The most recommended books about Jesus

Who picked these books? Meet our 173 experts.

173 authors created a book list connected to Jesus, and here are their favorite Jesus books.
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Book cover of A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23

Elizabeth Bristol Author Of Mary Me: One Woman’s Incredible Adventure with God

From my list on finding your own adventure with God.

Why am I passionate about this?

Hi, I'm Elizabeth Bristol and I’m just a regular person. For a long time, I ran from God because, well, I didn’t want Him telling me what to do. Then something amazing happened. Mary Me: One Woman’s Incredible Adventure with God describes my journey into this wild new relationship with God through Jesus Christ who helped me break free from the lies I’d believed so I could be the me He created me to be. I found out God’s way cooler than I ever imagined and that He has an adventure for everyone. So, I became passionate about wanting to help others find theirs because no matter where you are with God, there's always more!

Elizabeth's book list on finding your own adventure with God

Elizabeth Bristol Why did Elizabeth love this book?

This is one of my all-time favorite books.

Why?

First, I love sheep. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because I identify with all of Jesus’ examples about those simple creatures.

And I get that I need as much of God's help as they do.

Second, I love the way Keller applies the gospel to his life as (a shepherd) in helpful and practical ways that help readers more fully understand what Jesus meant by what He said.

Just talking about this book makes me want to go back and read it again.

If you’re a dog person, Keller also wrote a similar book called Lessons from a Sheep Dog. That’s a good one, too! (Please don't tell my sheep dog I recommended the sheep book over of the dog book. ☺️)

By W. Phillip Keller,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Travel the Shepherd's path to the green pastures and cool, refreshing waters of Psalm 23. As a shepherd himself, W. Phillip Keller shares his insights into the life and character of sheep--and of the Good Shepherd who loves and cares for them. A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 will give new meaning to the ageless Shepherd Psalm, enriching your trust in and love for the Lord who watches closely over you.

Keller infuses new hope into our relationship with Christ. This timeless classic:

Is perfect as a treasured self-purchase or gift for any occasion Showcases Scripture which has been the…


Book cover of Midnight Pleasures

K.V.T. Author Of There Are Stranger Things

From my list on unconventional horror.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was six years old when I found myself getting up for a drink of water and watching a brutal dismemberment in a Sam Rami classic starring Bruce Cambell. I was transfixed. I saw The Terminator at five, most of Fulcci’s work before I could pee alone and worshiped Craven and Carpenter long before I could appreciate that I was their target audience. Horror is to me what oxygen is to every other mammal on the planet. Without it, I wither and die.

K.V.T.'s book list on unconventional horror

K.V.T. Why did K.V.T. love this book?

Best known for penning the infamous Psycho. Robert Bloch, is perhaps the greatest horror author of the 20th century. He is to short-horror fiction, what Ray Bradbury is to the science-fiction genre. Though he is often overlooked for names such as King, Lovecraft, and Barker, Rober Bloch is the preeminent master of the subtle scare.

By Robert Bloch,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Midnight Pleasures as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A collection of thirteen macabre tales, including "The Spoiled Wife," "The Undead," "Die--Nasty," and "Pranks"


Book cover of Jesus the Therapist

Barry J. Robinson Author Of A Seagull Named Papa

From my list on thinking differently about yourself and the world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have a passion for becoming a better human being and helping others to do the same. I spent 28 years in parish ministry attempting to remind people of the call of Jesus and the needs of the human heart. I left ministry and operated a private practice as a registered psychotherapist for almost 20 years. I am now retired and an author of three books. I'm still working at the task of becoming a better human being and helping others to do the same. The books I have recommended in my book list are all examples of people with similar mindsets.

Barry's book list on thinking differently about yourself and the world

Barry J. Robinson Why did Barry love this book?

Probably the most fascinating study of the person and teachings of Jesus I have ever read because of its profound psychological insight into the person and words of Jesus.

