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Spirituality and Religion May 2020
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| The Princess and the Prophet: The Secret History of Magic, Race, and Moorish Muslims... by Jacob S. DormanWhat it's about: the remarkable and largely unknown story of how Gilded Age America's fascination with "the exotic Orient" provided black performers with career opportunities and indirectly led to the Black Muslim movement and the foundation of the Nation of Islam.
Starring: John Walter Brister (aka Noble Drew Ali), a black former child star who turned his fantastical "Arabian" circus act into the quasi-Islamic Moorish Science Temple; his wife Eva Alexander, who performed as the lion-taming, snake-charming "Princess Sotanki."
Why you might like it: Besides recounting an important chapter in American religious history, this dramatic story includes secret societies, corrupt politicians, faked deaths, and the Chicago mob. |
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| The Dalai Lama: An Extraordinary Life by Alexander NormanWhat it is: a compelling and well-researched biography of the Dalai Lama, with a particular interest in His Holiness' worldview and ambivalent relationship with politics.
About the author: Historian Alexander Norman began his relationship with His Holiness decades ago and was able to gain unique access to his subject after collaborating on the autobiography Freedom in Exile. |
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| Kingdom of Nauvoo: The Rise and Fall of a Religious Empire on the American Frontier by Benjamin E. ParkWhat it's about: the Mormon Church's doomed attempts to create a "Zion" in Missouri and later Illinois, where their community collapsed in the violent events that claimed the life of Joseph Smith.
Why you might like it: Benjamin Park was given unique, nearly unlimited access to Church archives, providing readers with brand new details of the Church's early history.
Reviewers say: this "vigorous study" is a "welcome contribution to American religious and political history" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Reviewers say: “A fast-paced, harrowing exposé…transfixing.”—Publishers Weekly
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| What We Will Become: A Mother, A Son, and A Journey of Transformation by Mimi LemayWhat it's about: a former Orthodox Jewish mother's journey out of that faith and how that upbringing affected her relationship with and parenting of her trans son.
Read it for: the engaging writing style, reflections on intergenerational family dynamics, and parallels drawn between the author's transformative journey out of religious life and her son's gender transition. |
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About the author: Karen Armstrong is the author of numerous other books on religious affairs-including The Battle for God, Holy War, Islam, Buddha, and The Great Transformation-and two memoirs, Through the Narrow Gate and The Spiral Staircase. Her work has been translated into forty-five languages.
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- The Rock (Jesus Christ): Hear directly from Kathie about her life-changing and ever-deepening connection with Jesus, the Lover of her soul.
- The Road (Israel): Explore dozens of ancient landmarks and historical sites from Israel, the promised land of God’s covenant.
- The Rabbi (God’s Word): Go beyond a Sunday-school approach to the Bible by digging into the original languages and deeper meanings of the Holy Scriptures.
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| (((Semitism))): Being Jewish in America in the Age of Trump by Jonathan WeismanWhat it is: a sobering look at the state of Jewish life in America since the election of Donald Trump, put into context with other times of increased antisemitism, like the 1913 lynching of Leo Frank.
Read it for: the emotionally affecting story of the increasingly intense antisemitism the author faces in his personal and professional lives; some practical steps readers can take to fight the growing threat of antisemitism in modern American society. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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