16 Best Suspense Books: Intrigue Without Horror or Gore

Without featuring gore or horror, books on this list are off the charts for intrigue. What I’m looking for in best suspense books is compelling page turners without degradation.

My top picks for best suspense books?

Dark Matter

Project Hail Mary

The Last Thing He Told Me

Note: Pictures of Book Covers are Amazon affiliate links. Clicking through to purchase will benefit this site.

The Kremlin Conspiracy by Joel C Rosenberg

This is the first book of five (so far) of the Marcus Ryker series, international intrigue at it’s finest. Rosenberg takes on the hotspots of the world and is able to articulate the culture and motivations of the major players.

For fans of Jack Reacher and Jason Bourne.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Blake Crouch’s books are often called mind bending sci-fi.

In Dark Matter, Jason Dessen is abducted from his life and wakes up in an alternate reality. No longer married with a family. No longer a physics professor. His personal history has been replaced and he doesn’t know how or if he can get it back.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

“Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.

Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.

And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.

Or does he?”–from Amazon

All the elements of a great survival story as well as science fiction at it’s best. I loved it.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

This is not a feel good novel. Let’s get that out of the way right up front. It’s not a typical romance, either. But, if you like intrigue, clever plot twists and a slow moving build, this book is for you.

It took a full 40 pages before I was drawn into the story. I was curious about all the hype surrounding this book.

Maxim de Winter’s second wife is the narrator of the story. But the shadow of her husband’s first wife, Rebecca, is threatening her happiness.

A compelling page turner.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

I’m a lifetime fan of Agatha Christie. She is the Queen of Whodunnit and a brilliant storyteller. This one is a suspenseful mystery.

Ten guests are invited to a mansion located on an island, but their host never arrives. As their sordid pasts come to light, one by one the guests are killed. Who is doing it and who will be left?

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

Owen Michaels has disappeared. His only communique is the note he left Hannah, his wife of one year that says “Protect her”. She knew that referred to his 16-year-old daughter, Bailey, who doesn’t get along with her step mother.

When Owen’s boss is arrested and the FBI shows up, Hannah realizes that her husband was hiding secrets. Hannah and Bailey set out to find the truth and figure out who are allies and who are enemies.

Keeps you guessing till the end— the very recipe for turning pages. Satisfying conclusion.

A Time to Kill by John Grisham

John Grisham’s legal thrillers are plot driven and not focused on richly developed characters. Sometimes his characters can even feel caricatur-ish, to coin a word, but he does set up the most intriguing scenarios.

I like Jake Brigance as the good guy lawyer who has to navigate small town legal machinery, diner gossip and prejudice and still keep his family and principles intact.

He’s easy to root for when the deck is stacked against him.

His challenge in A Time to KiII is to defend Carl Hailey, a black man who killed the white men who assaulted his 10-year-old daughter.

I also liked the latest full length Jake Brigance book, A Time for Mercy. Even though Sparring Partners is referenced online as part of the Jake Brigance series, it is actually a collection of novellas, only one of which features Jake.

A Shadow in Moscow by Katherine Reay

I’ve had a hard time knowing how to talk about this book without spoilers, but when I read the blurbs, I felt like too much was given away up front.

I recommend diving into this story without reading the dustcover copy.

The book follows two story lines.

In Vienna 1954 we meet Ingrid. She is married to a man she suspects works for the KGB, but her loyalties lie in her British heritage.

In Moscow 1980 we meet Anya, Ingrid’s daughter. She has just graduated from Georgetown University in the U.S. and is returning home to Moscow during the height of the Cold War’s Soviet Arms race. She is confronted by the oppression of her homeland in contrast to the freedoms she witnessed during college.

I loved this book. I liked the reminder of how important our freedoms are. I liked women as spies coupled with the sacrificial courage and integrity of the characters.

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

Mr. Walter Hartwright, a drawing master, is employed by the Fairlie family to teach the two young ladies of the house. En route to his assignment, he has a strange midnight encounter with a mysterious woman dressed all in white.

