Recommendations based on J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biographyby Humphrey Carpenter

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy

    by Brian Sibley
    A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the epic movie trilogy, including interviews with cast and crew and stunning photographs.

    The official inside story on the making of the award-winning movie trilogy The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy is a lavishly illustrated, behind-the-scenes, definitive account of ... (Goodreads)

  2. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

    by Stephen King
    A series of personal reflections on the art of writing, and the power of story-telling.

    "Long live the King" hailed Entertainment Weekly upon the publication of Stephen King's On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is ... (Goodreads)

  3. The Elements of Style

    by William Strunk Jr.
    A practical guide to written English, providing guidance on grammar and style.

    This style manual offers practical advice on improving writing skills. Throughout, the emphasis is on promoting a plain English style. This little book can help you communicate more effectively by ... (Goodreads)

  4. Confessions

    by Augustine of Hippo
    A spiritual autobiography tracing Augustine's journey from youthful excess to Christian faith.

    Augustine's Confessions is one of the most influential and most innovative works of Latin literature. Written in the author's early forties in the last years of the fourth century A.D. and during his ... (Goodreads)

  5. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

    by Timothy J. Keller
    An exploration of faith and belief, examining the evidence for the Christian faith.

    Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Skeptical , is a prequel to The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism . The End of Faith . The God Delusion . God Is Not Great . Letter to a ... (Goodreads)

  6. The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief

    by Francis S. Collins
    A scientist examines the evidence for faith in God through scientific findings.

    An instant bestseller from Templeton Prize–winning author Francis S. Collins,, The Language of God, provides the best argument for the integration of faith and logic since C.S. Lewis’s, Mere ... (Barnes & Noble)

  7. The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom

    by Corrie ten Boom
    A remarkable testament to faith and courage in the face of unfathomable odds and unspeakable horrors.

    The book begins with the ten Boom family celebrating the 100th anniversary of the family business; they sell and repair watches under the family's elderly father, Casper ten Boom . The business takes ... (Wikipedia)

  8. Knowing God

    by J.I. Packer
    Reflection on the nature of God and the relationship between God and humanity.

    For over 40 years, J. I. Packer's classic has been an important tool to help Christians around the world discover the wonder, the glory and the joy of knowing God. In 2006, Christianity Today voted ... (Goodreads)

  9. Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest

    by Stephen E. Ambrose
    An epic narrative of the American soldiers of Easy Company during World War II.

    As good a rifle company as any, Easy Company, 506th Airborne Division, US Army, kept getting tough assignments–responsible for everything from parachuting into France early DDay morning to the ... (Goodreads)

  10. The Gnostic Gospels

    by Elaine Pagels
    An exploration of the ancient texts of the Gnostic tradition, revealing the hidden depths of early Christianity.

    The Gnostic Gospels is a landmark study of the long-buried roots of Christianity, a work of luminous scholarship and wide popular appeal. First published in 1979 to critical acclaim, winning the ... (Goodreads)

  11. The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness

    by Timothy J. Keller
    An exploration of the power of humility and surrendering one's pride and ego.

    ‘What are the marks of a supernaturally changed heart?’ This is one of the questions the Apostle Paul addresses as he writes to the church in Corinth. He’s not after some superficial outward ... (Goodreads)

  12. Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software

    by Erich Gamma
    A guide to creating effective and efficient software through the principles of object-oriented design.

    Capturing a wealth of experience about the design of object-oriented software, four top-notch designers present a catalog of simple and succinct solutions to commonly occurring design problems. ... (Goodreads)

  13. Shepherding a Child's Heart

    by Tedd Tripp
    A guide to parenting, emphasizing the importance of nurturing a child's heart and leading with wisdom.

    Shepherding a Child's Heart is about how to speak to the heart of your child. The things your child does and says flow from the heart. Luke 6:45 puts it this way: "...out of the overflow of the heart ... (Goodreads)

  14. The Johnstown Flood

    by David McCullough
    The story of the catastrophic flood that destroyed Johnstown, Pennsylvania in 1889, caused by a poorly maintained dam.

    At the end of the last century, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was a booming coal-and-steel town filled with hardworking families striving for a piece of the nation's burgeoning industrial prosperity. In ... (Goodreads)

  15. The Consolation of Philosophy

    by Boethius
    A philosophical journey of self-reflection, exploring the true nature of happiness and existential purpose.

