How do you choose your next Christian nonfiction book?

[David]

I don't know about you, but my "Want to Read" list takes me past my life expectancy! How do you decide what you're going to read next? More particularly, how do you choose from among the centuries' worth of Christian literature when you're picking something Christian to read?

[Carson]

I tend to find that one book leads to another when it comes to reading Christian non-fiction. I’ll tend to follow a thread where if the author references another author, I’ll pick that book up and continue that thread.

For instance, John Mark Comer’s book Practicing The Way lead to me reading Willard’s Renovation Of The Heart and Tyler Stanton’s book on prayer.

[David]

Thanks Carson. You have a good book sniffer!

[Anna]

I don't really go looking for non-fiction, generally. Fiction (especially mysteries) tend to be my go-to read or listen. When I reach the end of an audiobook series, I often then look through Hoopla to find something similar, or check if any of the other series I enjoy have a new book yet.

Non-fiction is much different. I'm currently reading Ike Miller's "Good Baggage," which I saw featured on a Christianity Today podcast. It seemed immediately applicable to a particular relationship, so I got it right away. But I don't know that I'll go looking for a next book after I finish it, unless I want to further explore some of Miller's topic (e.g., go more in depth on something).

[David]

Ah, that’s a good point. I approach fiction and nonfiction differently too. Fiction mostly from reviews—a review of Severance, which I just started, mentioned that the main character is a Bible publisher during an apocalyptic event; since I work in Bible publishing that sounded amazing! Also returning to authors I like. Nonfiction is more what I’m preoccupied with at the moment which tends to orbit the “felt need” thing but not totally emerge out of felt need.

[David]

Friend recommendations are pretty significant for Christian nonfiction; several of the books I’ve read this year I was nudged toward by a friend.

[Anna]

Severance = the Ling Ma novel? Or a different one? (Just looked it up, because you're right about recommendations, haha.)

[David]

Yeah, Ling Ma!

[Nathan (ON HIATUS AND]

I choose by either seeing them on goodreads or by going to the publishing site or looking for other recommended books related to it or friends or family recommendations. I love Joyce Meyer as non fiction and I read everything by her and I also like non fiction and fiction that aren't Christian so I read pretty much anything that sounds good to me and I love to get books from thrift stores so I have tons of physical but I do audio and digital as well and I found a site where they have free books you can download 10 every 24 hours and they recommend books based on your history of downloads. So I use a variety of ways to choose.

[David]

Nathan wrote: "I choose by either seeing them on goodreads or by going to the publishing site or looking for other recommended books related to it or friends or family recommendations. I love Joyce Meyer as non f..."

Super helpful, thanks!