--- title: Summer Reading with Melissa Kruger canonical: "https://wordfirst.org/podcasts/gospelbound/summer-reading-melissa-kruger/" pubDate: "2025-06-17T00:04:09.000Z" updatedDate: "2025-06-12T01:58:16.000Z" description: Collin Hansen and Melissa Kruger share why reading still matters in a digital age and offer dozens of book recommendations for summer. categories: [Gospelbound] --- Summer is a time for reading. Work slows down a bit, at least for some. I’m not traveling as much to speak and teach. School’s out. I spend more time at the lake. In fact, I’ve probably spent more time reading on a couch next to a lake than any other place. I’ve read everything from history to fiction to theology on that couch—it helps put my mind in the right place to relax then concentrate. One of my favorite guests is back on *Gospelbound* to talk about summer reading as we close out the spring 2025 season. Melissa Kruger is the vice president for discipleship programming at The Gospel Coalition and cohost of the hit new podcast [*The Deep Dish*](https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/podcasts/deep-dish/). We talked about why we love reading and why reading still matters with social media and AI. And we offered dozens of book recommendations in many different genres. --- ### Summer Reading Recommendations **Collin’s Summer Reading List** - [*Godric*](https://www.amazon.com/Godric-Novel-Frederick-Buechner/dp/0060611626/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Frederick Buechner - [*The Fate of the Day*](https://www.amazon.com/Fate-Day-Ticonderoga-Charleston-1777-1780/dp/0593799186/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Rick Atkinson - [*The Space Trilogy*](https://www.amazon.com/Trilogy-Perelandra-Hideous-Strength-Paperback/dp/B00ZAT776G/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by C. S. Lewis **Melissa’s Summer Reading List** - [*Homecoming*](https://www.amazon.com/Homecoming-Historical-Mystery-Kate-Morton/dp/0063020904/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Kate Morton - [*The Lord’s Work in the Lord’s Way and No Little People*](https://www.amazon.com/Lords-Little-People-Crossway-Classics/dp/1433571587/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Francis A. Schaeffer - [*The Expulsive Power of a New Affection*](https://www.amazon.com/Expulsive-Power-Affection-Crossway-Classics/dp/143357067X?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Thomas Chalmers **History: Biographies** Melissa: - [*A Chance to Die*](https://www.amazon.com/Chance-Die-Life-Legacy-Carmichael/dp/0800730895/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Elisabeth Elliot - [*Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret*](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802456588/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Dr. Howard Taylor and Geraldine Taylor - [*Evidence Not Seen*](https://www.amazon.com/Evidence-Not-Seen-Miraculous-Jungles/dp/0060670207/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Darlene Deibler Rose - [*The Watchmaker’s Daughter*](https://www.amazon.com/Watchmakers-Daughter-Story-Heroine-Corrie/dp/0063234580?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Larry Loftis Collin: - [*Luther*](https://www.amazon.com/Luther-Man-Between-God-Devil/dp/0300103131?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Heiko A. Oberman - [*Here I Stand*](https://www.amazon.com/Here-Stand-Life-Martin-Luther/dp/1426754434/ref?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Roland H. Bainton - [*Jonathan Edwards*](https://www.amazon.com/Jonathan-Edwards-George-M-Marsden/dp/0300096933/ref?tag=thegospcoal-20) by George M. Marsden - [*Augustine of Hippo*](https://www.amazon.com/Augustine-Hippo-Biography-Peter-Brown/dp/0520280415/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Peter Brown - [*Churchill*](https://www.amazon.com/Churchill-Walking-Destiny-Andrew-Roberts/dp/1101980990?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Andrew Roberts **Fiction** Melissa: - [*Hannah Coulter*](https://www.amazon.com/Hannah-Coulter-Wendell-Berry/dp/1593760787?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Wendell Berry - [*Theo of Golden*](https://www.amazon.com/Theo-Golden-Allen-Levi/dp/B0CFK77BVV?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Allen Levi Collin: - [*Life and Fate*](https://www.amazon.com/Life-Fate-Review-Books-Classics/dp/1590172019?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Vasily Grossman - [*A Tale of Two Cities*](https://www.amazon.com/Tale-Two-Cities-Penguin-Classics/dp/0141439602?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Charles Dickens **Historical Nonfiction** Melissa: - [*The Devil in the White City*](https://www.amazon.com/Devil-White-City-Madness-Changed/dp/0375725601?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Erik Larson - [*In the Garden of Beasts*](https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Beasts-Terror-American-Hitlers/dp/030740885X?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Erik Larson - [*The Woman Who Smashed Codes*](https://www.amazon.com/Woman-Who-Smashed-Codes-Outwitted/dp/0062430483?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Jason Fagone Collin: - [*With the Old Breed*](https://www.amazon.com/Old-Breed-At-Peleliu-Okinawa/dp/0891419063/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by E. B. Sledge - [*Remaking the World*](https://www.amazon.com/Remaking-World-1776-Created-Post-Christian/dp/1433580535?