Spirituality and Religion
November 2021

Recent Releases
No Cure for Being Human: (And Other Truths I Need to Hear)
by Kate Bowler

What it is: an incisive collection of essays about grief, hope, family ties, and what it means to think about the future in the face of a devastating cancer diagnosis.  

About the author: Kate Bowler is a professor of the history of Christianity at Duke Divinity School whose previous works include Blessed, Everything Happens for a Reason, and The Preacher's Wife.

Why you might like it: Bowler tells her heartwrenching story with unexpected but welcome humor, reflecting on the absurdities of life in even the darkest times.  
I Take My Coffee Black: Reflections on Tupac, Musical Theater, Faith, and Being Black in...
by Tyler Merritt

What it's about: the life, faith, and work of actor, comedian, and musician Tyler Merritt and the way his identity as a Black man has affected all three.

Read it for: Merritt's amusing and engaging style of storytelling and the balance he strikes with humor while discussing difficult topics like racist violence.

Reviewers say: "Readers will be awed by Merritt’s brutal honesty" in this "powerful testament" (Publishers Weekly).
 
Also available on cloudLibrary
Where the Light Fell: A Memoir
by Philip Yancey

What it is: a compelling and thought-provoking story of rebuilding a relationship with faith after surviving a traumatic childhood suffused with Christian fundamentalism.

Read it for: the candid portrayal of racism in Southern churches before the Civil Rights Movement; the exploration of fear as a basis for faith and how to create a healthier relationship with spirituality.

About the author: Former Christianity Today editor-at-large Philip Yancey has published numerous books on spiritual topics, including The Jesus I Never Knew, Soul Survivor, and What's So Amazing about Grace?
Better, not bitter : living on purpose in the pursuit of racial justice
by Yusef Salaam

An inspirational memoir serves as a call to action from prison reform activist Yusef Salaam, of the Exonerated Five, that will inspire us all to turn our stories into tools for change in the pursuit of racial justice. 
 
Also available on OverDrive
Forgiving what you can't forget : discover how to move on, make peace with painful memories, and create a life that's beautiful again
by Lysa TerKeurst

Compassionate, Bible-based therapeutic advice by the best-selling author of It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way shares step-by-step recommendations for letting go of the past, understanding the meaning of true forgiveness and moving ahead in healthy relationships.
Karma : a yogi's guide to crafting your own destiny
by Jaggi Vasudev

A new perspective on the overused and misunderstood concept of "karma" that offers the key to happiness and enlightenment, from the New York Times bestselling author and world-renowned spiritual master Sadhguru.
Contact your librarian for more great books!