Read by John Piper
What books does John Piper recommend?
The John Piper book recommendations collected here reflect a theologian who founded Desiring God, pastored for 33 years, and built his life around the conviction that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. Nineteen titles are pulled from Desiring God articles, official resources, sermons and book forewords. Philosophy and history dominate, alongside psychology and works of fiction he holds dear. At the center stands Jonathan Edwards, whose Freedom of the Will Piper names as the most influential book on his thought, adding that so far as he knows it has not been shown wrong. Nearby are C.S. Lewis's The Weight of Glory, which he says changed everything the moment he opened it in a Pasadena bookstore in 1968, and J.I. Packer's Knowing God. Piper has also written seven of his own books, including Desiring God and Don't Waste Your Life.
Last updated February 2026 · Every recommendation cited to its original source.
Freedom of the Will
An Inquiry into the Modern Prevailing Notions of Freedom of Will
byJonathan Edwards
2011348 Pages“The most influential book was Freedom of the Will which, so far as I know, has not been shown wrong.”
— John Piper
Source: Desiring God Article
Read by John Piper
A Dissertation Concerning the End for Which God Created the World
A Philosophical and Scriptural Inquiry into the Purpose of Creation
byJonathan Edwards
1765262 Pages(1,200)
“Next to [Freedom of the Will] in shaping my thought would be his Dissertation Concerning the End for Which God Created the World.”
— John Piper
Source: Desiring God Article
Read by John Piper
The Unity of the Bible
Unfolding God's Plan for Humanity
byDaniel P. Fuller
2000512 Pages(107)
“This book has caused many things to fall into place for me.”
— John Piper
Source: Desiring God Article
Read by John Piper
Religious Affections
A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections
byJonathan Edwards
1961382 Pages“The other works I have read in the order of their impact are Religious Affections...”
— John Piper
Source: Desiring God Article
Read by John Piper
A Theology of the New Testament
Revised Edition
byGeorge Eldon Ladd
1993784 Pages(749)
“In understanding the theology unique to the New Testament no one has influenced me more than George Ladd.”
— John Piper
Source: Desiring God Article
Read by John Piper
The Weight of Glory
And Other Addresses
byC.S. Lewis
2001208 Pages(26,237)
“In 1968, in a bookstore on Colorado Avenue in Pasadena, California, I picked up the book The Weight of Glory and opened to that first page and everything changed.”
— John Piper
Source: Desiring God Official Resource
Read by Paul Washer, Craig Groeschel, John Piper and 1 others
Knowing God
null
byJ.I. Packer
1973286 Pages(65,000)
“Get Knowing God. It catapulted many of us from a fledgling love of God's sovereignty into a more full and robust appreciation for the truth of God's invincible grace.”
— John Piper
Source: Official Recommended List
Read by John Piper
A Quest for Godliness
The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life
byJ.I. Packer
1990368 Pages“Get A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life, which is a collection of shorter writings. You don't have to read it straight through.”
— John Piper
Source: Official Recommended List
Read by John Piper
Here I Stand
A Life of Martin Luther
byRoland H. Bainton
1995336 PagesSource: Official Recommended List
The Pilgrim's Progress
From This World, to That Which Is to Come
byJohn Bunyan
2003336 Pages(160,040)
Source: Official Recommended List
Read by John Piper
The Chronicles of Narnia
The Complete Collection
byC.S. Lewis
2001768 Pages(727,100)
Source: Official Recommended List
Read by Paul Washer, John Piper, Timothy Keller and 1 others
The Valley of Vision
A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions
byArthur G. Bennett
1975240 Pages“The prayers in The Valley of Vision are steeped in Scripture, yet never succumb to mere formula. ... This is a book that teaches readers to pray by example.”
— John Piper
Source: Desiring God Article
Read by John Piper
byJ. Gresham Machen
1923176 Pages“Machen's best work was Christianity and Liberalism. ... It is worth investing the time to read about Machen, and what Machen has written.”
— John Piper
Source: Desiring God Article
Read by Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, Reid Hoffman and 8 others
The Lord of the Rings
The Fellowship of the Ring / The Two Towers / The Return of the King
byJ.R.R. Tolkien
19541178 Pages(721,705)
“Tolkien's great text models for us what it might mean to redeem this aspect of God's good creation...”
— John Piper
Source: Desiring God Article
Read by John Piper
Operation World
The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation
byPatrick Johnstone, Jason Mandryk
2010978 Pages(1,733)
“An excellent guide for deliberate, worldwide prayer.”
— John Piper
Source: Official Missions Resource List
Preaching and Preachers
40th Anniversary Edition
byD. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
2012352 Pages“It is one of the most important books on preaching in print.”
— John Piper
Source: The Gospel Coalition Article by John Piper
Read by John Piper
The Temple
Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations
byGeorge Herbert
2017336 Pages(1,645)
“The central theme of his poetry was the redeeming love of Christ, and he labored with all his literary might to see it clearly, feel it deeply, and show it strikingly.”
— John Piper
Source: Desiring God Biography & Endorsement
Read by John Piper
Overcoming Sin and Temptation
Three Classic Works by John Owen
byJohn Owen
2006464 Pages“One of the reasons I love John Owen is because he knows my heart... This book is a good friend.”
— John Piper
Source: Official Book Foreword
Read by John Piper
The Meaning of Marriage
Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God
byTimothy Keller, Kathy Keller
2011352 PagesSource: Ask Pastor John #365
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Frequently asked questions
What books does John Piper recommend?
His 19 recommendations feature Jonathan Edwards's Freedom of the Will, C.S. Lewis's The Weight of Glory, J.I. Packer's Knowing God, Daniel Fuller's The Unity of the Bible, and George Ladd's A Theology of the New Testament, weighted heavily toward theology and philosophy.
What is John Piper's most influential book?
Piper names Jonathan Edwards's Freedom of the Will, saying it was the most influential book on his thinking and that, so far as he knows, it has not been shown wrong. Edwards's Dissertation Concerning the End for Which God Created the World ranks next.
Where do John Piper's book recommendations come from?
They are drawn from Desiring God articles and official resources, his own recommended reading lists, a foreword he wrote for John Owen's work, and an article he penned for The Gospel Coalition on preaching.
Has John Piper written any books?
Yes. Piper has authored seven titles here, including Desiring God, Don't Waste Your Life, Future Grace, The Pleasures of God, and Let the Nations Be Glad!, works that lay out his vision of Christian Hedonism.
What genres does John Piper read most?
His picks are dominated by philosophy and theology and by history, with a notable strand of psychology and human behavior, plus classic fiction such as Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia.
All 19 Books John Piper Has Recommended
- Freedom of the Will · Jonathan Edwards
- A Dissertation Concerning the End for Which God Created the World · Jonathan Edwards
- The Unity of the Bible · Daniel P. Fuller
- Religious Affections · Jonathan Edwards
- A Theology of the New Testament · George Eldon Ladd
- The Weight of Glory · C.S. Lewis
- Knowing God · J.I. Packer
- A Quest for Godliness · J.I. Packer
- Here I Stand · Roland H. Bainton
- The Pilgrim's Progress · John Bunyan
- The Chronicles of Narnia · C.S. Lewis
- The Valley of Vision · Arthur G. Bennett
- Christianity and Liberalism · J. Gresham Machen
- The Lord of the Rings · J.R.R. Tolkien
- Operation World · Patrick Johnstone
- Preaching and Preachers · D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
- The Temple · George Herbert
- Overcoming Sin and Temptation · John Owen
- The Meaning of Marriage · Timothy Keller