Mary Doria Russell
[isbn]
This book absolutely dazzled me, taking a common sci-fi premise — humanity finally makes contact with alien life — and making it feel completely new. A team of scientists, anthropologists, and linguists journeys into space to meet the newly discovered extraterrestial culture. Their mission is funded by the Jesuits, but there are a range of religious beliefs, and lack thereof, among them. The vision of what the alien world would be like is... (read more)
Recommended by Claire A.
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Gary Snyder
[isbn]
Gary Snyder is a student of Buddha and Thoreau. Enclosed in The Practice of the Wild are nine essays on habitat, ecology, their interconnectedness, and an attempt to inspire our involvement in general care. The first ecosystem is the heart — our consciousness — and so long as it's covered up, the outside world will reflect how we treat ourselves. Perhaps Synder is attempting to illicit an awakening of our compassion and attention beyond... (read more)
Recommended by Dana S.
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Paul Reps
[isbn]
Paul Reps was on his way to meet a Zen master in Korea in the 50s. He went to the passport office but was denied due to a conflict just breaking out. He politely accepted the decision and turned around, went to sit on a bench, pulled out his thermos, and drank his green tea. Afterwards he wrote a haiku that made the employee cry. His visa was approved thereafter.
Recommended by Dana S.
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Rey Chow
[isbn]
Roughly a year ago I took a deep dive into Rey Chow's literary criticism and cultural politics. The Protestant Ethnic & the Spirit of Capitalism is perhaps my favorite of all her books. Of any political, philosophical, or cultural text, this book stands out as one I most eagerly wish I could get other people to read and understand. It goes next to Race & Resistance by Viet Thanh Nguyen as one of my resources in my ongoing,... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Thich Nhat Hanh
[isbn]
The late Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh exemplified all that is beautiful about Buddhism and made accessible what can be a very deep and overwhelming subject to a lay audience. Whether you have been practicing for years or are just starting down your spiritual path like I am, The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching is a superbly written guide for anyone curious about the Buddhist tradition and offers sound advice for anyone regardless of faith.
Recommended by John Ha
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Mitch Albom
[isbn]
A heartfelt and honest read with great nuggets of wisdom. I loved reading Morrie's outlook on life and admired his compassion and the patience he extended to those around him. A heartfelt and inspiring read.
Recommended by Tawney E.
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Willa Cather
[isbn]
Willa Cather's The Song of the Lark is, to me, an overlooked classic. It is a work that sticks with you. The novel tells the story of protagonist Thea's struggle toward fulfilling her dream of being an opera singer, and in doing so, the novel explores what it means to become, and to be, an artist. The sacrifices, the doubt, the tumultuous and uncertain journey toward discovering one's artistic voice are here captured in a way that any... (read more)
Recommended by Nickolas J.
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adrienne maree brown
[isbn]
In Emergent Strategy, adrienne marree brown guides readers through recipes for shaping change, ourselves, and worlds. Inspired by the work of Octavia E. Butler, this nonfiction book imaginatively brings together science and sci-fi to explore our relationships with change. With loving attention to the body, spirit, and earth, Emergent Strategy is a lighthouse for change and the possible futures change offers.
Recommended by Alexis B.
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Jon Krakauer
[isbn]
Alternating between historical accounts of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the more recent murders of fundamentalist LDS groups, Krakauer develops a jarring exposé of this American-born religion in Under the Banner of Heaven. Whether familiar with Mormonism or not, Under the Banner of Heaven will shock and inform readers, while asking how far some are willing to go to prove their religious devotion.
Recommended by Alex Y.
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Simone Weil
[isbn]
If I'm ever asked to share a book that's changed my life, it's likely I will mention Simone Weil's Gravity & Grace — a vital, curious text on mysticism, supernatural love, and apophatic approaches to the divine. Camus called Weil "the only great spirit of our time" and this book will help you understand why.
Recommended by Alexa W.