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Andrew Wilson **Nonfiction** Melissa: - [*Outliers*](https://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017930?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Malcolm Gladwell - [*The Tipping Point*](https://www.amazon.com/Tipping-Point-Little-Things-Difference/dp/0316346624/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Malcolm Gladwell - [*David and Goliath*](https://www.amazon.com/David-Goliath-Underdogs-Misfits-Battling/dp/0316204374?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Malcolm Gladwell Collin: - [*The Righteous Mind*](https://www.amazon.com/Righteous-Mind-Divided-Politics-Religion/dp/0307455777?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Jonathan Haidt - [*How to Reach the West Again*](https://www.amazon.com/How-Reach-West-Again-Missionary/dp/0578633752?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Timothy Keller - [*Making Sense of God*](https://www.amazon.com/Making-Sense-God-Invitation-Skeptical/dp/0525954155?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Timothy Keller **Challenging Reads** Melissa: - [*Anna Karenina*](https://www.amazon.com/Anna-Karenina-Penguin-Classics-Tolstoy/dp/0140449175/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Leo Tolstoy Collin: - [*The Brothers Karamazov*](https://www.amazon.com/Brothers-Karamazov-Fyodor-Dostoevsky/dp/0374528373?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Fyodor Dostoevsky **Spiritual Growth** Melissa: - [*The Art of Divine Contentment*](https://www.amazon.com/Art-Divine-Contentment-Thomas-Watson/dp/1573581135?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Thomas Watson - [*Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices*](https://www.amazon.com/Precious-Remedies-Against-Satans-Devices/dp/1800401671/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Thomas Brooks Collin: - [*God’s Big Picture*](https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Big-Picture-Tracing-Storyline/dp/0830853642?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Vaughan Roberts - [*Letters of John Newton*](https://www.amazon.com/Letters-John-Newton/dp/0851511201?tag=thegospcoal-20) **Easy Beach Reads** Melissa: - [*The Traitor’s Wife*](https://www.amazon.com/Traitors-Wife-Novel-Allison-Pataki/dp/1476738602?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Allison Pataki - [*The Women*](https://www.amazon.com/Women-Novel-Kristin-Hannah/dp/1250178630?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Kristin Hannah - [*Theo of Golden*](https://www.amazon.com/Theo-Golden-Allen-Levi/dp/B0CFK77BVV?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Allen Levi Collin: - [*From Eden to Egypt*](https://www.amazon.com/Eden-Egypt-Guided-Tour-Genesis/dp/0310159725?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Alex Duke - [*How to Know a Person*](https://www.amazon.com/How-Know-Person-Seeing-Others/dp/059323006X?tag=thegospcoal-20) by David Brooks - [*Revenge of the Tipping Point*](https://www.amazon.com/Revenge-Tipping-Point-Overstories-Superspreaders/dp/0316575801?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Malcolm Gladwell **Also Mentioned** - [*“B” Is for Betsy*](https://www.amazon.com/B-Betsy-Paperback/dp/015205099X?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Carolyn Haywood - [*Green Eggs and Ham*](https://www.amazon.com/Green-Eggs-Ham-Dr-Seuss/dp/0394800168/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Dr. Seuss - [Shel Silverstein poems](https://www.amazon.com/Books-Shel-Silverstein/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AShel%2BSilverstein) - [*Papa’s Daughter*](https://www.amazon.com/Papas-Daughter-Thyra-Ferre-Bjorn/dp/B000JJTLAC/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Thyra Ferre Bjorn - [*Remarkably Bright Creatures*](https://www.amazon.com/Remarkably-Bright-Creatures-Shelby-Pelt/dp/0063204169/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Shelby Van Pelt - [*No Easy Day*](https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Day-Mark-Owen-2012-09-06/dp/B01K920UM6/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Mark Owen - [*The Wide Wide Sea*](https://www.amazon.com/Wide-Sea-Imperial-Ambition-Contact/dp/0525565701/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Hampton Sides - [*The Mysterious Benedict Society*](https://www.amazon.com/Mysterious-Benedict-Society-Paperback-Boxed/dp/0316460966/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Trenton Lee Stewart - [*Percy Jackson and the Olympians*](https://www.amazon.com/Percy-Jackson-Olympians-Lightning-Thief/dp/1368051472/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Rick Riordan - [*Robinson Crusoe*](https://www.amazon.com/Robinson-Crusoe-Daniel-Defoe/dp/150329238X?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Daniel Defoe - [*The Hobbit* and *The Lord of the Rings*](https://www.amazon.com/Hobbit-Lord-Rings-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0547928181/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by J. R. R. Tolkien - [*Kristin Lavransdatter*](https://www.amazon.com/Kristin-Lavransdatter-Penguin-Classics-Deluxe/dp/0143039164/?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Sigrid Undset - [*Oliver Twist*](https://www.amazon.com/Oliver-Twist-Charles-Dickens/dp/0812580036?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Charles Dickens - [*The Hiding Place*](https://www.amazon.com/Hiding-Place-Corrie-Ten-Boom/dp/0800794052?tag=thegospcoal-20) by Corrie Ten Boom, Elizabeth Sherrill, and John Sherrill