The setting is 1800s England, where social class, nobility, fortunes gained and lost and rural community gossip rules the day.

Maybe because I have an overdeveloped sense of moral justice, I found this novel to be satisfying.

I wouldn’t say that the characters were highly developed, but by the end they were relatable and certainly honorable. It fully satiated my desire to sojourn in the era of swishing skirts.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand tells the fascinating, incredible life story of Louis Zamperini. Starting with his early years striving for Olympic fame as a runner, then all the twists and turns of his military career in the South Pacific and finally his return to civilian life and redemption.

Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing

The story of Ernest Shackleton’s leadership to bring his whole crew out alive after their vessel is lost in the South Pole Seas is inspiring.

It’s a good study in leadership and teamwork. It’s an amazing triumph over the elements, even though the primary mission wasn’t accomplished. The feat was bringing back everyone alive.

The difficult decisions faced, the battle of survival, the human interaction: these are the elements of the story that draw you in and keep you turning pages.

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

Tracing the journey of the the captain and crew of the the whaling ship, Essex, the author employs extensive research of the mostly Quaker community on Nantucket, to whaling in the 1700s and background on the 20 men aboard the Essex.

Interesting from a leadership and psychological standpoint, it chronicles the different choices man makes in his most desperate hours.

The journey was supposed to take 2 to 3 years, so the community wasn’t alarmed but they didn’t know the turn of events that faced the captain during his first command and a partially green crew.

The writing style moved the story along even while providing informative comparisons to others in similar situations. Another interesting tie in was the influence this journey had on Herman Melville as an inspiration to write Moby Dick.

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

In 1996, eight mountain climbers lost their lives while attempting to summit Everest. Jon Krakauer is a journalist and climber who survived and wrote about it.

There’s a lot of competing forces at play: people who spent a lot of money to summit, the commercialization of summiting, magazines that would pay a lot for the story, advertisers looking for heroes.

No one seemed to know that there was a storm blowing in.

One of the critical factors in the deaths was the enforcement of the turn around time. Hall, the team leader, had been so strict about that for other teams, but with this one, he wasn’t. He didn’t communicate clearly whether the turn around time was one o clock or two clock. On the actual summit day, people were summiting at 4 and 5 o clock.

Should a leader be making decisions that are unquestioned? Does that actually put his team at greater risk because they don’t follow their own wisdom? Actually, the genius of Hall’s leadership was to make the decisions ahead of time, not in the heat of the moment. And the actual breakdown came in not following through with those wise decisions.

The safety net wasn’t there when it needed to be.

Touching the Void by Joe Simpson

“The true story of one man’s miraculous survival after a mountaineering mishap high in the Andes of South America.” (from Amazon)

I’ve been on the prowl for another great family read aloud, along the lines of Endurance and Unbroken.

There’s a lot of climbing terms and concepts that I didn’t understand and it took a while before the story became compelling. If I hadn’t known what was coming, I’m not sure I would have stuck with it. The account is a testimony to the human will to survive. Although it was only given a passing reference, it’s also a testimony to the prayers of Joe’s mother.

It’s fascinating to me to analyze the decisions you make in the face of death. What motivates you to keep going when it’s hopeless and what motivates you to give up?

Dead Wake by Erik Larsen

A fictionalized account of the sinking of the Luitsania. Larsen follows the stories of different passengers, what they brought with them and what sank to the bottom of the ocean. A detailed, in depth story.

The Water Keeper by Charles Martin

Murphy Shepherd is a man of secrets. He’s a tortured soul with a strong sense of justice and the needed skills to find criminals in order to rescue girls in danger.

Looking for more books?

17 Best Fiction for Men

18 Books Like Project Hail Mary

September 30, 2023 by Beth | 0 comments

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21 More Books Like Hatchet

This list is broken into three parts, each focusing on different elements of the Hatchet story that I find compelling.