Wolff illustrates through real examples from her own psychotherapeutic practice and Jungian insights why Jesus' counsel to others is as relevant and powerful today as it was 2,000 years ago. A book that assisted me greatly in my own efforts to help others heal.

By Hanna Wolff,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Jesus the Therapist as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Text: English, German (translation)


Book cover of Quarantine

Jonathan Trigell Author Of The Tongues of Men or Angels

From my list on fiction with Jesus as a character.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m the author of five extremely different novels: Boy A (which was made into an award-winning film), Cham, Genus, The Tongues of Men or Angels, and Under Country. They share almost nothing in subject or setting. Ranging from first-century Judaea to a future London. From ski resort workers in France to young offender prisons in Britain. My latest work - Under Country - is about the 1984 Miners’ Strike and its still lingering scars in the North East pit villages. Yet, I suppose, if there were a unifying theme between them, it would be that each, in its own way, is influenced by and fascinated with Christianity.

Jonathan's book list on fiction with Jesus as a character

Jonathan Trigell Why did Jonathan love this book?

Written long before quarantines became so fashionable, Jesus in Jim Crace’s novel is an almost peripheral player, because set during Christ’s forty days in the wilderness six other people share in the inhospitable desert caves, miracles, and hallucinations. Each character has their own troubles and trials; their own battles with demons to resolve; which they hope isolation and fasting will accomplish. And for each, in ingenious ways, it does… I am a big fan of Crace’s style, rhythm, and invention, and this is one of his finest works.

By Jim Crace,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Quarantine as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

With an introduction by Stuart Evers

So this is happiness, she thought. Or this, at least, is what adds up to happiness. The prospect of never running after men and camels any more, of being Miri without shame or hesitation, of letting drop her headscarf for a change so that nothing intervened between her and the sky.

Five travellers venture into the Judean wilderness in search of redemption. Instead, amidst the barren rocks, they are met by a dangerous man, Musa, and fall under his dark influence. As the unforgiving days and bitter nights erode their resolve, it becomes clear…


Book cover of Some Sort of Epic Grandeur: The Life of F.Scott Fitzgerald

Libby Sternberg Author Of Daisy

From my list on the tragedy of F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve loved F. Scott Fitzgerald’s stories ever since I read The Great Gatsby as a teenager. After that, I devoured all of his works, thanks to a membership in one of those book subscription services where you have to send back monthly book selections if you don’t want them. I read almost all his short stories, all his novels, including the unfinished The Last Tycoon, and everything I could find on him and his wife Zelda. When The Great Gatsby entered the public domain a couple years ago, I started daydreaming of how I'd love to revisit the story from a fresh perspective, which led me to penning Daisy.

Libby's book list on the tragedy of F. Scott Fitzgerald

Libby Sternberg Why did Libby love this book?

No look at F. Scott Fitzgerald would be complete without a good biography of his life.

This book does the job, capturing with copious quotes from Fitzgerald and those who knew him the tortured creative life of this golden boy of 1920s literature. What struck me most was how insecure Fitzgerald was about his class status all through his life, how he always felt like the outsider among the rich and famous he came to hobnob with.

It explains a lot about how his most famous protagonist, Jay Gatsby, came to be—in many ways, he’s a stand-in for Fitzgerald himself, a man in search of acceptance who never gives up on the one great love of his life—Daisy in Gatsby’s story, Zelda in Fitzgerald’s.

By Matthew J. Bruccoli,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Some Sort of Epic Grandeur as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The standard work on Fitzgerald, revised, enlarged, and updated; Since its first publication in 1981, Some Sort of Epic Grandeur has stood apart from other biographies of F. Scott Fitzgerald for its thoroughness and volume of information. It is regarded today as the basic work on Fitzgerald and the preeminent source for the study of the novelist. In this second revised edition, Matthew J. Bruccoli provides new evidence discovered since its original edition. This new edition of Some Sort of Epic Grandeur improves, augments, and updates the standard biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald.


