Much could and probably should be said about each of the works below.  But time and space preclude me from doing so.  I have, therefore, offered only a few brief comments and an overall rating of each book.  A score of 1 means the book is worthless.  A score of 10 means that you should immediately stop what you are doing, purchase a copy, and read it. Keep in mind that one book’s score may not be comparable to that of another book since the subject matter, purposes, etc. of one book may radically differ from those of another. The books are alphabetically arranged by title.

Before you get started, let’s have a quick Bible study.

“The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.  The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd.  But beyond this, my son, be warned:  the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body” (Ecclesiastes 12:10-12, NASB).

May this page, however shallow, provide you some guidance as you decide what and what not to spend your priceless time reading.  

• A Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible by Robert Stein. Score = 9.0.
• A Christian Theory of Knowledge by Cornelius Van Til. Score = 9.0. Similar to A Survey of Christian Epistemology by the same author.
• A Natural History of the Senses by Diane Ackerman. Score = 4.0. I was first made aware of this book during my junior year of high school. Mr. Gunter, my U.S. History teacher, highly recommended it. I believe I bought and read it before graduating the next year. At the time I found it to be quite interesting.
• A Pastor’s Sketches: Conversations with Anxious Souls Concerning the Way of Salvation by Ichabod Spencer. Score = 9.0.
• A Royal “Waste” of Time: The Splendor of Worshiping God and Being Church for the World by Marva J. Dawn. Score = 5.0. I wrote a book review of sorts for one of my classes at Southern Seminary. You may read it here.
• A Survey of Christian Epistemology by Cornelius Van Til. Score = 9.0. Few Christians throughout the past 2000 years have seriously considered the all-important subject of epistemology. Very few today are even epistemologically self-conscious, unable to even discuss the subject. And we wonder why the defense of Christianity wanes.  
• Always Ready by Greg Bahnsen. Score = 10! This is hands down the best primer on the subject of Christian apologetics. Any would-be minister of the gospel must read and master the material in this book. Strong words, I know. Why? Because Christians are obligated to defend faithfully God’s word. They are not permitted to apologize any way they choose. 
• Answering Islam: The Crescent in the Light of the Cross by Norman Geisler & Abdul Saleeb. Score = 7.5.
• Apologetics to the Glory of God by John Frame. Score = 7.0.
• Are Miraculous Gifts for Today? 4 Views edited by Wayne Grudem. Score = 8.5. This was assigned reading for my Systematic Theology 3 class. Glad to have read it. I found the arguments of the Third Wave contributor, C. Samuel Storms, to be most convincing. Soon, I will post a short paper based on his and Richard Gaffin, Jr.’s positions.
• Chosen by God by R. C. Sproul. Score = 8.5.
• Christ Before the Manger by Ron Rhodes. Score = 8.0.
• Christian Apologetics by Cornelius Van Til. Score = 9.0. Dr. Van Til was the premier Christian apologist of the 20th century.
• Christianity in Crisis by Hank Hanegraaff. Score = 7.5.
• Competent to Counsel? The History of a Conservative Protestant Biblical Counseling Movement by David Powlison. Score = 9.5. For my last course at Southern Seminary, I had the privilege of taking Contemporary Models of Counseling with Dr. Powlison. He is truly a gift to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Any aspiring Christian counselor should read this book.
• Confessions by Saint Augustine. Score = 6.0.  
• Cornelius Van Til: An Analysis of His Thought by John Frame.
• Democratic Religion by Greg Wills. Score = 8.0.
• Gift & Giver: The Holy Spirit for Today by Craig S. Keener. Score = 8.0. This book is clear and challenging. Though I still disagree with some of Keener’s conclusions, I appreciate his constant concern to ground his exegesis in Scripture. Christians who call themselves “cessationists” would do well to read this work.
• God’s Greater Glory: The Exalted God of Scripture and the Christian Faith by Bruce Ware. Score = 9.0. Much like his Systematic Theology 2 class, reading this book was an inspiring, God-exalting experience. The god of Arminianism is irrefutably shown to be a gross perversion of Yahweh. This work helped me fill in some gaps in the doctrine of God’s providence and emboldened me to take an even stronger stand for Truth.
• How to Give Away Your Faith by Paul E. Little. Score = 6.5. I wrote a book review of sorts for one of my classes at Southern Seminary. You may read it here.
• How People Change by Timothy Lane and Paul Tripp. Score = 8.5. The church of which I am a member read this for a Sunday School series. It is a needed antidote to the glut of psychobabble on which so many Christians are choking. I plan to read this again with my children (assuming the Lord will give us some one day!).
• Inside Out by Larry Crabb. Score = 6.5. Very helpful in some respects but fundamentally flawed in its assessment of man’s most basic need. Sit at the feet of David Powlison if you want Christ-centered counseling.
