Tis the season . . . for the Bookshelf Top 20, featuring new books, favourite books, reading suggestions and gift-giving ideas. Popularity does not make a book good, but books that others have found worthwhile can be a good recommendation.
In its 15th year, the Bookshelf Top 20 reflects book sales through Adventist bookshops in Australia and New Zealand since January 1 this year. The original Food As Medicine becomes the longest-running book on this annual list, but this year it is the support act to the new cookbook by Dr Sue Radd, which debuts at number one.
This is your chance to discover your next great read—or recipe idea—and perhaps to win one of the books on this list (see the details below).
1. Food As Medicine: Cooking to Prevent and Treat Diabetes
Launched earlier this year, Food As Medicine–Diabetes is the first in a planned series of cookbooks that extend the vision and the food philosophy of Food As Medicine applied to specific health conditions and diseases. As the fastest-growing chronic disease in Australia and worldwide, diabetes was a logical place to start and Dr Sue Radd brings the best of nutrition science to explaining and responding to this disease, and the best of her plant-based cooking to 50 recipes highlighting ingredients with specific health-promoting properties. And the launch of this new cookbook has been a platform for Dr Radd to share her insights for health on TV, radio and magazine pages around Australia over the past couple of months.
2. As Bright as the Stars: Dauntless Disciples of the Reformation
Not so much a sequel as more stories in a similar style to Sukeshinie Goonatileke’s still-popular Sisters in Arms (see number 4), As Bright as the Stars shares four stories of discipleship amid the Reformation in different European nations. The stories highlight the relationships between key historical characters, how they shared faith and mentored younger or newer converts, and how this discipleship and support allowed the characters to stand up for their beliefs and, in turn, share them with others.
In his first book—One Miracle After Another—Pastor Pavel Goia shared stories of faith and answered prayer from his early life growing up in Communist Romania. In the Spirit and Power collects more of these remarkable stories and experiences, sharing them in ways that inspire and challenge our own lives and faith.
4. Sisters in Arms: Courageous Women of the Reformation
A former number one on the Top 20, Sisters in Arms makes the list for the fourth year in a row—and it has now been published in Spanish by the Adventist publishing house in Argentina. These eight stories feature mostly lesser-known historical characters reminding us that history is not only in the headlines but in the ordinary faithful lives of all of us who choose to follow God.
5. The Table I Long For: Learning to Participate in the Mission and Family of God
Another former Top 20 number one, The Table I Long For continues to connect with readers around the world. Pastor Shawn Brace tells the story of shutting down the church he pastored in Bangore, Maine, for the purpose of re-launching it with a greater focus on the community it was seeking to serve. Along the way, he shares good stories, engaging conversations and questions about the nature of this community called “church.”
6. Understanding the Sanctuary
The first of two books on this year’s Top 20 from veteran evangelist Pastor Mark Finley, Understanding the Sanctuary is a step-by-step exploration of the Bible’s descriptions of the sanctuary. More than a series of ancient symbols, this is a study of some of the Bible’s biggest themes, including sin, salvation and the Saviour all of this pointed towards.
When Far Away From Home was released in early 2020, it missed the opportunities to be featured and camp-meetings and other events, because they did not happen that year. So, in the past year, this book has been featured in a number of Book Hours and similar promotions, connecting more readers with this story. As Joe Kavur explains at the opening of his book, “This is my family’s story, but it is also God’s story—the story of how God took care of us through His providence, as we tried to remain faithful to Him no matter the cost.”
8. The Green Dress: And Other Parables From My Life
Dr Danijela Schubert is an experienced academic and church leader, who has overcome many challenges in her own life and served in a number of places around the world. The Green Dress is collection of short stories and reflections that appear simple but have a depth and cumulative effect that is quite remarkable. Presented with reflection questions and simple, colourable illustrations, this is a devotional book with a difference.
9. Isabel and the Lunch Box Bully
Isabel and the Lunch Box Bully is based on author Simone Field’s more than 20 years of teaching experience, her faith and the school community in which she works—as evidenced by the support of her fellow teachers who dressed as characters from her book as part of the school’s Book Week celebrations this year. This is a value-based story for primary school-aged children, in which faith makes sense as a way of meeting the challenges that are part of many young people’s lives.