Book cover of The Miracle of the Scarlet Thread: Revealing the Power of the Blood of Jesus from Genesis to Revelation

John Pasquet Author Of The Essence: A Guided Journey of Discovery through the Bible

From my list on helping you truly understand the Bible from beginning to end.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m passionate about helping people see the incredible beauty of God’s unfolding plan of redemption and restoration that unfolds in the pages of the Bible. In the Old Testament, this plan is hidden in mystery and symbolism. But then in the New Testament, this great mystery is unveiled in all its glory, and the symbolism emerges from the shadows and steps into the light! For the past 15+ years, it has been my great honor to read the Bible with people for their very first time and help them watch this great mystery unfold. These books do that very same thing!

John's book list on helping you truly understand the Bible from beginning to end

John Pasquet Why did John love this book?

I found it very difficult to put this book down!

The author takes you on a journey of discovery through the Scriptures from beginning to end, focusing on the scarlet thread that runs through the whole story. The book is a very quick read, filled with incredible insights and symbolism that unveils the Bible’s central message in all its beauty.

This is also recommended for anyone, regardless of their knowledge of the Bible.

By Richard Booker,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Miracle of the Scarlet Thread as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Every Story is About Him

A single, scarlet thread runs through the entire Bible, weaving a beautiful garment of salvation from Genesis to Revelation. This thread shows how the Old and New Testament fit together to tell one complete story.

This sacred thread is the blood covenant Jesus made with God for you.

Uncover the miraculous story of Jesus’ sacrifice, as it is powerfully and prophetically woven through the Scriptures beginning with the covenant rituals, Adam and Eve, Abraham, Moses and the prophets.

With three powerful new chapters, this expanded edition of the classic bestseller, The Miracle of the Scarlet…


Book cover of More Than a Carpenter

Stacy A. Padula Author Of The Right Person

From my list on inspiration books with Christian themes.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was elated to be named “Top Inspirational Author of the Year” for 2022 by the International Association of Top Professionals. Inspiration is central to my career as a mentor, life coach, counselor, and author. I have possessed a deep interest in both Christianity and psychology since a young age. I have tied both topics in my own books, as I believe the knowledge I have gained has helped me find the joy, peace, and fulfillment I feel each day. This great sense of fulfillment and purpose is something I hope everyone can find in their lifetime, which motivates me to write about the power of faith in my books. 

Stacy's book list on inspiration books with Christian themes

Stacy A. Padula Why did Stacy love this book?

This book is now added to my short list of favorites. I believe it is a book for everyone. It is full of factual, logical evidence that explains the reasons why Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection are irrefutable. It is well written and not at all pushy. I wish everyone in the world would take the time to read this short book. It will surely inspire and change people's lives for the better!

By Josh McDowell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked More Than a Carpenter as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The inspirational classic, More than a Carpenter, is now updated for a new generation of seekers with a fresh look, revised material, and a new chapter that addresses questions commonly raised today. Former skeptic Josh McDowell is now joined by his son Sean as they examine the evidence about Jesus. Is he really the Lord he claimed to be? How can we know for sure? More than a Carpenter offers arguments for faith from a skeptic turned believer. Since its original publication in 1977, this modern classic has sold over 15 million copies, been translated into dozens of languages, and…


Book cover of Experience

Amitava Kumar Author Of My Beloved Life

From my list on fathers.

Why am I passionate about this?

When the pandemic arrived, I feared that my father, who was then in his late eighties, would certainly die from the coronavirus. What made my anxiety more terrible, I think, was that I was at work on a novel where the father was dying. Then, the vaccine became available, and I was relieved when, living thousands of miles away from my father, I heard the news that my father had been vaccinated. The father in my novel wasn’t so lucky. While my father lived, I began reading what other writers had written about their fathers, particularly their deaths. I’m listing below a few of my favorites.

Amitava's book list on fathers

Amitava Kumar Why did Amitava love this book?

