10 The Hobbitby J.R.R. Tolkien

In fact, I’ve included this on my teen fiction list, and chances are many of you will be reading this classic well before your 25th birthday. If not, this is an essential work of fiction. Not only is it being made into a movie series, but The Hobbit stands out as an adventure story for history.

9. mother christianityby C. S. Lewis

It seems appropriate to include Lewis and Tolkien side by side on this list, because they were close friends as academics and writers. Mere Christianity is actually a collection based on radio talks Lewis gave in the World War II era. This book is Lewis’s attempt to summarize the basics of the Christian faith, and it is all written for the common man. Lewis has a gift for simplifying the mysteriously complex, and this book is a great introduction to faith.

8. A Grim Mercyby Sheldon Vanauken

This book topped my list of favorite books of 2010. It’s a love story, memoir, and testimony all rolled into one, and Vanauken’s powerful love for his wife will blow your mind. I recommend this book as a beautiful picture of how close a married couple can be, but it is also a powerful testimony to God’s unstoppable pursuit of his children.

7. This momentary marriageby John Piper

Immediately after recommending A Severe Mercy, I think it appropriate to recommend that all young people read John Piper’s version of marriage. Particularly when we’re single, it’s easy to idolize marriage and believe that it’s something ultimate. In this book, Piper praises marriage as a good and pleasant thing, but gently reminds us that Jesus taught that marriage will not exist in heaven. In the wake of that reality, Piper teaches us how to view marriage in a healthy way.

6. ender’s gameby Orson Scott Card

This is a fantastic work of science fiction, and I have written extensively about my love for this novel. For more reasons to pick this one up, let me recommend my own article, 10 Reasons to Read Ender’s Game.

5. rich dad poor dadby Robert Kiyosaki

I have read many books on personal finance and investing, but this is the one I recommend all young people read. This book is Kiyosaki’s story of learning to see money as something we can always get, but something we shouldn’t live for. In these pages she will learn to view money from a healthy perspective, but she will also be encouraged to make your money work for you. For those of you who are already entrepreneurially inclined, Rich Dad Poor Dad will light a fire in you, motivating you to find productive ways to use your money.

4. Eveningby Elie Wiesel

You’ve no doubt heard of World War II and the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps, but most young people haven’t wrestled with the wicked realities of what happened within those walls. Wiesel writes as a survivor, and these are his very brief memories of the dark suffering inflicted on him in those camps. You should know in advance that Wiesel is Jewish by heritage but deeply irreligious after the ordeal he went through. So while I don’t affirm the conclusions Wiesel draws as a result of his suffering, I do believe that we should all have an understanding of history that goes beyond the refined version of our textbooks.

3. how to read a bookby Mortimer Adler

Don’t let the title put you off for a great book. Yes, you learned to read years ago, but no, you are not an expert reader. Adler’s goal is to teach you how to read well, how to get the most out of your reading. He teaches how to read a variety of genres, and Adler offers suggestions on how to improve both your comprehension and reading speed. Not least among the strengths of this book is the reading list included at the end. Before you turn 25, you must learn to read better so that the next few decades of reading will be of great benefit to you.

2. meet godby J.I. Packer

This is my favorite book outside of the Bible, and I reread it frequently. Though Packer’s writing is meatier and more difficult than CS Lewis’s, his time is rewarded with an unmatched depth of wisdom. Knowing God’s main thesis is that the gospel can be summed up as God freely choosing to adopt us as his children, and each chapter is devoted to unlocking the power of that gift. Although you won’t read it quickly, it will be worth it.

1. The Bible

Before you turn 25, you must read the entire Bible at least once. No matter your denomination or your current relationship with God, I cannot underestimate the importance of having read the Bible. He cannot adequately understand his faith or adequately assess the arguments for and against Christianity if he is not familiar with God’s Word.