A reader of our May 9 feature about books on China asked for a similar reading list about Russia. Keeping this to one page, here are six good books from the past seven years:

Loving Your Community by Stephen Viars: If a local public school asked to hold its PTA meeting in your church’s sanctuary, what would you say? Viars, a pastor and Biblical counselor, challenges pastors to “say yes unless you have to say no.” For years, his church in Lafayette, Ind., has worked to build relationships with its community. He chronicles that journey, explaining how the church started the outreach ministries it has and why they are worth the time and resources.

The battle regarding same-sex marriage seems to be over for now, in the way that the abortion battle is not. Pro-life counselors outside abortion businesses still contribute to some last-minute changes of heart, but pro–Biblical marriage counselors are not standing outside city halls and wedding chapels pleading with same-sex couples about to make their vows.

The Possibility of Prayer by John Starke: Starke’s book about waiting on God hit the market a few weeks before the coronavirus plunged the world into waiting on relief. But even in the forced stillness of quarantine, noisy souls need reminders to wait for God alone. Starke offers reflections on praying the Psalms to meditate on the character and care of God.

Under Threat by Martin Jenkins: Under Threat tells the story of 30 endangered animal species, ranging from the Asian elephant to the Korean club-tail dragonfly. This oversized book is beautiful, from its embossed cover to its full-page, screen-print illustrations of each animal, designed to look like old postage stamps. The facing page describes in a calm, nonhysterical tone each animal’s behavior, the pressures that contribute to its endangered status, and the helpful actions people are taking to preserve it.

Parental advisory: This article includes vivid descriptions of aborted babies

Edward Larson mentions Donald Trump once in his clear and thoughtful new book, Franklin & Washington: The Founding Partnership (William Morrow, 2020): “Objecting to the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia, President Donald Trump sharply asked, ‘I wonder, is it George Washington next week?’” Larson seems on Trump’s side in pushing back against revisionist history: “Despite their flaws, Franklin and Washington have held up better under examination than most leaders of any age.”