Books I Love

Nonfiction

Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle
“God would seem to be too occupied in being unable to take Her eyes off of us to spend any time raising an eyebrow in disapproval.” ― Gregory Boyle, Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion
The Book of Hours by Rainer Rilke
God speaks to each of us as he makes us, then walks with us silently out of the night. Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final. Don't let yourself lose me. Rainer Maria Rilke, Rilke's Book of Hours: Love Poems to God
I Said This, You Heard That by Kathleen Edelman
"Words are powerful. They create (and destroy) confidence. They start (and wreck) relationships. They land (and lost) jobs. - Kathleen Edelman, I Said This, You Heard That: How Your Wiring Colors Your Communication
Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton
“I'm not a mess but a deeply feeling person in a messy world. I explain that now, when someone asks me why I cry so often, I say, 'For the same reason I laugh so often--because I'm paying attention.'” ― Glennon Doyle Melton, Love Warrior
“When we’re in scientist mode, we refuse to let our ideas become ideologies. We don’t start with answers or solutions; we lead with questions and puzzles." ― Adam M. Grant, Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
“We spend so much time being afraid of failure, afraid of rejection. But regret is the thing we should fear most. Failure is an answer. Rejection is an answer. Regret is an eternal question you will never have the answer to.” ― Trevor Noah, Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood
The Question Behind the Question
“Remember: The answers are in the questions.” ― John G. Miller, QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability in Work and in Life
Mission-Based Management by Peter C. Brinckerhoff
"Mission, mission, mission. No money = no mission." - Peter C. Brinckerhoff, Mission-Based Management: Leading Your Not-for-Profit In the 21st Century
"To tear down silos, leaders must go beyond behaviors and address the contextual issues at the heart of departmental separation and politics." Patrick Lencioni, Silos, Politics and Turf Wars: A Leadership Fable About Destroying the Barriers That Turn Colleagues Into Competitors
Boundaries for Leaders by Henry Cloud
“Leaders get what they create, or what they allow.” ― Henry Cloud, Boundaries for Leaders: Results, Relationships, and Being Ridiculously in Charge
Celtic Benediction
Be still and aware of God's presence in and all around. - J Phillip Newell, Celtic Benediction
Becoming by Michelle Obama
“For every door that’s been opened to me, I’ve tried to open my door to others. And here is what I have to say, finally: Let’s invite one another in." ― Michelle Obama, Becoming
The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever by Michael Bungay Stanier
“If this were a haiku rather than a book, it would read: Tell less and ask more. Your advice is not as good As you think it is.” ― Michael Bungay Stanier, The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever
“Not finance. Not strategy. Not technology. It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare.” ― Patrick Lencioni, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable
Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
“Science is not the truth. Science is finding the truth. When science changes its opinion, it didn’t lie to you. It learned more.” ― Brené Brown, Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience
Love Wins by Rob Bell
“Often the people most concerned about others going to hell when they die seem less concerned with the hells on earth right now, while the people most concerned with the hells on earth right now seem the least concerned about hell after death.” ― Rob Bell, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived
Pastrix by Nadia Bolz-Weber
“The movement in our relationship to God is always from God to us. Always. We can't, through our piety or goodness, move closer to God. God is always coming near to us. Most especially in the Eucharist and in the stranger.” ― Nadia Bolz-Weber, Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
“If you want to bring a fundamental change in people's belief and behavior...you need to create a community around them, where those new beliefs can be practiced and expressed and nurtured.” ― Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
Atomic Habits by James Clear
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.” ― James Clear, Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Fiction

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
“I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why.” John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men (Lennie)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” ― Dumbledore, Harry PC“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Dumbledore)
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
“Sometimes to get what you want the most, you have to do what you want the least.” ― Jodi Picoult, My Sister's Keeper (Anna)
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
“With a secret like that, at some point the secret itself becomes irrelevant. The fact that you kept it does not.” ― Sara Gruen, Water for Elephants
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegge
“Time is priceless, but it’s Free. You can't own it, you can use it. You can spend it. But you can't keep it. Once you've lost it you can never get it back.” ― Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveler's Wife (Clare Anne)
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
“Don’t you want to be alive before you die?” ― Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
“Strange about learning; the farther I go the more I see that I never knew even existed. A short while ago I foolishly thought I could learn everything - all the knowledge in the world. Now I hope only to be able to know of its existence, and to understand one grain of it. Is there time?” ― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
“It is the peculiar nature of the world to go on spinning no matter what sort of heartbreak is happening.” ― Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees
Between, Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson
Joshilyn Jackson, Between Georgia
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
“There are a lot of children in Afghanistan, but little childhood.” ― Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
“Three words, large enough to tip the world. I remember you.” ― V.E. Schwab, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
“By its very nature, history is always a one-sided account.” ― Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
“Secrets are everywhere. Some humans are crammed full of them. How do they not explode? It seems to be a hallmark of the human species: abysmal communication skills.” ― Shelby Van Pelt, Remarkably Bright Creatures
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
“When I tell you all shall be well, I don’t mean that life won’t bring you tragedy. Life will be life. I only mean you will be well in spite of it. All shall be well, no matter what.” ― Sue Monk Kidd, The Book of Longings