitors. What a moment in history! Da Vinci is the embodiment of the Renaissance man. This book is one fascinating revelation after another. Learning about da Vinci spurred me to have an increased sense of wonder at the creativity God has placed in us.
The Wright Brothers
David McCullough (2015)
What an amazing set of brothers! Their personal story is more exciting and suspense-filled than you would ever have imagined. Reading about the brothers and their diligence and determination both inspired and excited me.
Destiny of the Republic
Candice Millard (2012)
How many people know anything about the presidency of James Garfield? Probably very few. But Candice Millard writes an intriguing book about this amazing man of integrity. She paints portraits of the main characters that make them seem real to me. I told my wife that this book was so good, I’d read any other book by this author even if I had no interest in the topic.
John Quincy Adams
Fred Kaplan (2015)
John Quincy Adams is one of the least well-known men from the founding era. But he is also one of the most amazing and should be one of the most admired. His life inspires me every day to be a better learner and to live a life of service to others.
The Robe
Lloyd C. Douglas (2018)
What a wonderful novel about life in Israel during the time of Jesus, with the central theme about the robe of Christ at His crucifixion. The story draws you into the lives of the characters and we see the power of Jesus, as well as the impact of living in faith, in the early days of the church.
Making Haste From Babylon
Nick Bunker (2011)
We think we know the story of the Pilgrims, but there is so much more. Though I’ve already listed the book Mayflower as one of the 10 best books I have ever read, this book fills in so many gaps. One of the major reasons is because the author is from England and all of his research is from original records in England. From reading this book, we better understand why the Pilgrims left England and eventually established the Plymouth Plantation. If you read this book in conjunction with Mayflower, you will get the entire picture of the Pilgrims and the foundation of our national heritage.