Your List of Absolute Must Reads for a Young Man

My teen boys (even the one who doesn’t like to read as much) all really enjoyed these books:

• The Hiding Place
• Mover of Men and Mountains
• Animal Farm
• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
• The Prisoner of Zenda
• Men of Iron
• Shane

They aren’t all super moral, but they were the most enjoyable books. If I had to add one theology book, I would suggest Seeking and Finding God by Dave Hunt.

If fiction is acceptable, look into the historical fiction of the late British writer Rosemary Sutcliff. Her books are the best historical fiction I’ve ever read, just as appealing and rich to me as an adult as they were to my kids as middle/high school students. Full disclosure: I have only daughters, so I haven’t raised a son to “test” these on. But the majority of the characters in Sutcliff’s books are boys and men, so if that’s a concern in appealing to your son, it’s covered. Most of her books take place in Roman-era Britain or the middle ages and they feature several of the values you list, as well as having very intelligent and realistic emotional depth. Probably her best-known novel is Eagle of the Ninth, which is part of a trilogy, but I have loved every single one I’ve read. The lesser-known books can be a bit tricky to find, but the search is worth it. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Bob Schultz books: Created for Work, Boyhood and Beyond, and Practical Happiness.  While these are great for young men to read on their own, I read them out loud to the whole family, one chapter per week.