10. Understanding Daniel and Revelation
In this “era of uncertainty,” Pastor Mark Finley directs readers back to the Bible’s prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation as a guide to faith and faithfulness. Working through these two books chapter-by-chapter, Pastor Finley delves into their meaning for today and what they reveal about the God who has a plan for our world and for each one of us.
11. Sabbath Gift: Discover the Gift of Rest for a Healthier and Happier Life
Sabbath Gift was published late last year as a small book to share with family, friends and neighbours, as part of the “Sabbath Gift” initiative promoted by the church last year. Author Dr Bruce Manners initially explores the wellbeing benefits of Sabbath-keeping, inviting readers to experiment with this spiritual practice, then looks at the biblical foundations of Sabbath itself. After the large initial orders delivered to churches last year, this little book has continued to sell through Adventist bookshops across this year.
12. Food As Medicine: Cooking for Your Best Health
Since its launch in 2016, Food As Medicine has only missed one year on the Bookshelf Top 20 and the release of Food As Medicine-Diabetes has brought additional interest in the original book again this year. Lookout for an updated and revised edition of this award-winning cookbook in 2025.
13. Jesus, Not Beasts: Reading Revelation for Who Matters Most
When it was suggested that they read through the book of Revelation together, some members of their home group expressed their reluctance, but Dr Daniel Reynaud and Pastor Ian Howie offered to take the lead. Although readily admitting they are not scholars of Revelation, the response from group members encouraged them to turn this shared reading experience into a book. Despite only being released in September, Jesus, Not Beasts has already caught the attention of a good number of readers.
14. Truths to Live By: What Matters for a Life That Matters
Truths to Live By borrows its title from a list of values that author and pastor Jinha Kim had placed on her fridge for her boys. It was expanded into a book for introducing faith to members of the wider community that might not have much of a background in faith, church or the Bible, but nonetheless resonate with many of these values. Drawing on Pastor Kim’s life experiences and the work she has done in planting a church in central Melbourne, this is a different kind of sharing book and has now been printed for a second time.
15. Canoes, Crocodiles and Christ: The Story of Haru Hariva
Dr David McClintock learned the story of this pioneering Papua New Guinean missionary while working with members of Haru Hariva’s family in PNG. Some years later, he wrote the story to be used in Bible classes across the Pacific. As such, this is a story that engages readers of all ages, with historical photos and illustrations.
16. I Will Go . . . To My Family
Signs Publishing partnered with the Trans Pacific Union Mission to launch this book of devotional readings in 2022. It features stories and reflections from church leaders and members from across the South Pacific for a devotional book with a real Pacific-island flavour. A new collection—I Will Go . . . To the Ends of the Earth—is coming soon and will be available early in 2025.
17. Eight at a Time
A children’s picture book about the heavy issues of modern slavery and human trafficking might seem an unlikely project. But Australian children’s author Andrew Dittmer has created just such a book, complete with beautiful illustrations. At its simplest, Eight at a Time is a story about how even the smallest person can make a difference, but for older readers, it can serve as a starting point for deeper conversations and responding as a family to this kind of injustice in our world today.
18. Heart of a Midwife: Stories of Missionary Service in Malawi
Nurse Judy Walker tells the stories of four years of service in a mission hospital in Malawi in the 1980s—and a lifetime of ongoing connection and support to that hospital in the years since.
19. The Hopeful: Hope is on the Way
Created as a support and sharing product to Kyle Portbury’s film that screened in cinemas around Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific in October this year, The Hopeful tells the stories of the key characters in the film, offering the invitation to go deeper into the history that the film portrayed.
20. The Logical Christ Hypothesis: An Answer to Disbelief
The Logical Christ Hypothesis is an ambitious book of apologetics, looking at the arguments for Jesus from history, psychology, mythology and the needs of the world around us. It is shaped by author Gennaro Cozzi’s European education and presented as a series of conversations between the author and his friends.
Visit <AdventistBookCentre.com.au/Top20> to win a book of your choice from the Top 20 list! To enter, simply submit a product review for any book on the Adventist Book Centre webstore. The five reviews deemed most useful for undecided customers will win the entrant a book of their choice from the Top 20 list. Entries close December 17, 2024.
