my library declaration every few weeks we visit, "pick three books and one outside of the box."

otherwise it's always Roald Dahl and we've read them all at least two times through or the beloved, but never-going-to-be-a-classic, "The Journal of the Frail Child."

so i tell myself the same thing as i created this year's booklist on www.goodreads.com. once again, it speaks my love language - it's a checklist.

some of these books, i'm picking up again.

others were meant to have impacted my 2013, but for some reason, they're staring me in the face this year.

many come recommended from others.

fiction.

biographies.

personal growth.

reading with someone else.

to better my writing.

to teach me about city life or make me a better parent.

The Book Thief, Markus Zusak

Sacred Influence: How God Uses Wives to Shape the Souls of Their Husbands, Gary Thomas

Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl: Wide-Eyed Wonder in God's Spoken World, N.D. Wilson

The Purpose-Driven Life, Rick Warren

Why Cities Matter, Um and Buzzard

A Passion for the Impossible: The Life of Lilias Trotter, Miriam Rockness

Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture, Mary DeMuth

Urban Ministry: The Kingdom, the City and the People of God, Harvie Conn

Father Brown Series, G.K. Chesterton

How Children Raise Parents: The Art of Listening to Your Family, Dan Allender

Who is This Man? The Unpredictable Impact of the Inescapable Jesus by John Ortberg

Just Lead! by Sherry Surratt and Jenni Catron

Anne of Green Gables, LM Montgomery

Parenting with Love and Logic, Cline and Fay

George Washington's Secret Six, Brian Kilmeade

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead,

Brene Brown

I Love You Rituals, Rebecca Bailey

A Praying Life, Paul Miller

Brain Storm: Unleashing Your Creative Self, Don Hahn

Who's Your City? How the Creative Economy Is Making Where to Live the Most Important Decision of Your Life, Richard Florida

Notes from a Blue Bike: The Art of Living Intentionally in a Chaotic World, Tsh Oxenreider

key:

i'm reading it with someone

it's for personal growth

all about parenting/adoption

biographies

writing or creativity

fiction

all about city

it will be quite an impressive year for me to read all 21 books. this will require not feeling guilty for having a book in my hand, say at lunch or on a saturday afternoon while hearing the dryer beep at me again. i'm certain other books will grab my attention at a conference or the bookstore or library or in conversation with you or someone else.

this is my starting point. what's on your bookshelf?