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Jenelle Kim
[isbn]
“Key 8" in this beautiful book tells us to "Be Like Bamboo.” Myung Sung living meditation is a centuries old Korean wellness tradition rooted in Tao teachings yet thoroughly relevant today. This lovely book brings us this tradition in a contemporary and practical way. It's a practice I'll definitely be keeping.
Recommended by Marianne T
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Erin Elizabeth Downing
[isbn]
Through simple breathing techniques, asanas (poses), meditations, and diet suggestions, this book shows us that Kundalini practice is attainable magic that can gently transform one's life.
Recommended by Marianne T
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Diane Stein
[isbn]
As a reiki master myself, I find this book to be a classic guide to this ancient healing art, one that makes the experience of reiki accessible to all in clear and straightforward terms. It's not a substitute for traditional classes and attunements, but it serves as both an introduction and a refresher to hands on healing. I have a copy and have just purchased one for a friend.
Recommended by Marianne T
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Paul Denniston
[isbn]
I think everyone needs this book even if not currently experiencing grief. We know now that our bodies store trauma and grief and that, over time, this leads to physical illness. These simple yoga "exercises" are a way to process real, immediate grief and even the pain you think you've dealt with long ago. Keep the tissues nearby and be prepared to really feel better.
Recommended by Marianne T
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Claire Luchette
[isbn]
Agatha of Little Neon follows the rarest of groups — four 21st-century nuns “called” to run a halfway house in a rundown RI town. Gently funny and subversive, Luchette populates her sparkling debut with memorable characters who help Agatha accept the ways both she and the Church she’s pinned her life to are changing.
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Marilynne Robinson
[isbn]
Beautifully quiet, quirky, heartbreaking, transcendent. There are so many reasons to love Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping. Above all for me: the sentences. Her language is so beautiful that it occurred to me one day, simply reading a description of two women looking flushed in the steam of cooking stock in a kitchen, that Robinson’s language made me want to try harder to find things to be joyful about in my day.
Recommended by Gigi L.
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Tamim Ansary
[isbn]
If you, like me, received an American public school education, the history of the world you learned probably began with Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, proceeded through the rise of Christianity, the European "Dark Ages" and Renaissance, and concluded with a series of world conflagrations and the rise of the US as a superpower. This version of history relegates Eastern history to a bit part in the West's Grand Story of Conquest and Triumph... (read more)
Recommended by Emily B.
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Sadhguru
[isbn]
2016’s Inner Engineering was a breakout hit, due in part to Sadhguru’s popular YouTube channel, but more so because his living-in-the-world-not-in-a-cave methods of spiritual growth make so much practical sense. In Karma: A Yogi’s Guide to Crafting You Own Destiny, he takes on this over- and often misused term, showing that it’s not so simple as it’s portrayed, but not complicated, either — that karma in its essence is... (read more)
Recommended by Chip G.
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Hafiz
[isbn]
Like a love letter from a dear friend, this book of poems is a balm, a solace, a surprise, and an inspiration. Hafiz knew God is everywhere, and he made of himself a mirror to reflect divine light.
In just one lovely example, he wrote, "Fear is the cheapest room in the house. I would like to see you living in better conditions."
Recommended by Jennifer K.
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Pamela Ayo Yetunde, Cheryl A Giles
[isbn]
Invaluable essays by a range of black Buddhists on processing and releasing trauma through a Buddhist lens. One even explores the mindful use of Ayahuasca in trauma work, a fascinating addition to writings by shamans and curanderas. This is compassion in action — real action. In the words of Gaylon Ferguson, "we need a strong peace, with justice and dignity."
Recommended by Jennifer K.
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Miriam Toews
[isbn]
A horrific discovery prompts the women of two families to gather in secret and do something unheard of in their isolated, patriarchal community: choose. I read this stunning, disquieting tale — all the more disquieting for its genesis in real events — with my heart in my throat.
Recommended by Tove H.
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Thich Nhat Hanh
[isbn]
An indispensable tool for helping to reach the foundation of feelings below anger in a situation, How to Fight guides you to the compassion and strength within that’s needed to rise above the hurt, and communicate effectively. Thich Nhat Hanh’s writing is so accepting of the hardest parts of who we are, making it also a great antidote for despair.
