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Spirituality and Religion September 2019
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| A History of the Bible: The Story of the World's Most Influential Book by John BartonWhat it is: a thought-provoking journey through the collection of texts (from parables to poetry) that make up the Bible, with plenty of historical and cultural context.
Why you might like it: The comprehensive timeline coupled with the author's impartiality make this a useful resource for all readers of religious history, no matter their individual beliefs.
Try this next: Constantine's Bible by David Laird Dungan; Three Testaments by Brian Arthur Brown. |
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| Conscience: The Origins of Moral Intuition by Patricia S. ChurchlandWhat it is: a scholarly yet accessible inquiry into the possible origins of morality, straddling the intellectual divides between religion, philosophy, neuroscience, and psychology.
Who it's for: readers who enjoy philosophical and intellectually stimulating explorations of spiritual topics.
About the author: MacArthur Fellow and UC San Diego professor Patricia Churchland is a pioneer in the field of neurophilosophy and author of books such as The Computational Brain and Touching a Nerve. |
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| Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power by Pam GrossmanWhat's inside: the author's story of the path that led her to witchcraft traditions and the freedom that her practice provides her; discussions of the hold witches have over our cultural imagination.
Why you should read it: There has been a recent resurgence of interest in pagan and magic-influenced religious traditions, especially among young adults.
You might also like: Vexed by Devils by Erika Gasser; Backwoods Witchcraft by Jake Richards. |
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| Advice Not Given: A Guide to Getting Over Yourself by Mark EpsteinWhat it's about: the combined positive effects of Buddhist teachings and psychotherapy techniques on an individual's struggles with self-doubt and unrealized potential.
Topics include: managing the ego, coping with destabilizing life events, and the importance of taking advice but drawing your own conclusions from it.
About the author: Mark Epstein is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and has published other books on Buddhism and psychology, such as Going to Pieces Without Falling Apart and The Trauma of Everyday Life. |
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| Ageless Soul: The Lifelong Journey Toward Meaning and Joy by Thomas MooreWhat it is: a thought-provoking contemplation of the effects of aging on relationships and spiritual well-being.
Read it for: its inspiring tone; the argument in favor of embracing melancholy as a natural outcome of reflecting on a life well lived.
For fans of: Being Mortal by Atul Gawande; The Gift of Years by Joan Chittister. |
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| Strength in Stillness: The Power of Transcendental Meditation by Bob RothWhat it's about: the science behind the power of transcendental meditation to support stress management and improve resiliency skills.
Why you might like it: The advice is presented in a straightforward manner and tailored toward readers new to mindfulness and meditation.
Try this next: Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics by Dan Harris; Transcendence by Norman Rosenthal. |
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| Becoming Wise: An Inquiry Into the Mystery and Art of Living by Krista TippettWhat it is: a thoughtfully presented reflection on how the increasing social fragmentation of modern life affects us and ideas about how to mitigate the damage.
Featuring: conversations with Eve Ensler, Reza Aslan, and congressman John Lewis.
About the author: Also the author of Einstein's God, Krista Tippett is perhaps best known as the host of NPR's On Being. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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