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Spirituality and Religion September 2017
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| How to Be a Muslim: An American Story by Haroon MoghulOn September 11, 2001, Pakistani-American author Haroon Moghul was an undergraduate at New York University. The terrorist attacks on that day pushed him into the spotlight, where he became a spokesman for American Muslims. Meanwhile, he was struggling with his own relationship to Islam. In How to Be a Muslim, Moghul relates his hopes, fears, doubts, and personal challenges, liberally employing both references to pop culture and allusions to the Qur'an. This book, which Publishers Weekly (in a starred review) strongly recommends "for its candor and relatability," provides a compelling account of what it means to be an American Muslim. |
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| In the Days of Rain: A Daughter, a Father, a Cult by Rebecca StottAs a child, acclaimed author Rebecca Stott belonged to a separatist Christian fundamentalist sect in Britain called the Exclusive Brethren. Her father, Roger, was a leader in the group, which shunned all kinds of worldly things, but he later left the cult and became an actor and filmmaker. In the Days of Rain details Rebecca's experiences with the Exclusive Brethren, Roger's struggles, and her own gradual understanding of the sect and its effect on her family over four generations. Reflecting on her relationship with her father, Rebecca pens a thought-provoking and absorbing memoir. |
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Priestdaddy
by Patricia Lockwood
The author of Motherland Fatherland Homelandsexuals presents a darkly comic memoir about her relationship with her unconventional married Catholic priest father, describing emblematic moments from her youth and the crisis that led the author and her non-religious husband to briefly live in her parents' rectory.
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You Are Free : Be Who You Already Are
by Rebekah Lyons
Christ doesn't say you can be or may be or will be free. He says you are free. Dare you believe it? In You Are Free, Rebekah invites you to: Overcome the exhaustion of meeting others' expectations and rest in the joy of God's freedom. Release stress and anxiety to uncover the peace that comes from abiding in God's presence. Freedom is for everyone who wants it - the lost, the wounded, and those weary from striving. It's for those who gave up trying years ago. You are the church, the people of God. You were meant to be free.
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Great Books You Might Have Missed
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| The Givenness of Things: Essays by Marilynne RobinsonThoughtfully addressing the divisions expressed in contemporary arguments about religion, award-winning novelist and theologian Marilynne Robinson critiques both reductionist atheists and self-righteous Christians. In her elegant, rich prose, she discusses 17 topics, including Humanism, Servanthood, Memory, and Experience, connecting them to current politics while clearly stating her own faith and viewpoints. Warning about unrestricted power, greed, and cynicism, The Givenness of Things presents "bravely and brilliantly argued" essays (Booklist, starred review) about matters of great consequence. |
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| Grace without God: The Search for Meaning, Purpose, and Belonging in a Secular Age by Katherine OzmentAfter journalist Katherine Ozment's young son asked her what religion their family practiced, Ozment realized that "none" wasn't a very helpful answer. She then set out to learn more about how "Nones" (nearly one-fourth of the American population) replace the rituals, sense of community, and moral guidance that religion offers. In Grace without God, she reports on her interviews with academics, statistical studies, and conversations with other "Nones" at events around the country. Focusing on the need to raise kind, morally upright, and compassionate children, she relates her personal experiences and considers how others are answering those questions. |
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| Not in God's Name: Confronting Religious Violence by Jonathan SacksIn Not in God's Name, Jonathan Sacks, Emeritus Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, analyzes the justifications for violence that have supposedly been derived from Hebrew scriptures. Arguing that people in all three Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) have misconstrued the Bible, he debunks the notion that violence is inherent to religion. Finding powerful messages of peace in the book of Genesis, he offers an antidote to the sectarian strife that currently plagues the world. In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews notes that this book says "something truly new." |
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| Unashamed by Lecrae, with Jonathan MerrittPopular, Grammy-winning Christian hip hop artist Lecrae was raised by his single mother. Though there were positive influences in his life, he experienced instability, abuse, and neglect, engaging in criminal activities throughout his teen years. Rap provided an outlet for his creativity; Christianity rescued him from crime when he was 19 and gave him a new focus for his music career. Unashamed offers Lecrae's reflections on the negative aspects of his early life, revealing how he decided to become a positive influence on younger people. Publishers Weekly calls this memoir a "wonderfully inspirational and entertaining story." |
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Contact the Reference Dept. for more great books! |
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