Recommended by Aubrey W.
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Jordan Kisner
[isbn]
Jordan Kisner has an engaging writing style, and distinctive voice and background, which drew me in on the first page. I loved the mix of personal history and research she brought to the book. A great read for anyone interested in a new perspective on religion, race, sexuality, and science, and the myriad ways those subjects intersect.
Recommended by Adam P.
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Helene Hanff
[isbn]
Hanff, a New York writer, chronicles her relationship with a London bookseller during WWII. It starts off as a request for books, but the friendship that blossoms over the years lasts a lifetime. Full of wonderful book talk, with Hanff's acerbic wit, and the charming — but struggling — booksellers at Mark's & Co., this is must-read for book lovers everywhere.
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Ursula K. Le Guin
[isbn]
When my heart is troubled and I find myself clinging too hard to things I can't control, I return to this beautiful translation of the Tao Te Ching. Le Guin filters the humor and mystery of Lao Tzu's text through her own feminist lens, providing wise commentary on her translation choices and on the many possible meanings that can be found in these seemingly simple poems.
Recommended by Leanna M.
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Timothy Egan
[isbn]
On a spiritual journey across 1,000 miles of Europe and 2,000 years of Christian history, Timothy Egan reckons with his skepticism and lapsed Catholic beliefs while confronting a bigger question: What is the role of religion in a world that is rapidly losing its faith?
Recommended by Emily B.
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Karen Armstrong
[isbn]
Karen Armstrong’s newest book uncovers the big picture idea that the holy writings of the great religions are mostly misunderstood, and that together they are most purposeful in inspiring the devout to a greater spiritual life. Thus a relationship with the divine is the essence of the world’s scriptures.
Recommended by Doug C.
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Brian Doyle
[isbn]
I came across a question in a book group on social media the other day: If you were stranded on a desert island, which author's work would you wish you had? The answer bubbled up immediately for me, but I wasn't surprised: Brian Doyle. Has ever a human written such a glorious body of work? His ability to capture the human condition, with the enormous spectrum of emotions we all feel, is almost otherworldly. While you sit in awe of that talent,... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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adrienne maree brown
[isbn]
Adrienne Maree Brown believes that all activism is science fiction — writing into being a reality that hasn't existed before. That's an exciting idea, but the work of changing the world is also exhausting, and often leaves me focused on suffering, not to mention struggling with all the puritanism our culture is steeped in. But in Pleasure Activism, Brown facilitates a lush feminist conversation centered on black and queer voices that... (read more)
Recommended by Leanna M.
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Miriam Toews
[isbn]
A horrific discovery prompts the women of two families to gather in secret and do something unheard of in their isolated, patriarchal community: choose. I read this stunning, disquieting tale — all the more disquieting for its genesis in real events — with my heart in my throat.
Recommended by Tove H.
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Marie Kondo
[isbn]
An international sensation, Marie Kondo's technique of "sparking joy" has helped millions declutter and recenter their homes, and consequently their lives. The simplicity of Kondo's process makes it easy to understand and adopt her approach in your own life. Read and discover for yourself why The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up is, well, life-changing!
Recommended by Alex Y.
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Brené Brown
[isbn]
Brené Brown has been researching the effects of shame and imperfection for years. A master of knowing what causes us to shrink from self-love, Brown encourages us to discover ourselves and move past the shame we have internalized through the pressures of our perfection-obsessed society. A great read for anyone who needs a reminder that each of us deserves love.
Recommended by Alex Y.
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Huston Smith
[isbn]
An admirably readable and respectful introduction to the basic tenets and philosophies of the world's major religions, written by religious scholar Huston Smith. As I read these chapters, I found myself developing an increased appreciation of each of these faith traditions, including my own. What can be found here is perhaps best summed up by Professor Smith's own words: "If we take the world's enduring religions at their best, we discover the... (read more)
Recommended by Lori M.
