The Year's Best Books on Culture

I should qualify this post by saying that not all of these books were published in 2008, although quite a few of them were. These were the eleven books that I found most significant and/or interesting that related in some way to culture. I hope you'll find them as interesting and thought-provoking as I did. (The order listed is simply the order in which I read them.)


Hurt: Inside the World of Today's Teenagers (2004) – Chap Clark

You could almost call this an academic study. This is no lightweight book; Clark has done his research. You may not agree with it, you may not like it, but you can't ignore what he has to say about youth culture, how it got where it is and where it's headed. A must-read for teachers, parents or anyone else who spends time around teens.





The Dangerous Act of Worship (2007) – Mark Labberton

Labberton calls Christians to extend their worship of God beyond the worship service, beyond the walls that separate us from the homeless, the heart-broken, the needy - the people we either can't or don't want to see in our lives. A very bold, convicting book. (This is also the book that really got me into a serious study of culture, so blame Labberton!)





Islam at the Crossroads: Understanding Its Beliefs, History, and Conflicts (2002) - Paul Marshall, Roberta Green and Lela Gilber

Islam: The Religion and the People (2008) - Bernard Lewis, Buntzie Ellis Churchill




I highly recommend both of these books to anyone seeking to understand the Islamic faith and culture.







Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business (1985, 2005 reprint) - Neil Postman

Just How Stupid Are We?: Facing the Truth about the American Voter (2008) - Rick Shenkman



Another two books that could be read together. It doesn't matter that Postman's book was first published over twenty years ago. Neither does it matter that the presidential election is over. Both Postman and Shenkman have plenty to tell us if we're willing to listen.





Healing for a Broken World: Christian Perspectives on Public Policy (2008) - Steve Monsma

This book was responsible for many excellent (and sometimes heated!) discussions in a recent Sunday School class. If you missed the class and enjoy lots of food for thought, pick up Monsma's book.





The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (2008) - Timothy Keller

In the late 1980s, Keller started Redeemer Presbyterian Church in the heart of Manhattan. He's heard every argument from every type of skeptic of Christianity and knows how to answer them. An exceptional book that any Christian interested in culture should read.





Everyday Apocalypse: The Sacred Revealed in Radiohead, The Simpsons and Other Pop Culture Icons (2002) - David Dark

Okay, I don't expect everyone to get as jazzed about this one as I did, but if you're into the arts, you should consider reading it. I know, it's a stretch to think that there are Christian principles in The Simpsons, but read with an open mind. You might be surprised.





Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations (2008) - Alex & Brett Harris

Teenagers (and brothers) Alex and Brett Harris don't believe teens are challenged enough by adults. Even worse, with adult expectations so low, many teens see no reason to rise above those expectations. Alex and Brett are out to change all that. Although the book is written for a young adult audience, adults will want to read it too.





Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Callling (2008) - Andy Crouch

Crouch has tackled a monumental task head-on: analyzing the culture and examining how Christians can make a real difference. An absolute must-read.