First of all, it’s a survival story. If the popularity of the reality TV show Survivor is any indication, battling the elements and living off the land is a challenge worth witnessing.

The survival books on this list include fiction and non-fiction written for adults and mature teens.

It’s also a story about courage and self-discovery. Victory over adversity is empowering. Dire circumstances can serve as a catalyst to unearth inner courage. The section of the list that highlights courage are also written for kids. One of the best thing about books is that we can borrow the courage of our heroes, fictional or real, and wield it in our every day lives.

Finally, there’s a section of adventure stories, appealing and apropriate for all ages.

In my list of top picks some are stories of surviving alone on an island, but there’s also courage, adventure or survival in other settings as well.

My top six picks for Books Like Hatchet

Island of the Blue Dolphins
Wonder
Project Hail Mary

Robinson Crusoe
Swiss Family Robinson
Peace Like a River

Books Like Hatchet for Adults: Survival

If you enjoy adventure stories that defy death by overcoming the odds this is your place. Some are true, some invented, all contain the epic battle of man and survival, battling the elements, fighting nature and winning. Modern life doesn’t often pit us against the elements since we tend to live a more temperature controlled life. But there is something compelling about survivor stories.

Note: Pictures of book covers are Amazon affiliate links. Clicking through to purchase will benefit this site.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

“Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.

Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.

And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.

Or does he?”–from Amazon

All the elements of a great survival story as well as science fiction at it’s best. I loved it.

Endurance by Alfred Lansing

The story of Ernest Shackleton’s leadership to bring his whole crew out alive after their vessel is lost in the South Pole Seas is inspiring.

It’s a good study in leadership and teamwork. It’s an amazing triumph over the elements, even though the primary mission wasn’t accomplished. The feat was bringing back everyone alive.

The difficult decisions faced, the feats of survival, the human interaction: these are the elements of the story that draw you in and keep you turning pages.

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

Tracing the journey of the the captain and crew of the the whaling ship, Essex, the author employs extensive research of the mostly Quaker community on Nantucket, to whaling in the 1700s and background on the 20 men aboard the Essex.

Interesting from a leadership and psychological standpoint, it chronicles the different choices man makes in his most desperate hours.

The journey was supposed to take 2 to 3 years, so the community wasn’t alarmed but they didn’t know the turn of events that faced the captain during his first command and a partially green crew.

The writing style moved the story along even while providing informative comparisons to others in similar situations. Another interesting tie in was the influence this journey had on Herman Melville as an inspiration to write Moby Dick.

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

In 1996, eight mountain climbers lost their lives while attempting to summit Everest. Jon Krakauer is a journalist and climber who survived and wrote about it.

There’s a lot of competing forces at play: people who spent a lot of money to summit, the commercialization of summiting, magazines that would pay a lot for the story, advertisers looking for heroes.

No one seemed to know that there was a storm blowing in.

One of the critical factors in the deaths was the enforcement of the turn around time. Hall, the team leader, had been so strict about that for other teams, but with this one, he wasn’t. He didn’t communicate clearly whether the turn around time was one o clock or two clock. On the actual summit day, people were summiting at 4 and 5 o clock.

Should a leader be making decisions that are unquestioned? Does that actually put his team at greater risk because they don’t follow their own wisdom? Actually, the genius of Hall’s leadership was to make the decisions ahead of time, not in the heat of the moment. And the actual breakdown came in not following through with those wise decisions.

The safety net wasn’t there when it needed to be.

Touching the Void by Joe Simpson

“The true story of one man’s miraculous survival after a mountaineering mishap high in the Andes of South America.” (from Amazon)

I’ve been on the prowl for another great family read aloud, along the lines of Endurance and Unbroken.

There’s a lot of climbing terms and concepts that I didn’t understand and it took a while before the story became compelling. If I hadn’t known what was coming, I’m not sure I would have stuck with it. The account is a testimony to the human will to survive. Although it was only given a passing reference, it’s also a testimony to the prayers of Joe’s mother.