• Islam in Focus by Hammudah ‘Abd al ‘Ati. Score = 8.0. Written by a devout Muslim. Easy-to-read. Christians ought to spend more time reading primary sources on the subject of Islam.
• Knowing God by Jim Packer. Score = 7.5. Excellent read for both mature and immature Christians.    
• Life’s Ultimate Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy by Ron Nash. Score = 8.0. I studied under Dr. Nash during my first semester at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. I found all his books to be lucid, insightful, and compelling.  
• Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Mark Dever. Score = 8.0. This book is down-to-earth, well-written, and biblically faithful. It is a must-read for young pastors.
• Nutrition Almanac by Lavon J. Dunne. Score = 10. Looking for a book to guide you in preparing a healthy diet? This is it. Simple, easy-to-read, lots of charts that give the nutritional breakdown of a large variety of foods.
• Phaedo by Plato. Score = 5.0.
• Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney. Score = 10! Wow.  Just finished reading this marvelous gift to any Christian wishing to grow in godliness.  If Christ’s church had a pope and I were him, I would require all professed believers to read this book.  I cannot overstate its impact on my life.  Thank you Dr. Whitney! Read my review here.
• Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem. Score = 9.5. Very good systematic.
• Tell the Truth: The Whole Gospel to the Whole Person by Whole People by Will Metzger. Score = 9.5. The best book written on personal evangelism.
• The Berenstain Bears Get the Gimmies by Stan and Jan Berenstain. Score = 4.0. Do not let your children read this book unless you read it with them. There is much dangerous and misleading content within. Doubtless, there are hundreds of better books for your kiddos to read.
• The Bias Against Guns: Why Almost Everything You’ve Heard About Gun Control Is Wrong by John R. Lott, Jr. Score = 9.5. See my 3-1-08 blog entry for my thoughts on this book.
• The Compact Guide to World Religions by Dean C. Halverson–General Editor. Score = 8.0.
• The Doctrine of God by John Frame. Score = 9.0. As always, Frame’s teaching in this book is lucid, captivating, and scripturally faithful.
• The Feeling Good Handbook by David Burns. Score = 8.5. Read this if you want to learn the practice of cognitive behavioral psychology from an expert in the field. Note: At 700+ pages, don’t expect to read this over a weekend.
• The Forgotten Trinity: Recovering the Heart of Christian Belief by James R. White. Score = 8.0. Clear and to-the-point. Good work Dr. White! 
• The Gospel and the Greeks by Ron Nash. Score = 7.0.  
• The History and Theology of Calvinism by Curt Daniel. Score = 10. With all the confusion today about Calvinism (especially since Dave Hunt began writing his trash), this work is a must-read. Dr. Daniel addresses just about every conceivable question about this theological system.
• The Holy Spirit: Works & Gifts by Donald G. Bloesch. Score = 7.0. A long book—396 pages. Very informative but I wish he would have taken a position on more issues.
• The Lost Letters of Pergamum by Bruce Longenecker. Score = 5.5.
• The Meaning of History by Ron Nash. Score = 7.0.  
• The Meaning of the Holy Qur’an by ‘Abdullah Yusuf ‘Ali. Score = 9.5. This interpretation of the Arabic Qur’an, which Muslims say is the only true Qur’an, is recognized as an excellent version by most Islamic scholars today.
• The Politically Incorrect Guide to Darwinism and Intelligent Design by Jonathan Wells. Score = 10.
• The Question of Lay Analysis by Sigmund Freud. Score = 8.5. This is an excellent introduction to Freud’s very-influential psychoanalytic ideas. I actually found myself agreeing with some of his thinking! His occasional humor helps maintain your interest when the content gets dry and/or speculative.
• The Revelation of God by Peter Jensen. Score = 6.5. A bit “thick,” even boring at times, but the content is good overall.
• The Soul Winner by Charles Spurgeon. Score = 8.5.
• The Treasure Principle: Discovering the Secret of Joyful Giving by Randy Alcorn. Score = 9.0. A short, little book but packed with wisdom and instruction. The small amount of time required to read Alcorn’s book on stewardship is well worth the investment.
• The Word of God and the Mind of Man: The Crisis of Revealed Truth in Contemporary Theology by Ron Nash. Score = 8.5.  
• Today’s Evangelism: Its Message and Methods by Ernest C. Reisinger. Score = 8.5.
• Today’s Gospel: Authentic or Synthetic by Walter Chantry. Score = 9.5. This is the first book on evangelism, besides the Bible, that I read. Wonderful!
• Ultimate Bodybuilding by Joe Weider. Score = 10. The best book on anaerobic exercises.
• Van Til’s Apologetic: Readings and Analysis by Greg Bahnsen. Score = 10.
• Words to Winners of Souls by Horatius Bonar. Score = 6.0.
• Worship by the Book by Don Carson (editor and contributor), Mark Ashton, Timothy J. Keller, and R. Kent Hughes. Score = 6.5.
• Worship in Spirit and Truth: A Refreshing Study of the Principles and Practice of Biblical Worship by John Frame. Score = 7.0. I wrote a book review of sorts for one of my classes at Southern Seminary. You may read it here.