Books I've Read In 2026

Below, you will find a list of some of the recent books I have been reading or listening to on audible that I feel would be beneficial to share with you.


digital minimalism

Digital minimalists are all around us. They're the calm, happy people who can hold long conversations without furtive glances at their phones. They can get lost in a good book, a woodworking project, or a leisurely morning run. They can have fun with friends and family without the obsessive urge to document the experience. They stay informed about the news of the day, but don't feel overwhelmed by it. They don't experience "fear of missing out" because they already know which activities provide them meaning and satisfaction.

Now, Newport gives us a name for this quiet movement, and makes a persuasive case for its urgency in our tech-saturated world. Common sense tips, like turning off notifications, or occasional rituals like observing a digital sabbath, don't go far enough in helping us take back control of our technological lives, and attempts to unplug completely are complicated by the demands of family, friends and work. What we need instead is a thoughtful method to decide what tools to use, for what purposes, and under what conditions.

Drawing on a diverse array of real-life examples, from Amish farmers to harried parents to Silicon Valley programmers, Newport identifies the common practices of digital minimalists and the ideas that underpin them. He shows how digital minimalists are rethinking their relationship to social media, rediscovering the pleasures of the offline world, and reconnecting with their inner selves through regular periods of solitude. He then shares strategies for integrating these practices into your life, starting with a thirty-day "digital declutter" process that has already helped thousands feel less overwhelmed and more in control.

Technology is intrinsically neither good nor bad. The key is using it to support your goals and values, rather than letting it use you. This book shows the way.

 

mustang man

In Mustang Man , Louis L'Amour tells the tale of a man who lived by his own law-even if it meant being branded an outlaw. Lost gold on the Santa Fe trail. Nolan Sackett was running ahead of a posse when he stopped to help a wagon stuck on the plains. But why was it stranded in the middle of nowhere with a beautiful-and murderous-young woman? Nolan was trying to find out when he ran into Penelope Hume, another attractive lady. She was the key to a cache of gold hidden in the mountains. But to get the rightful heiress there first, Nolan would have to help her beat out jealous relations, paid assassins, and a killer without a conscience... all maddened by gold fever. This description may be from another edition of this product.

 

the bandit of the black hills

When a gunfighter called The Duke gets out of prison, Sheriff Tom Onion and the men of Wheeler City make uneasy preparations for death. Rancher Guthrie thinks someone is trying to assassinate him, and hires someone to protect him. And who is this mysterious rider who keeps helping The Duke?

About the Author: Frederick Schiller Faust (1892-1944) was an American author known primarily for his thoughtful and literary Westerns under the pen name Max Brand. Faust's other pseudonyms include George Owen Baxter, Evan Evans, George Evans, David Manning, John Frederick, Peter Morland, George Challis, Peter Ward and Frederick Frost.

 

you can’t make me

Many parents suspect their strong-willed child is deliberately trying to drive them crazy. Difficult to discipline and seemingly impossible to motivate, these children present unique, exhausting, and often-frustrating challenges to the those who love them.
 
But strong will is not a negative trait. These same children have firm convictions, high spirits, a sense of adventure—all the makings of a great adult. In this book you’ll discover how to channel that passion and determination in positive ways as you build a healthy relationship. Through insights gained from strong-willed people of all ages, you’ll…
·         better understand how their minds really work.
·         discover positive ways to motivate your strong-willed child.
·         learn how to share control without compromising parental authority.
·         apply key tactics to survive a meltdown.
·         get practical tips for parents who disagree, blended families, and single parents.
 
Packed with  immediately useful strategies to drastically reduce the level of tension in the home (or in the classroom), You Can’t Make Me shows how you can start today to build a stronger, more positive relationship with your strong-willed child.

 

digital dominion

In a world dominated by texts, posts, and digital pings, how can one foster a relationship with God that's both modern and meaningful? Dive into a thought-provoking exploration of digital communication's impact on our spiritual lives. This concise guide sheds light on mastering the crucial areas shaped by social media and communication technology. Discover a God-honoring approach to the digital age, fostering self-control, deepening relationships, and cultivating a spirituality rooted in scripture. Navigate the future with grace, intention, and an unshakable faith.