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Mary Ann Shaffer
[isbn]
I have always loved historical fiction; it makes me feel as though I have a real connection to these places where all these amazing and world-changing things happened. Within the first few pages, Mary Ann Shaffer immerses you in a world with characters that you feel you've known all your life. You truly feel as though you are with them working through all the hardships and unknowns that arose in post-WWII Europe. The fact that it is written in... (read more)
Recommended by Rachel J.
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Marilynne Robinson
[isbn]
I read Robinson’s latest collection of essays like I do all of her nonfiction: with a highlighter, chin in hand, fiercely concentrated. Robinson is stunningly intelligent — capable of synthesizing topics as varied as Fox News and Calvinism — but most enviably, she thinks for herself. That’s not a simple task in a country that asks for blind allegiance to ideology (Left or Right?), and Robinson’s refusal to interpret modern America in such a... (read more)
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Peter J. Woodford
[isbn]
What, if anything, do your values signify in the context of evolutionary history? How might moral truths emerge from (and be justified through) the feedbacking chaos of evolution? Peter J. Woodford explores these problems of value-grounding via the historical and philosophical works of Friedrich Nietzsche, Georg Simmel, and Heinrich Rickert, i.e. those who "gazed into the abyss," as Nietzsche phrased it. With this book, your sacred cows are at... (read more)
Recommended by Jonathan V. B.
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Patricia Lockwood
[isbn]
Lockwood’s riotous retelling of growing up in a rectory with her Catholic priest father and her disease-obsessed mother is a memoir like no other. Her poetic talents elevate her prose to skyscraper levels of absurdity and warmth, creating an immensely enjoyable and impactful read.
Recommended by Haley B.
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Anne Lamott
[isbn]
Wise, frank, and infused with generous humor, Anne Lamott’s latest offering discusses our relationship to hope, and ways of giving it a home within us. Whatever your spiritual or religious affiliation may be, Almost Everything is a tonic for the soul, and a welcome antidote to the troubling times we face.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Tara Westover
[isbn]
Educated tells both the story of how Tara Westover grew up, with no birth certificate, no formal schooling, living in rural Idaho, and how she left, not just physically, but how she reclaimed her mind, her view of the world, and her sense of self. It is unbelievable to me that someone could raise their children this way, and even more miraculous that several of them broke free. It is one thing to leave home, but entirely another to leave... (read more)
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Georges Bataille
[isbn]
Everything about and behind The Sacred Conspiracy is just so cool that I can barely handle it. Georges Bataille, who obsessed over (and indulged in) all manner of societal taboos and was ;the neurotic philosophical contemporary of French bigwigs like Camus and Sarte, was also known for being a staunch Marxist. He thought that fascism in its many manifestations was a cultural hydra that had to be defeated, but was sure it would continue... (read more)
Recommended by Cosima C.
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Marilynne Robinson
[isbn]
Set in 1956, Marilynne Robinson's Gilead is a letter from the elderly Reverend John Ames to his very young son. Ames has lived all of his life in Gilead, Iowa, and the novel delves into the history of the area through the characters of Ames's father and grandfather — also ministers, but deeply divided on ideas such as pacifism, duty, and the abolitionist movement. And eventually, when John Ames Boughton, Ames's namesake and godson,... (read more)
Recommended by Jill O.
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Aldous Huxley
[isbn]
Aldous Huxley's Brave New World is prophetic sci-fi at its best, an early 20th century novel crying out to us as we stare transfixed at our little glowing screens and watch the excesses of late capitalism unfold. As Huxley once wrote to George Orwell after the success of his dystopic classic, 1984: our "lust for power can be completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging and kicking them... (read more)
Recommended by Cosima C.
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Reza Aslan
[isbn]
God: A Human History is Reza Aslan’s intriguing account of humanity’s evolving and myriad conceptions of the divine, ranging from prehistoric cultures to modern-day monotheism. Concerned primarily with how and why people anthropomorphize God, Aslan’s clear prose and fascinating historical research will keep you engaged to the provocative conclusion.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Brad Harper, Drew Harper
[isbn]
This unique, conversation-starting book does a great job of spanning the divide
between LGBTQ children and their conservative Christian parents who disagree
with their sexual orientation/identity/lifestyle for religious reasons. Drew and
Brad Harper designed this book so that both groups' points of view would be represented, so that both groups might actually be willing
to read it, and as a result, might be able to get along better with each... (read more)
Recommended by Nicholas Y.
