After two years of writing this bi-weekly column for Nauvoo Times, I thought it might be well to take a look back over the 120 or so books I’ve reviewed here and list some of those which continue to make an impression in my memory.

You can find more detailed reviews of each in the Nauvoo Times archives. If you’re considering a book as a gift or just need a good book yourself, these would be among my top recommended reads.

I couldn’t narrow it down to exactly 10, but here are few standouts, in no particular order or ranking:

God Remembered Me, an excerpt from A Distant Prayer, by the late Joseph Banks, a World War II pilot and P.O.W. It tells how he endured unimaginable treatment in a prison camp yet felt God’s presence throughout the ordeal. It could be the most uplifting $5 read you’ve ever encountered.

For All the Saints, a history of the Church in New England, whose principles of commitment, member-missionary work, and building the kingdom are truly universal. The interviews, experiences, and superb writing by Kristen Dayley mark an exceptional LDS book.

Assisted, the upbeat, well-written autobiography of Utah Jazz basketball great and still-Catholic John Stockton. This show of gratitude to all who’ve helped him succeed in his life is an engaging read for all ages and interests.

Women of Faith, Volumes 1-3 (so far) a compilation of well-researched material from primary sources, often in the voices of the women who lived these diverse experiences as members of the Church in different time periods. It is a trustworthy and vital part of LDS women’s history.

The Power of Everyday Missionaries, an encouraging, real-life how-to guide from Clayton M. Christensen, the quintessential member-missionary, who doesn’t separate his identity as a Latter-day Saint from his role as a successful businessman and professor at Harvard Business School.

I Will Lead You Along: The Life of Henry B. Eyring, a delight to read, not only for the personal glimpses into the man’s personality but for the personally drawn sketches included in the layout. And I can’t wait for the second volume of the biography of L. Tom Perry: An Uncommon Life,rife with stories, both happy and not-so, of challenges met and a life well lived for more than 90 years now.

Religion columnist Jerry Johnston’s Rescued — A Prodigal’s Journey Home, a standout for its honesty as a journal of the author’s re-entry into Church activity, with the encouragement and support of the late Apostle Neal L. Maxwell.

Six Sisters’ Stuff (two volumes now), a project of six biological sisters who share their family recipes, craft ideas, and traditions. Despite the fact that I don’t cook, it’s my pick for the appeal of its colorful layout and creative ideas.

Why I’m a Mormon, chock-full of personal anecdotes and testimonies, told in first-person by members in a wide array of fields round the world. Also, the idea of introducing Mormonism to the world gets a creative and often humorous (but not irreverent) twist in Mormons, An Open Book (What You Really Want to Know), which is a lot more interesting than its blah cover suggests.