It’s fascinating to me to analyze the decisions you make in the face of death. What motivates you to keep going when it’s hopeless and what motivates you to give up?

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

“Robinson Crusoe is a novel by Daniel Defoe, first published on 25 April 1719. The first edition credited the work’s protagonist Robinson Crusoe as its author, leading many readers to believe he was a real person and the book a travelogue of true incidents. Epistolary, confessional, and didactic in form, the book is presented as an autobiography of the title character (whose birth name is Robinson Kreutznaer)—a castaway who spends twenty-eight years on a remote tropical desert island near Trinidad, encountering cannibals, captives, and mutineers, before ultimately being rescued. The story has since been thought to be based on the life of Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish castaway who lived for four years on a Pacific island called “Más a Tierra”, now part of Chile, which was renamed Robinson Crusoe Island in 1966, but various literary sources have also been suggested.”– from Amazon

I was impressed by the spiritual themes explored in this book that you don’t see in modern literature. That is our culture’s loss.

To Build a Fire by Jack London

A novella with the classic story of man against the elements. No one can paint the great white north like Jack London. This story intrigued me as kid and I never forgot the impact a simple story can make. Even though it’s short it packs a punch.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand tells the fascinating, incredible life story of Louis Zamperini. Starting with his early years striving for Olympic fame as a runner, then all the twists and turns of his military career in the South Pacific and finally his return to civilian life and redemption.

Books Like Hatchet for Kids: Courage

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell

“The Newberry Medal-winning story of a 12-year old girl who lives alone on a Pacific island after she leaps from a rescue ship. Isolated on the island for eighteen years, Karana forages for food, builds weapons to fight predators, clothes herself in a cormorant feathered skirt, and finds strength and peace in her seclusion. A classic tale of discovery and solitude returns to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for its 50th anniversary, with a new introduction by Lois Lowry.” –from Amazon

Much like Hatchet, Karana faces the challenge of survival alone on an island. Unlike Hatchet, this story is based on the true events of a real person.

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

“Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.

So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?” — from GoodReads

Great story.

A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus

William, Edmund and Anna are siblings who are evacuated from London to the country during World War II. Their deep desire for home and family drive the story, even while they aim to be family to each other.

A love of literature is integral to the story and revisiting my childhood favorites was fun. There’s echoes of Narnia throughout as well as nods to other classic children’s lit.

I wish I hadn’t read the story synopsis before reading this sweet, heart-warming story.

Don’t read the reviews. Just dive in.

Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt

” Doug struggles to be more than the “skinny thug” that some people think him to be. He finds an unlikely ally in Lil Spicer, who gives him the strength to endure an abusive father, the suspicions of a town, and the return of his oldest brother, forever scarred, from Vietnam. Schmidt expertly weaves multiple themes of loss and recovery in a story teeming with distinctive, unusual characters and invaluable lessons about love, creativity, and survival.”– from Amazon

Excellent book. LOVED it.

Deals with so many important themes.

Abusive parent. War veterans. Learning disabilities. Young love. Poverty. Predjudice.

Recommended for older kids, beginning about age 10.

Holes by Louis Sachar

Stanley Yelnats has been unfairly sentenced to juvenile work camp at Green Lake. The boys are required to dig holes in the desert sun.

But there’s something mysterious going on connected to a decades old events that transpired before the lake dried out. Can Stanley and his friends get to the bottom of it before the perpetrators take revenge?

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

What a great book! Highly recommended for all ages.

I love the way it tackles head on mega topics: embarrassment, shame, discouragement, rising above difficult circumstances, the elements of a true friendship.

August Pullman is a likable fellow. If he were a jerk, this story wouldn’t have worked.

It strikes at the very heart of what it means to be a person. Where do you fit into society. How does society react to you?

It’s not just an overcomer story. It’s a family systems story. Our family of origin matters so much when it comes to what we believe about ourselves.