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Brian Doyle
[isbn]
A winner of the 2016 Pacific Northwest Bookseller Award, this collection of nonfiction essays is Doyle's spin on what is prayer worthy, and it is unconventional to say the least. Full of appreciation for the mundane, daily joys of life, and supplicant for the myriad woes that annoyingly trip us up, Doyle's beautiful "prayers" will cause tears and laughter alternately, and sometimes at the same time.
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Rick Hanson, Richard Mendius
[isbn]
"We are what we think." — Gautama Buddha
Discover the neuroscience and psychology behind the principles used in Buddhism to achieve peace of mind. By offering practical methods and applications to change the way you think, this book can change your life. Like the muscles in the body, with the correct exercise and maintenance, the mind can change its constitution over time. Mindfulness, contemplation, and meditation are just a few... (read more)
Recommended by Alex K.
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Stephen Greenblatt
[isbn]
A fascinating work of cultural criticism by irrepressible storyteller and scholar, Stephen Greenblatt, The Rise and Fall plots the evolution of Adam and Eve from pagan creations to Christian allegory to their reimagining as real persons, courtesy of St. Augustine. Vivid and engaging, this is a page-turning account of the early modern world. Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Primo Levi
[isbn]
I was assigned this book several times in college and graduate school, so I was shocked to learn that none of my coworkers had read it. Levi’s dispassionate, almost anthropological take on how he survived life in the Auschwitz concentration camp is stark, insightful, and incredibly nuanced. My own slim copy is underlined, highlighted, and tattered; and every time I return to it, I’m amazed by the endurance and acuity of the young Jewish chemist... (read more)
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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David Williams
[isbn]
To take the plain-spoken language of the Amish and make it riveting is a feat. David Williams accomplishes this in When the English Fall, which follows Jacob as his community’s nonviolent way of life collides with the deteriorating society and escalating chaos that the apocalypse brings with it. Reading, you feel like you’re tipping your ear to the ground to listen for the sound of charging horses.
Recommended by Aubrey W.
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Patricia Lockwood
[isbn]
Patricia Lockwood is incapable of nothing but the expected, and this spit-take-inducing memoir of familial eccentricity proves it on every page. The peculiarities of clannish ritual, dialect, gastronomy, and especially faith are dissected with compassion and an impish charm that is irreducibly Lockwoodian. Flagrantly imaginative and heck-bent on hilarity, Priestdaddy is a wonder.
Recommended by Justin W.
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Anne Lamott
[isbn]
Anne Lamott returns with a lively and funny exploration of mercy, which she defines as radical kindness to both yourself and others. Always wise and laugh-out-loud funny, Anne Lamott reminds us that "kindness towards others, beginning with myself, buys us a shot at a warm and generous heart, the greatest prize of all.”
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Ruth Wariner
[isbn]
The Sound of Gravel really wasn't on my radar, but my mom asked me to bring her a copy on my next visit. Of course I opened the book to see what had captured her interest, and I was absorbed from the first page. I have read plenty of stories about love, resilience, and courage, but The Sound of Gravel stands out as one of the best. I love how Ruth Wariner tells her story — in an honest, straightforward way and from her... (read more)
Recommended by Kim S.
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Toews, Miriam
[isbn]
All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews is a frank, semi-autobiographical story examining sisterhood, complicated relationships, existential depression, and the lengths we will go in order to save someone we love. Toews manages to portray family tragedy in a realistic yet strangely uplifting way. Her ability to focus on the small details with clarity and humor is a reminder that even in the face of unspeakable grief, life does indeed go on.
Recommended by Jen C.
