I don’t think it makes sense to pick a “best book I’ve read this year.” I mean, how fair is that? Different authors, different genres, different emotions as you move throughout the year. Can there really be a “best” book?

That said, let me play the hypocrite. I think the best book I may have read this year is Surprised by Oxford, by Carolyn Weber. Some very brief reasoning:

She is just a great writer. I think if she wrote a classified ad, I would enjoy reading it.

It is a story of conversion. I love to hear of the irresistable power of the grace of God.

It is set in Oxford. For those who don’t know, that is in England. Need I say more?

It is a story of the claims of Jesus and the Gospel vs. unbelief. Ever want to learn apologetics but didn’t want to read a boring book on methods? You will learn a tremendous amount on apologetics in this book through a story. And interesting story. A compelling story.

There isn’t anyone I’ve talked to who was sorry they spent time with this volume. Nor were they able to put it down.

Carolyn recently posted an excerpt from the book on her blog concerning “reading the bible, on borrowed pages.” It begins this way:

…St. Mary’s Church, sitting resplendent in her shroud of architectural splendor, caught my eye. Her side door was open. I bet I can find a Bible in there, I reasoned, so I entered objectively.

A sea of pews greeted me, each with a Bible and a hymnal tucked neatly inside every few feet. I could sit anywhere and have my pick, easily within reach.

I thought at first that I could discreetly take one, or rather borrow one, and no one would notice. But then I thought better. Reading from a stolen Bible? Something in that seemed a little coarse, even for a cynic like me. So instead I made my way to one of the back pews and sat down, irreverently crossing my ankles on the genuflecting cushion and resting my coffee on the handy little shelf for the welcome cards. I opened a Bible and began at the beginning, a very good place to start.

Read the whole excerpt. Better yet, buy the book.