I love the middle school principal in this story. I love the way he has such a deep understanding of kids. I love how he can see what is happening beneath the surface. A great book for teachers, administrators, youth pastors, everyone who deals with kids as well as kids, themselves.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Another well-known classic that is still loved today. Jim Hawkins stumbles into the world of Pirates and buried treasure. Treasure maps marked with an X, one legged pirates with parrots on their shoulders and other pirate lore can be traced back to the masterful story telling in Treasure Island.

Click here for the audio version of Treasure Island at Project Gutenberg.

Books Like Hatchet for All Ages: Adventure

Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss

What if you were marooned on an island with your wife and family of four boys? How would you survive? What would you do for food and shelter? Maybe stories of survival intrigue us because we’re all ultimately on a survival track.

The Hobbit by J.R.R.Tolkien

One of literature’s ultimate hero’s journeys, the story of Bilbo Baggins resonates deeply, even if you’re not a homebody. Bilbo certainly wasn’t out looking for adventure, because hobbits are fond of regular meals and the comforts of home.

But, if there’s a wizard and a dragon, a quest, danger, travel companions to help and hinder, a magic ring and some treasure, it all adds up to a satisfying tale with uncanny parallels to life as we know it.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

“Fantastic creatures, heroic deeds, epic battles in the war between good and evil, and unforgettable adventures come together in this world where magic meets reality, which has been enchanting readers of all ages for over sixty years. The Chronicles of Narnia has transcended the fantasy genre to become a part of the canon of classic literature.”– from GoodReads

In my opinion, it doesn’t get any better than Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia for middle grade.

But, not only middle grade. Narnia appeals to every age.

Lewis tells compelling stories with an amazing economy of words. He weaves timeless truths into tales that highlight the classic conflict between good and evil.

I can’t recommend them highly enough.

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

No one can make the great white north come alive like Jack London. Buck is a kidnapped dog taken from California to the Yukon during the the Klondike Rush of the 1890’s. Man and beast fight agains the elements, greed and each other.

Peace Like a River by Lief Enger

One of my lifetime favorite is told through the eyes of an eleven year old boy. The novel doesn’t cover a long span of time, mostly just a year.

Rueben is the eleven year old, Swede, his younger sister, and Davy their older brother. They live with their father out west, growing up in a modest

Circumstances dictate a quest to the west, search for answers to a reality that doesn’t add up.

Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne

Phineas Fogg is a man of precise ritual. All his days look the same until he makes a bet that he can circumnavigate the globe in 80 days. In the 1800s, travel by ship and steam engine and even elephant is fraught with disaster and delays.

Are he and his trusty valet up to the challenge? Can they escape the dangers and beat the clock?

July 2, 2022 by Beth | 0 comments

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12 More Books Like The Hiding Place

Corrie ten Boom lived with her father and sister in Holland during the German occupation of World War II.

The ten Boom family took their Christian faith seriously. They believed the Jews were God’s chosen people and risked their lives to protect them.

They continued to trust God in spite of horrific circumstances and they saw His hand at work.

The account of Corrie ten Boom and her family hiding Jews in their home inspires us to be courageous and faithful.

When we look for more books like The Hiding Place there’s several elements that are compelling.

There’s the drama of World War II on the world stage, there’s the heroic decisions that the ten Booms made and there’s the inspiration we draw from the way Corrie and her family chose to live their lives.

My top six picks include:

We Were the Lucky Ones
Man’s Search for Meaning

Unbroken
Endurance
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus

This Beautiful Truth

(Note: Pictures of book covers are Amazon affiliate links. Clicking through and purchasing will earn commissions for this site.)

Ordinary Heroes of WWII

The advent of World War II and the fight against evil globally gave rise to heroes that still inspire us. As the generation that faced those horrors have almost completely left the planet, their courage, ingenuity and perseverance remain to inspire us to face the giants in our place in history.