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Frank, Anne
[isbn]
When I read this I was stunned by how much knowledge and wisdom could exist within such a young girl. If you've only ever read Anne Frank's diary, I plead for you to read this collection of her fiction. Even at its roughest and in some cases unfinished, it shows the complex inner world of Anne Frank, and that world is worth knowing and cherishing.
Recommended by Junix S.
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Peter Watson
[isbn]
Peter Watson’s monumental intellectual history covers atheism’s influence in dance, poetry, philosophy, theater, psychology, literature, and so on. Watson strikes me as a modern-day Diderot, and this work as his Encyclopedia (of atheism). Watson develops a subtle but ambient thesis on the atheistic life, that, as Watson quotes Joyce, “lives down to fact” — lives without a transcendental “singular,” but rather with an artist’s sensitivity to the... (read more)
Recommended by Jonathan V. B.
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Robert Alter
[isbn]
A translation of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes that is recommended by Harold Bloom and Seamus Heaney is a translation you will love. Alter's work is an ideal blend of academic exactness and depth with a poetic sensibility that is up to the challenge of the profound original Hebrew. Alter captures the beauty of the ancient biblical prose, a beauty that is too often lost in translation.
Recommended by Jonathan V. B.
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Soren Kierkegaard
[isbn]
The father of Christian existentialism, critic of organized religion and Christendom, and champion of the passionate "single individual," Kierkegaard is a force to be faced — and this book, Provocations, is a perfect sampler. If you want to grapple and wrestle with existentialist thought, especially of the religious variety, you should read this well-curated collection.
Recommended by Jonathan V. B.
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William James
[isbn]
Are you curious about the psychology of conversions? Looking for a defense of spiritual or metaphysical pluralism? Do you consider yourself more or less an empiricist? Read this book. William James, philosopher and psychologist, writes in rigorous and vigorous prose while masterfully mixing psychology, history, religious anthropology, and more into one of the few truly open-hearted and welcoming works of modern philosophy.
Recommended by Jonathan V. B.
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Kate Hennessy
[isbn]
A heartfelt biography by the granddaughter of Dorothy Day, written with love and honesty. This is the story of an important woman for our time, who walked and lived with the poor, a woman of faith, who believed that love conquers all. Hennessy weaves a tale of the successes and failures of a truly inspiring life.
Recommended by Richard C.
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Krista Tippett
[isbn]
Krista Tippett, host of the public radio program On Being, distills the wisdom she has heard and experienced into a thoughtful exploration of the things that challenge us, and the things that comfort us along the way. Without oversimplifying, she returns to what we have in common, what we all share in the grand adventure of life.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Shauna Niequist
[isbn]
In today's instant culture of beautifying and perfecting filters we hide behind, of hustle and strain and anxiety, this book is a breath of fresh air. Told in mini-essays, Niequist's very personal story — about her own awakening to a more present, thoughtful, love-filled way of life — is a suggestion that contentment doesn't come from running ourselves ragged.
Recommended by Janelle M.
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Marilynne Robinson
[isbn]
With Lila, Marilynne Robinson revisits her beloved town of Gilead, just as she did with Home. This time around, her focus is on Lila Ames, who in both previous novels has been a sort of paragon of calm and dignity. In Lila we learn about her childhood and young adulthood, which could not be further from calm or dignified. Lila lives through a childhood that begins in neglect and works its way through unceasing labor,... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Brian Doyle
[isbn]
Brian Doyle's memoir tells the harrowing story of his young son being diagnosed with a serious heart condition. Through a collection of essays, each touching upon some aspect of his experience, Doyle shows the absolutely horrifying reality of a parent on the brink of losing their child. His vulnerability and stark utter terror are palpable as he maneuvers through the medical system while reflecting upon his worthiness as a parent. As usual,... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Brian Doyle
[isbn]
Possibly poems, possibly really (really) short stories, possibly mini essays, Brian Doyle's "box poems" — smallish bits of writing with perfectly aligned edges and not one word short or long — are so perfectly exact, they seem utterly intriguing even before you start to read. (How, exactly, did he do that?)