A writer’s book about a writer-father. In this remarkable memoir, Amis pays tribute to Kingsley Martin. The book is truthful about the anxiety of influence and about the collision of ambition, the competitiveness between writers, even when they happen to be father and son.

What made the book touching was Martin Amis’s love and sorrow not only for Kingsley Martin, his biological father but also for his literary father, the novelist Saul Bellow. Bonus: Amis’s probing, ruthless, but always burnished sentences: “The trouble with life (the novelist will feel) is its amorphousness, its ridiculous fluidity. Look at it: thinly plotted, largely themeless, sentimental, and ineluctably trite.”

By Martin Amis,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Experience as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The author traces his life and career, examining his relationship with his father, comic novelist Kingsley Amis, and the changing literary scene in Great Britain and the United States.


Book cover of The Jesus of the Early Christians: A Study in Christian Origins

Robert M. Price Author Of Jesus Christ Superstition

From my list on the historical Jesus.

Why am I passionate about this?

Given my adolescent preoccupation with fundamentalist Christianity and its fixation upon Jesus as one’s “personal savior,” it was important to me, once I discovered that some doubted the historical accuracy of the gospels, to defend them. But the more I did so, the greater my doubts became. I found my former confidence untenable, and was pretty steamed about it, but I retained my fascination with the question!

Robert's book list on the historical Jesus

Robert M. Price Why did Robert love this book?

Historical Jesus scholars could stop wasting time re-inventing the wheel if they were to chew through this masterpiece!  

Wells, whom I knew personally, was for a long time the standard bearer for the controversial theory that Jesus was a completely mythic, fictive character. I used to consider that theory as eccentric nonsense, but this book forced me to see its merits and eventually to espouse it myself!

Wells compares the evolution of the Jesus story to that of the also-nonexistant William Tell. He asks how the NT could assure us that the Roman authorities never punish the innocent if they really believed the (later) Pilate episode?

By George Albert Wells,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Jesus of the Early Christians as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

includes Jesus as teacher and prophet


Book cover of Acts of the Women

Kristi Saare Duarte Author Of The Holy Conspiracy

From my list on the lives of Jesus’s disciples.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been curious about the human being behind the Christ character. Too often, Jesus is referred to as a judgmental bully who will save only His followers and let everyone else burn in hell. If He were divine, wouldn’t He love everyone? On a trip to India, I discovered a book called The Secret Life of Jesus Christ, and my passion was born. I’ve written two novels about Jesus and His disciples based on more than fifty reference books, ancient scrolls, and the most authentic historical scriptures about the era. I hope you enjoy my list of the best alternative fiction about Jesus and His disciples!

Kristi's book list on the lives of Jesus’s disciples

Kristi Saare Duarte Why did Kristi love this book?

Finally, a book about the women of the New Testament! This is one of my favorite novels about Jesus and His disciples. It is beautifully written, and I had several laugh-out-loud moments. I especially loved how the vivid prose brings history to life. It never gets boring or dry.

The dialogue is interlaced with wit and historical facts. As a feminist, I applaud that the women in this novel are no feeble, fragile maidens—they’re in charge! They’re the ones who hide the risen Jesus from the Romans, and then they send the male disciples out across the world to preach the message of love and oneness with God.

I recommend this novel to open-minded readers (like myself) who are interested in non-traditional “what if” stories about Jesus. 

By Patrick W. Andersen,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Acts of the Women as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“Patrick W. Andersen’s thrilling new novel, Acts of the Women, is a celebration of the women of the New Testament. Beautifully written in a humorous tone, the author seamlessly weaves together vivid prose with intelligent but surprising conclusions based on years of biblical studies. His women are wise, courageous leaders who rule the men as the risen Jesus and his disciples spread out across the world: France, India, and beyond. This excellent novel is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the non-traditional stories around Jesus. It is an ode to women and a spiritual gift that should be savored…