Anne Frank: the Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

A Jewish teenager hides with her family and family friends during the German occupation of the Netherlands. She starts journaling as a record of her life and thoughts during the two years of their self-imposed captivity.

She has an incredible ability to articulate her inner life as well as tell the story of the unusual circumstances they are living. Clinging to hope, fighting off boredom and despair, the usual conflicts and alliances that exist between family and friends.

Another fascinating look at how people react to adverse circumstances. Not just an academic study, though, because Anne is such a human relatable heroine.

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter

“Inspired by the incredible true story of one Jewish family separated at the start of World War II, determined to survive—and to reunite—We Were the Lucky Ones is a tribute to the triumph of hope and love against all odds.” —Amazon

The Kurcs were from Radom, Poland, but in the course of the war, three generations are spread throughout Europe and beyond, fleeing the German regime.

I am in awe of this story. It is a light in a dark time and highlights the triumph of love, family and the will to survive.

Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy

Thousands of women worked on breaking codes during WWII. The government began by recruiting and training at women’s colleges, sending secret letters to students in the fall of their senior year.

Then they started recruiting teachers.

The work took special skills, and they didn’t always know what they were.

Intercepting and understanding enemy communication proved to be the critical strategy for the allies to win the war.

Thousands of American women working secretly to break enemy codes turned the tide.

This is the untold story of those women.

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Viktor Frankl was a prisoner in a concentration camp in Germany. As a psychiartrist, he analyzed the fellow prisoners, the ones who had given up hope and died and the ones who had the will to live.

He concluded that everyone needs to find their own reason for being on the planet: their life’s work.

Focusing his thoughts on finishing his book and seeing his wife again sustained him during the horrific experience of the concentration camp.

True Survival Stories

What does it take to be a survivor? Courage? Faith? A strong sense of purpose? Fate, destiny, Providence?

Certainly, the puzzle pieces of sovereignty come into play. But, an even more curious study is the decisions we make, the attitudes we adopt and the beliefs we cling to while facing adversity.

Through the miracle of story we can borrow the courage of survivors and spend it in the midst of our own adversities.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Unbroken tells the story of Louis Zamperini, Olympic runner and World War II soldier.

Louis Zamperini was a fast runner, but running was only the beginning.

The perseverance and resilience Zamperini displayed in the face the multiple titanic challenges is an inspiration.

Knowing his background and family intensifies the story.

The final resolution is satisfying and heart warming.

Aside from the story, the writing is a work of art.

Find more books like Unbroken here.

Endurance by Alfred Lansing

Earnest Shackleton was the captain of a ship headed for an exploratory trip to the South Pole. The mission didn’t go as planned and the ship was trapped in ice.

Shackleton had some tough decisions to make as a leader of his crew. Lives were at stake. Survival became the new mission.

I loved this real life study of leadership and teamwork as was fascinated to watch it play out.

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

Tracing the journey of the the captain and crew of the the whaling ship, Essex, the author employs extensive research of the mostly Quaker community on Nantucket, to whaling in the 1700s and background on the 20 men aboard the Essex.

Interesting from a leadership and psychological standpoint, it chronicles the different choices man makes in his most desperate hours

The journey was supposed to take 2 to 3 years, so the community wasn’t alarmed but they didn’t know the turn of events that faced the captain during his first command and a partially green crew.

The writing style moved the story along even while providing informative comparisons to others in similar situations. Another interesting tie in was the influence this journey had on Herman Melville as an inspiration to write Moby Dick.

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

In 1996, eight mountain climbers lost their lives while attempting to summit Everest. Jon Krakauer is a journalist and climber who survived and wrote about it.

To me, one of the most interesting dynamics is the role of leadership and teamwork in summiting as well as personal, individual responsibility.

One of the critical factors in the deaths of those on the mountain in 1996 was the enforcement of the turn around time.

