Need Book Recommendations?

I love to read. Whereas i used to exclusively read fiction, this has switched over the past decade. In fact, i reached a place over the past ten years where i was only reading nonfiction. This was an unhealthy place for me to be. (Interestingly, since adding fiction back into my reading diet, my depression has been greatly alleviated.)

However, around the end of 2011, my pastor told me that he kept track of all the books he read to easily remember and recommend them. As such, i decided to do something similar. Therefore, ever since 2012, i have kept a list of the books i read.

But, ever since 2012, i have kept it to myself. Until now!

My list of books read since 2012

If you click the link above, it will take you to my reading list (the primary one is currently 227 books). I update it regularly as i finish reading another book. To get the most out of it, click “open with” at the top of the screen and select “Google Sheets.”

That will take you to a page that looks like this:

From here, you can see various headings along the top. When it comes to “type of author,” you will notice that not all of them are filled in. This is because i only include this when it might help understand the book’s background. Additionally, i’ve only been keeping track of “# of pages” since 2019. (I may start including publisher information as well, but i have not yet gone that far.)

If you click the tab at the bottom, labeled “Bible Books (for sorting),” it will take you to an almost-replica of the previous tab. (Sometimes, i fail to update this as often as i update the prior, but currently, it is up-to-date.) The only thing it is missing from the previous tab is my “comments.”

If you click the button above row 1 and left of column A (the top left of the sheet; first image below), and then click “Data” at the top, it will drop down this menu (second image below):

Click “Sort Range,” and you can sort the sheet by whatever you desire. Do you want to see which author i’ve most been influenced by? Make sure to select “Data has header row,” then sort by “Author” and “A-Z” (first image below) and scroll through, looking for the one which is repeated the most (second image below).

There are three other tabs, though currently with less information in them. First, the “Theology/Commentaries” tab:

This where i keep track of Bible commentaries and systematic/biblical theology books i’ve read. If you’re interested in my thoughts on any of those, check out this page.

Next is my tab for “Other Reading.” This list is currently minuscule, though i am currently reading several books that will be added to it. These will be primarily books about Literature, Writing, and History.

Finally, there is the last tab. “Notes.” If i think something will be beneficial, i put it here (or if i want quick access to a list from a book). Currently, there are two notes in this tab. More will follow as i discover more helpful information.

Well, that’s about it. I hope this tool can encourage you to read by recommending solid books for your edification.

If you have further questions or recommendations regarding this tool, please don’t hesitate to use my “Contact” page or even leave a comment on this post. (For instance, if i get enough requests, i’ll add access to my fiction list; it’s currently hidden because i can’t recommend everything on it without qualifications.)

In this with you.

Soli Deo Gloria
Pro Ecclesia

Thanks for reading.