    Boethius was an eminent public figure under the Gothic emperor Theodoric, and an exceptional Greek scholar. When he became involved in a conspiracy and was imprisoned in Pavia, it was to the Greek ... (Goodreads)

  16. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis

    by J.D. Vance
    An exploration of the struggles of working-class Americans, and the power of family and culture to shape one's life.

    Hillbilly Elegy is a passionate and personal analysis of a culture in crisis—that of white working-class Americans. The disintegration of this group, a process that has been slowly occurring now for ... (Goodreads)

  17. Cleopatra: A Life

    by Stacy Schiff
    Biography of Cleopatra VII, the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt.

    The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world: Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt. Her palace shimmered with onyx, garnets, and gold, but ... (Barnes & Noble)

  18. Heaven

    by Randy Alcorn
    A journey to the afterlife, examining the nature of eternity from a Christian perspective.

    What is Heaven really going to be like? What will we look like? What will we do? Won't Heaven get boring after a while? We all have questions about what Heaven will be like, and after 25 years of ... (Goodreads)

  19. The Beatles Anthology

    by The Beatles
    A comprehensive history of The Beatles, featuring interviews, photos, and behind-the-scenes stories of the band's rise to fame and eventual breakup.

    This extraordinary project has been made possible because Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr have agreed to tell their combined story especially for this book. Together with Yoko Ono ... (Goodreads)

  20. Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?

    by Michael J. Sandel
    Exploration of moral and ethical dilemmas, seeking answers to fundamental questions of justice.

    "For Michael Sandel, justice is not a spectator sport," The Nation 's reviewer of Justice remarked. In his acclaimed book—based on his legendary Harvard course—Sandel offers a rare education in ... (Barnes & Noble)

  21. Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist

    by John Piper
    Examination of the joys of Christian hedonism, finding pleasure in doing God's will.

    Scripture reveals that the great business of life is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. In this paradigm-shattering classic, newly revised and expanded, John Piper reveals that the debate ... (Goodreads)

  22. Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin

    by Timothy Snyder
    History of the mass extermination of civilians in Central and Eastern Europe during WWII.

    Americans call the Second World War “The Good War.” But before it even began, America’s wartime ally Josef Stalin had killed millions of his own citizens—and kept killing them during and after the ... (Goodreads)

  23. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies

    by Jared Diamond
    Tracing the origins of human civilizations through the lens of geography, technology, and biology.

    "Diamond has written a book of remarkable scope ... one of the most important and readable works on the human past published in recent years." Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and a national bestseller: ... (Goodreads)

  24. How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading

    by Mortimer J. Adler
    Comprehensive guide to achieving fluency and understanding in the art of reading.

    How to Read a Book, originally published in 1940, has become a rare phenomenon, a living classic. It is the best and most successful guide to reading comprehension for the general reader. And now it ... (Goodreads)

  25. The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming

    by Henri J.M. Nouwen
    Exploration of the parable of the prodigal son and its application to modern life.

    A chance encounter with a reproduction of Rembrandt's painting, The Return of the Prodigal Son, catapulted Henri Nouwen into a long spiritual adventure. In his highly-acclaimed book of the same ... (Goodreads)

  26. The Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times

    by Jennifer Worth
    A midwife's story of bringing life into the world and the joys and struggles of living in poverty-stricken East London.

    At the age of twenty-two, Jennifer Worth leaves her comfortable home to move into a convent and become a midwife in post war London's East End slums. The colorful characters she meets while ... (Goodreads)

  27. The Histories

    by Herodotus
    Exploration into the rise and fall of empires in the ancient world.

    One of the masterpieces of classical literature, the "Histories" describes how a small and quarrelsome band of Greek city states united to repel the might of the Persian empire. But while this epic ... (Goodreads)

  28. Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War

    by Mark Bowden
    A detailed account of the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, where US soldiers fought Somali militia in a brutal urban warfare.

    On October 3, 1993, about a hundred U.S. soldiers were dropped by helicopter into a teeming market in the heart of Mogadishu, Somalia, to abduct two top lieutenants of a Somali warlord. The action ... (Goodreads)

  29. All Creatures Great and Small

    by James Herriot
    A charming tale of a veterinarian and his animal patients in the Yorkshire Dales.

    The classic multimillion copy bestseller Delve into the magical, unforgettable world of James Herriot, the world's most beloved veterinarian, and his menagerie of heartwarming, funny, and tragic ... (Goodreads)