Doyle is a man who lives and breathes stories, and this slim book is stuffed with them. The almost worshipful... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Dennis Covington
[isbn]
A powerful book on searching for faith, Revelation offers a rare glimpse into the Syrian Civil War from a personal point of view and a thorough look at the soul of a man who is wrestling with himself. If you are a seeker, here is a book that shows the other side of humanity on the other side of the world.
Recommended by Jonathan R
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Kaiser Haq
[isbn]
I began researching Manasa Devi about two years ago and quickly became fascinated by her mythology. She is in many ways a deity that humans can relate to, especially in regards to her relationship with her father, Shiva, and stepmother, Chandi. Unfortunately, it was difficult to find information about this one-eyed snake goddess. All that changed with the publication of Kaiser Haq's The Triumph of the Snake Goddess. This is an exhaustive... (read more)
Recommended by Shannon B.
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Tom Bissell
[isbn]
Tom Bissell has written about subjects as varied as video games, the Aral Sea, and Werner Herzog. In Apostle, he turns his ever-curious mind to early Christianity. Always intelligent, fascinating, and frequently quite funny, Apostle is Bissell's exploration of Christian history and faith. For lovers of essays or narrative nonfiction, Bissell should be on your list.
Recommended by Jill O.
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Flannery O'Connor
[isbn]
Flannery O'Connor's first short story collection, written in 1955, will knock you off your feet. Ruthless, penetrating, and loaded with subtext, A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories was brave for its time and feels just as consequential today. Writing in the Southern Gothic tradition in a style wholly her own, O'Connor creates characters that are misguided, stunted curiosities, but she manages to capture what's human in even the... (read more)
Recommended by Renee P.
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Marie Kondo
[isbn]
Marie Kondo is back with detailed instructions on how to tidy up various categories of your belongings. Expanding on the principles outlined in her first book, she goes into much more detail, complete with charming illustrations.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Art Spiegelman
[isbn]
The twofold brilliance of Art Spiegelman's groundbreaking, autobiographical Maus is the graphic novel's lack of sentimentality and Spiegelman's self-portrait as a secondhand Holocaust survivor. The Holocaust is a widely used trope in Jewish American writing and although Spiegelman treats the subject with the compassion and historical sensitivity it merits, Maus avoids the themes of victimization and historical exceptionalism... (read more)
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Daniel James Brown
[isbn]
Brown masterfully narrates the tale of the 1936 American Olympic rowing team and their gold medal triumph. He paints a vivid picture of the men in the boat, their world, and their sport. A fascinating glimpse into a bygone era.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Armstrong, Karen
[isbn]
Armstrong's career began when she wrote and presented a documentary on the life of St. Paul, which aired on BBC's Channel Four. A former nun and one of the foremost authors writing on comparative religion, Armstrong has published over 20 titles. A History of God discusses the origins of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam and explains how our concept of God has changed throughout the course of history. It is fascinating to learn how... (read more)
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
|
Bill Nye
[isbn]
Science guy Bill Nye's book Undeniable is definitely a manifesto. He takes on Creationism and the deniers of evolution eloquently and successfully. But it's more. With Nye's easy style and wit, Undeniable both effectively explains and exalts the wonders of science and our evolved world.
Recommended by Gigi L.
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Mark Epstein, M.D.
[isbn]
Mark Epstein masterfully examines the intersection between psychotherapy and Buddhism, and his new book focuses on a fascinating subject within that convergence: trauma. Using even the Buddha's own personal traumas, Epstein pens an exploration that is wise, insightful, and surprisingly uplifting.
Recommended by Gigi L.
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Geraldine Brooks
[isbn]
The rich storytelling and atmosphere in Brooks’s imaginative new novel based on the life of King David is a humanizing and captivating tale about a complex, fabled figure. Strikingly written and flawlessly conjuring both time and place, Brooks succeeds at re-creating a character, an era, and the drama of history.
Recommended by Michal D.
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Elizabeth Gilbert
[isbn]
This book is for anyone and everyone. If you are looking for inspiration, if you are looking for understanding, if you are looking for permission, you will find it here.
Recommended by Britt A.
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