Hall, the team leader, had been so strict about that for other teams, but with this one, he wasn’t. He didn’t communicate clearly whether the turn around time was one o clock or two clock. On the actual summit day, people were summiting at 4 and 5 o clock.

No one seemed to know that there was a storm blowing in.

There’s a lot of competing forces at play: people who spent a lot of money to summit, the commercialization of summiting, magazines that would pay a lot for the story, advertisers looking for heroes.

There’s also different teams that were summiting and the different philosophies of the team leaders.

Should a leader be making decisions that are unquestioned? Does that actually put his team at greater risk because they don’t follow their own wisdom? Actually, the genius of Hall’s leadership was to make the decisions ahead of time, not in the heat of the moment. And the actual breakdown came in not following through with those wise decisions.

The safety net wasn’t there when it needed to be.

The bottom line is, it impossible to erase all the risk. That’s one factor that makes the challenge so attractive: there is an element of risk involved. Defying death is part of the victory.

Inspiring Life Stories

I read that a mark of a great work is a likable and reliable narrator. When you write your own story, you are the narrator as well as the main character.

It’s rare and valuable to examine your own life with objectivity. Few people see themselves clearly.

A truly authentic and transparent accounting of a life story demonstrates incredible bravery.

Although the circumstances of their lives might be unusual, the ability to articulate them with honesty is the true rarity.

This Beautiful Truth Sarah Clarkson

I was first drawn to This Beautiful Truth by curiosity to read an insider’s look at OCD. I knew Sarah would write beautifully and articulately and she did. Not only with beauty, but with transparency and insight.

I did come to a better understanding of OCD. I’m still curious about root causes. Maybe that’s a mystery we’ll never solve.

The most poignant reflection was her thoughts that she was too broken to ever be a wife and mother. I think everyone can relate to that.

We understand ourselves better by getting to know people who know themselves well. Sarah opens the door.

Educated by Tara Westover

I found myself thinking about this book long after I finished it.

“Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her “head-for-the-hills bag”. In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged in her father’s junkyard.”– from Amazon

How do you earn a doctorate if you haven’t attended school before age 17?

This question drives the book, but there’s so much more: mental illness, brainwashing, belief systems accepted and rejected, family dynamics, isolationism and, mostly, confronting your history honestly without bitterness.

There’s a few heroes I love in this narrative, in addition to Tara herself who confronts her own story with transparency and courage. She dares to travel the road not taken.

Since I’ve read it, it continues to intrigue, fascinate and haunt me (in a good way).

Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller

Blue Like Jazz is reminiscent of an Anne Lamott memoir. They’re both off the charts in honesty, transparency and authenticity. We identify with those inner insecurities that we can’t even admit to ourselves, much less to others, committing them to black and white and hurling them to the world.

I’ve read Donald Miller’s memoir several times. I have also read Scary Close, which is somewhat of a sequel, but it doesn’t have the same punch as Blue Like Jazz. Growing up fatherless is an underlying theme of Blue Like Jazz. By the time Scary Close was written, Miller has resolved many of his emotional issues and experienced a lot of healing. So, it’s not driven by the same pain.

I believe writing in itself is therapeutic. As is sharing your story. I heard Miller recently talk about the desire people have to be heard and seen and known. He’s been there, done that and now has no more need to be seen and heard and known. He’s heading a successful company now called StoryBrand that helps businesses tell their story.

Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi

In 2017 I wrote 55 book reviews for my blog. The best book I read that year was Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi. I heard him speak at my daughter’s graduation from Biola University in December of 2016. At that time he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer, which took his life in September of 2017.

If you don’t know much about him, here’s an overview of Nabeel’s life and impact.

I loved the account of the raw, treacherous journey that Nabeel Qureshi took to find faith in Jesus. The sacrifices he made, the intellectual, emotional and relational barriers that kept him from finding faith in Jesus and the story of overcoming those barriers.

Statistics are one thing. One person’s story is something else altogether. What difference can one person’s story make?

