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Spirituality and Religion November 2019
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| God Land: A Story of Faith, Loss, and Renewal in Middle America by Lyz LenzWhat it is: an engaging and thought-provoking glimpse into how contemporary political divisions have affected American society, many churches, and even the author's own marriage.
Topics include: the resurgence of patriarchal attitudes in Christianity, the social issues that are driving many people away from their churches, and the alternative spiritual communities that people excluded from the mainstream are creating for themselves.
Reviewers say: "a spiritual awakening for readers of all beliefs" (Library Journal). |
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| Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church by Megan Phelps-RoperWhat it is: a candid account of the author’s upbringing in, disillusionment with, and escape from the infamous Westboro Baptist Church (best known for their strong anti-LGBTQIA views and for picketing funerals).
Why you should read it: This richly detailed memoir offers a rare look inside a group that, despite their notoriety, is otherwise very secretive.
You might also like: Girl on a Wire by Libby Phelps (Megan Phelps-Roper's cousin); Beyond Belief by Jenna Miscavige-Hill. |
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| River of Fire: My Spiritual Journey by Sister Helen PrejeanWhat it's about: the career and spiritual journey of Sister Helen Prejean and how her religious calling led her to work on social justice causes.
Who it's for: anyone interested in religious social justice, the 1960s and '70s era of the Catholic church, and anyone wrestling with the death penalty.
Did you know? The 1995 film Dead Man Walking (for which Susan Sarandon won an Academy Award) is based on Sister Helen's book of the same name, which detailed her work as a spiritual advisor to people on death row. |
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| Above the Line: My Wild Oats Adventure by Shirley MacLaineAuthor alert: Academy Award-winning actress Shirley MacLaine has also written several other bestselling books about spirituality.
What it's about: what it was like making the movie Wild Oats, whose filming location (the Canary Islands) is surrounded in lore that encouraged MacLaine to reflect on her spiritual beliefs.
What makes it unique: Besides a peek into MacLaine's rich inner life, there's also plenty of wit and insider Hollywood gossip. |
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Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession
by Anne Rice
In a haunting memoir, the best-selling author of Interview with a Vampire presents an intensely personal journey of faith that records her New Orleans Catholic childhood; loss of faith and involvement with secular humanism; the alienation and tragedy that marked her life; and her eventual return, after thirty-eight years as an atheist, to New Orleans and a belief in Christ.
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| I've Been Thinking...Reflections, Prayers, and Meditations for a Meaningful Life by Maria ShriverWhat it is: an inspiring collection of the award-winning journalist's reflections on family, faith, and finding meaning in life.
Read it for: the refreshingly earnest and informal tone; the heartfelt prayers at the end of every chapter.
Reviewers say: "An optimistic reminder to be gentle with oneself" (Library Journal). |
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Contact your librarian for more great books! |
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