 

galloway

In "Galloway," Louis L'Amour tells the story of two brothers who must struggle to survive in a wild and beautiful land to build themselves a ranch and a future. Trouble was following Flagan Sackett with a vengeance. Captured and tortured by a band of Apaches, he escaped into the rugged San Juan country, where he managed to stay alive until his brother Galloway could find him. But the brothers were about to encounter worse trouble ahead. Their plan to establish a ranch angered the Dunn clan, who had decided that the vast range would be theirs alone. Now Galloway and Flagan would face an enemy who killed for sport--but as long as other Sacketts lived, they would not fight alone.

 

BURIED IN THE SKY

When eleven climbers died on K2 in 2008, two Sherpas survived. Their astonishing tale became the stuff of mountaineering legend. This white-knuckle adventure follows the Sherpas from their remote villages in Nepal to the peak of the world’s most dangerous mountain, recounting one of the most dramatic disasters in alpine history from a fascinating new perspective.

 

TIGER WOODS

In 2009, Tiger Woods was the most famous athlete on the planet, a transcendent star of almost unfathomable fame and fortune living what appeared to be the perfect life. But it turned out he had been living a double life for years—one that exploded in the aftermath of a Thanksgiving night crash that exposed his serial infidelity and sent his personal and professional lives over a cliff. In this “searing biography of golf’s most blazing talent” (GOLF magazine), Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian dig deep behind the headlines to produce a richly reported answer to the question that has mystified millions of sports fans for nearly a decade: who is Tiger Woods, really?

Drawing on more than four hundred interviews with people from every corner of Woods’s life—many of whom have never spoken about him on the record before—Benedict and Keteyian construct a captivating psychological profile of a mixed race child programmed by an attention-grabbing father and the original Tiger Mom to be the “chosen one,” to change not just the game of golf, but the world as well. But at what cost? Benedict and Keteyian provide the starling answers in this definitive biography that is destined to linger in the minds of readers for years to come.

the comfort crisis

In many ways, we’re more comfortable than ever before. But could our sheltered, temperature-controlled, overfed, underchallenged lives actually be the leading cause of many our most urgent physical and mental health issues? In this gripping investigation, award-winning journalist Michael Easter seeks out off-the-grid visionaries, disruptive genius researchers, and mind-body conditioning trailblazers who are unlocking the life-enhancing secrets of a counterintuitive solution: discomfort.
 
Easter’s journey to understand our evolutionary need to be challenged takes him to meet the NBA’s top exercise scientist, who uses an ancient Japanese practice to build championship athletes; to the mystical country of Bhutan, where an Oxford economist and Buddhist leader are showing the world what death can teach us about happiness; to the outdoor lab of a young neuroscientist who’s found that nature tests our physical and mental endurance in ways that expand creativity while taming burnout and anxiety; to the remote Alaskan backcountry on a demanding thirty-three-day hunting expedition to experience the rewilding secrets of one of the last rugged places on Earth; and more.
 
Along the way, Easter uncovers a blueprint for leveraging the power of discomfort that will dramatically improve our health and happiness, and perhaps even help us understand what it means to be human. The Comfort Crisis is a bold call to break out of your comfort zone and explore the wild within yourself.

 

the titus ten

Everything in a man’s life hinges on the kind of man he is.
 
Yet, none of us is naturally a godly man. That's something we have to learn, pursue, and cultivate. We need a manual to help us.
 
This book is a manual for becoming the kind of man God intends for you to be, and leading other men to do the same. Taking ten qualities from the Apostle Paul's short letter to his mentee Titus, The Titus Ten will help you grow in your understanding of the gospel, your identity, your character, your doctrine, and more. Each chapter includes questions for reflection and discussion, to both process the way the Lord is growing you, and read in a group with other men. As you grow in these areas of your life, you'll become the kind of man God desires to use in your family, your church, and the world.

 

don’t be that guy

Have you ever worked with a leader who just didn’t get it?

Maybe he had the title but lacked the trust. Or maybe his blind spots were so obvious everyone saw them . . . except him. Truth is, we’ve all encountered that guy—and if we’re honest, we’ve all been that guy at some point too.

In Don't Be That Guy, Eugene Wilson tackles ten toxic traits that make following difficult—and leading ineffective. With sharp insight and practical guidance, Wilson doesn’t just name the problem; he shows you how to replace harmful habits with healthy ones that build trust, inspire loyalty, and cultivate lasting influence.

Whether you’re new to leadership or seasoned in ministry or business, this book will challenge you to lead with humility, emotional intelligence, and integrity. It’s not about perfection—it’s about being willing to grow.

Don’t settle for a leadership style that alienates or isolates. Become the kind of leader people want to follow.