Why do we need to know Nabeel’s story? There are millions of devout Muslims on the planet. If we understand Nabeel’s story, we come closer to understanding the Muslim mindset.

Understanding opens the door to greater compassion. We share the same humanity. Our desires and dreams are common to the human experience.

If you’re interested in more compelling biographies or Christian apologetics, read my post Books Like Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus.

January 8, 2022 by Beth | 1 Comment

Purple Crayon

5 Books About Humanity’s Greatest Rescue

It’s easy to get callused by the needs of the world. We are overwhelmed by need and we become immune.

That’s why a deep dive into a book beats an internet post or news article.

These five books highlight the need, in full color, but they also shine a light on the answer to humanity’s greatest need.

They explore the divine economy, which doesn’t work like ours. It often doesn’t feel fair. It often feels upside down.

These books will rock your world and grip your heart and challenge your assumptions. Let them.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, a percentage of your purchase will support this site.

Something Needs to Change

by David Platt

After listening to Annie F Down’s interview with David Platt on her podcast about his book I knew I needed to read it.

Platt traced his one week trek through the Himalayas and the impact it had on him to see such a dark place first hand.

He recorded in his journal the people he met, the scripture he read on the trip and his thoughts and emotions in response.

He witnessed human trafficking, extreme persecution of believers, children in isolated mountain villages without the most basic education and scores of people who had no knowledge of Jesus.

Platt was overwhelmed by a first hand experience with a dark corner of the world in desperate need, spiritually as well as physically. He eloquently invites believers into his pain as the first step to impacting the world.

The Insanity of God

by Nik Ripken with Gregg Lewis

Nik and Ruth Ripken (not their real names) left Kentucky and moved with their family to Somlia to serve God. They encountered a shocking world of spiritual warfare and the persecution of Christians.

Nik Ripken pulls back the curtain to this world.

Believers who are imprisoned and tortured and martyred for their faith. Those who sing to Jesus and can’t resist sharing him with others, no matter the price.

Human life is not valued. Women and children are not valued. Freedoms and dignity are not valued. All stemming from a world view so foreign it is difficult even to conceive.

They have since interviewed 600 believers in 60 countries to give voice to their stories.

These are their stories and Nik Ripken and Gregg Lewis share them so well.

The Heavenly Man

by Brother Yun and Paul Hattaway

Brother Yun’s story highlights the incredible religious persecution of Christians in China.

The verses of scripture they cling to are not the same ones that are familiar to us because they live a different reality.

It’s good to have that world opened up to us and to spend some time thinking about it.

Christians throughout history have been imprisoned and tortured and persecuted and martyred for their faith. The fact that it’s still happening today often doesn’t impact us.

Bruchko

by Bruce Olson

Nineteen year old Bruce Olson left the United States to bring the gospel to a stone age tribe of Indians in Columbia.

He learned their language and fully integrated into their culture. The contrast between their way of life and his upbringing in Minnesota is stark.

He paints such a vivid picture you can almost feel the creepy crawlies. At great personal sacrifice, he accomplished his mission.

Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus

by Nabeel Qureshi

This is the raw, treacherous journey that Nabeel Qureshi took to find faith in Jesus including the sacrifices he made, the intellectual, emotional and relational barriers that kept him from finding faith in Jesus and the story of overcoming those barriers.

Why do we need to know Nabeel’s story?

There are millions of devout Muslims on the planet. If we understand his story, we come closer to understanding them.

To understand the Muslim mindset opens the door to greater compassion, to a better chance of building bridges to individuals who are seeking.

Statistics are one thing.

One person’s story is something else altogether. What difference can one person’s story make?

We are faced with the same choices as Nabeel Qureshi. Are we going to accept what we were taught growing up? Or are we going to search for something else?

These are the questions that individuals from every devout family faces. These are the issues that we wrestle with. These are the answers that we must find. This is the peace that we must come to.

Irregardless of the belief system we choose, the struggle is universal. It’s the dragon we all must fight.