Stephen鈥檚 Year in Books

What did you read this year?

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2024

3,650

pages read

books read

Stephen Drew

Shortest Book

pages

Longest Book

601

pages

Average book length in 2024

243

pages

Most Shelved

6,527,704

people also shelved

Least Shelved

people also shelved

Stephen鈥檚 average rating for 2024

3.5

Highest Rated on 欧宝娱乐

4.41 average

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Stephen鈥檚 first review of the year

really liked it

"All the Light We Cannot See" is an engaging, creative, and sobering read. Doerr is a very innovative author, considering the whole premise of someone who is blind living through a world war. This concept, in itself, made the book a fascinating read because I had never before considered what this must have been like. Although there were many times I wished the narrative did not consistently change between characters, in general, I appreciated how ...more

厂罢贰笔贬贰狈鈥橲 2024 BOOKS

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

it was amazing

Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

The Power of a Praying Husband Book of Prayers by Stormie Omartian

it was amazing

How America Works... and Why It Doesn't by William Cooper

Kaplan Series 6 License Exam Manual, 1st Edition (Revised, Pa... by Kaplan Financial Education

Stephen鈥檚 last review of the year

really liked it

I read Quo Vadis at the recommendation of a seminary president who wrote an article on 鈥淣ovels Every Christian Should Read鈥� for The Gospel Coalition. While I鈥檓 very thankful he wrote the article that led me to read the book, I wouldn鈥檛 necessarily include it in a list of 鈥渂ooks every Christian should read.鈥�

The first reason is that it is not an easy read. The entire first part of the book is very long, dry, and full of extensive dialogue. I honest I read Quo Vadis at the recommendation of a seminary president who wrote an article on 鈥淣ovels Every Christian Should Read鈥� for The Gospel Coalition. While I鈥檓 very thankful he wrote the article that led me to read the book, I wouldn鈥檛 necessarily include it in a list of 鈥渂ooks every Christian should read.鈥�

The first reason is that it is not an easy read. The entire first part of the book is very long, dry, and full of extensive dialogue. I honestly found it very boring at first and almost gave up. However, the pace and quality certainly improve as the story progresses, which is quite rare.

The second reason it鈥檚 not a book every Christian should read is that it鈥檚 very heady and academic. Personally, I loved the intertwining of history, theology, philosophy, the arts, and questions of Christian ethics and living, but most readers might find it difficult to follow or uninteresting.

Third, there鈥檚 the violence. And by violence, I mean this is the most gruesome book I鈥檝e ever read, particularly in its recounting of Nero鈥檚 persecution of Christians. While I understand the importance of Christians being aware and informed about persecution, I question whether it鈥檚 necessary to know every harrowing detail of what it looked like in the past. I think not.

Despite these reservations, I am still very glad I read the book for several reasons.

First, I found the depiction of progressive salvation in the main character, Vinicius, to be fascinating. His story stands in stark contrast to the concept of 鈥渟ay a prayer and be saved.鈥� Instead, his journey to faith in Christ is a step-by-step process, shaped by a variety of experiences. Of course, the primary influence is a beautiful woman, but there are many other factors interwoven as well. His journey is neither clear nor easy; it is scattered yet progressive. I believe this depiction more accurately reflects how God often draws people to Himself, as opposed to the instantaneous salvation model heavily emphasized in modern evangelical teaching.

Second, despite the gruesome details, I found the portrayal of peaceful and joyful faith in the midst of persecution to be both exemplary and inspiring. In particular, the use of song during suffering stood out. As the Christians were tortured, they sang beautiful praises to God, which starkly contrasted with Nero鈥檚 creation of horrific music.

Third, Sienkiewicz is simply a brilliant author with a brilliant mind. His ability to intertwine history, theology, philosophy, and artistry into a grand narrative is nothing short of masterful. Throughout the book, I kept marveling at how he managed to write such a profound work without the resources of the internet. His grasp of language and history surpasses that of any author I can recall reading. For this reason alone, the book is worth reading for those who enjoy and appreciate linguistics and history.

In summary, Quo Vadis isn鈥檛 for everyone, but I still recommend it to many.

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A novel every Christian should read according to Rick Segal is Vice President of Advancement and Distinguished Lecturer of Commerce and Vocation at Bethlehem College & Seminary.

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