 

spartan gold

In 1800, while crossing the Pennine Alps with his Grand Reserve Army, Napoleon Bonaparte stumbled across a startling discovery. Unable to transport it, he created an enigmatic map on the labels of twelve bottles of rare wine. When Napoleon died, the bottles disappeared—and the treasure was lost again.

Until now. Treasure-hunting husband-and-wife team Sam and Remi Fargo are exploring the Great Pocomoke Swamp in Maryland when they are shocked to discover a World War II German U-boat. Inside, they find a bottle taken from Napoleon’s famous “Lost Cellar,” and fascinated, they set out to find the rest of the collection. But another connoisseur of sorts is hunting his own prize, and the Lost Cellar is his key to finding it. That man is Hadeon Bondaruk, a half-Russian, half-Persian millionaire, and the treasure will be his, no matter what.

 

leadership thrusts

Leadership Thrusts attempts to address the underlying issues, the overarching realities, and the baked-in inhibitors that govern the way churches and leaders operate. Beginning with the personality of the pastor, we explore the identities, the motives, the directions, and the roles of leaders, along with the sometimes overt, and sometimes subtle ways that churches react to progress.

 

the big miss

From 2004 to the spring of 2010, Hank Haney was Tiger Woods's coach, and Tiger was Haney's only client. In that period, Tiger won more than a third of the tournaments he entered and six of his fourteen major titles. Haney felt hugely honored to help Tiger with his swing, and he approached the job with intense absorption and attention to detail. Haney was with Tiger 110 days a year, spoke to him over 200 days a year, and stayed at Tiger's house up to 30 days a year--sometimes affording him more contact with Tiger than either the athlete's agent or caddy. Haney saw his student in nearly every circumstance: in the locker room; on the course; with his wife, Elin; and relaxing with friends. Haney was there through it all, observing how Tiger's public identity sometimes meshed awkwardly with the roles of husband and friend, and how the former child prodigy came to have a conflicted relationship with the game that made him famous.

 

the gales of november

For three decades following World War II, the Great Lakes overtook Europe as the epicenter of global economic strength. The region was the beating heart of the world economy, possessing all the power and prestige Silicon Valley does today. And no ship represented the apex of the American Century better than the 729-foot-long Edmund Fitzgerald―the biggest, best, and most profitable ship on the Lakes.

But on November 10, 1975, as the “storm of the century” threw 100 mile-per-hour winds and 50-foot waves on Lake Superior, the Mighty Fitz found itself at the worst possible place, at the worst possible time. When she sank, she took all 29 men onboard down with her, leaving the tragedy shrouded in mystery for a half century.

In The Gales of November, award-winning journalist John U. Bacon presents the definitive account of the disaster, drawing on more than 100 interviews with the families, friends, and former crewmates of those lost. Bacon explores the vital role Great Lakes shipping played in America’s economic boom, the uncommon lives the sailors led, the sinking’s most likely causes, and the heartbreaking aftermath for those left behind―"the wives, the sons, and the daughters,” as Gordon Lightfoot sang in his unforgettable ballad.

Focused on those directly affected by the tragedy, The Gales of November is both an emotional tribute to the lives lost and a propulsive, page-turning narrative history of America’s most-mourned maritime disaster.

 

revitalize church

Is your church struggling to grow? Has momentum stalled? Are you facing the challenge of rebuilding trust and restoring vision? Revitalize Church is a strategic guide designed to help pastors and church leaders navigate the process of church revitalization with biblical wisdom and practical systems.

Church revitalization is the process of restoring spiritual health, strategic vision, and practical systems within the context of a plateaued, spiritually struggling, or dying congregation. Without intentional revitalization, stagnation inevitably leads to decline. With the right tools and leadership strategies, churches can regain their strength, impact, and momentum. In Revitalize Church, you'll discover:

  • Proven strategies to restore trust after past leadership failures

  • The six essential growth engines that drive a healthy, thriving church.

  • Apostolic insights on balancing vision, leadership, and pastoral care.

  • Step-by-step guidance for reigniting organizational momentum.

  • Practical systems and structures to sustain long-term numerical and spiritual growth.

Whether you're leading a struggling church or simply seeking renewed strength for future growth. This book will equip you with the principles, strategies, and vision centric perspective needed to restore, rebuild, and relaunch your congregation into a season of health and expansion.

Your church's best days aren't behind you. It is time to Revitalize Church!