Nearing home : life, faith, and finishing well

 by Billy Graham. "I never thought I would live to be this old." In this moving narrative, Billy Graham once again takes up the pen not only to share his personal experience of growing older but also teach us some important lessons on how to view our time here on Earth. He says that the Bible makes it clear that God has a specific reason for keeping us here. So what is His purpose for these years, and how can we align our lives with it? How can we not only learn to cope with the fears and struggles and growing limitations we face but actually grow stronger inwardly in the midst of these difficulties? In what may be his most powerful message of the last decade, Billy Graham speaks to all on this side of Heaven as he covers the importance of four key areas: Building strong foundations and understanding the gift of years *Facing life's transitions, including the passing of years, retirement, and when loved ones die *Making wise decisions *Understanding our glorious hope. "In this book I invite you to explore with me not only the realities of life as we grow older but the hope and fulfillment and even joy that can be ours once we learn to look at these years from God's point of view and discover His strength to sustain us every day. I pray that you and I may learn what it means not only to grow older, but, with God's help, to grow older with grace." --Summary (Check catalog)

Justice : what's the right thing to do?

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by Michael J. Sandel. Sandel, a Harvard law professor, effortlessly integrates common concerns of individuals with topics as varied as abortion, affirmative action, and family loyalties within the modern theories and perspectives on freedom. He reviews philosophical thought from the ancient to more modern political philosophers, including Immanuel Kant and John Rawls. Sandel critiques three ways of thinking about justice: a utilitarian perspective that seeks the greatest happiness for the greatest number; the connection of justice to freedom with contrast between what he calls the laissez-faire camp that tends to be market libertarians and the fairness camp with an egalitarian slant that acknowledges the need for market regulation; and justice tied to virtue and pursuit of the good life. Although the last is generally associated with the cultural and political Right, he exposes connections across political lines. Sandel reveals how perspectives on justice are connected to a deeper and reasoned analysis, a moral engagement in politics, and a counterintuitive conclusion in modern politics. Whether or not readers agree with Sandel's conclusions, they will appreciate the encouragement to self-examination on the most mundane topics. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

The color of rain : how two families found faith, hope & love in the midst of tragedy

 by Michael Spehn. There are easier circumstances under which to build a blended family. Michael Spehn and Gina Kell both lost their young spouses to cancer. Both couples were attractive, young, vital, giving, loving, with loving families and adorable young children. These assets alone might be enough to bring widower and widow together to build new lives of happiness and bliss, but not necessarily. What this book makes so apparent is the importance of appreciating the significance of every moment while managing life's toughest parts with compassion sometimes only afforded by faith. In simultaneous journals kept before and after both family tragedies, the Spehns convey the preciousness of human connection and the gifts of grace offered by family, friends, and a strong faith community. Healing their wounds, the Michael and Gina married and created New Day Foundation for Families, a nonprofit that helps families of young children who have lost a parent to cancer. This is a well-written tale of sheer goodness turning the tables on tragedy. --Booklist (Check catalog)

Beyond religion : ethics for a whole world

 by the Dalai Lama, XIV. In this kind of sequel to his Ethics for the New Millennium, the Dalai Lama delineates some of our global challenges and suggests a nonreligious yet ethical mode of thinking that might help us. Although the note of exhaustion has been sounded-the Dalai Lama has spoken of retirement and begins this book by saying "I am an old man now"-his nonreligious ethics still have a strong and perhaps welcome Buddhist flavor. VERDICT The Dalai Lama's gentle and sensible messages of focus, peace, and mindfulness may not be heeded in a divided world but will be very welcome to seekers of all faiths. --Library Journal (Check Catalog)

The Screwtape letters ; with, Screwtape proposes a toast

 by C.S. Lewis. Lewis's satire is a Christian classic. Screwtape is a veteran demon in the service of "Our Father Below" whose letters to his nephew and prot‚g‚, Wormwood, instruct the demon-in-training in the fine points of leading a new Christian astray. Lewis's take on human nature is as on-target as it was when the letters were first published in 1941. John Cleese's narration is perfect as he takes Screwtape from emotional height to valley, from tight control to near apoplexy. This will be a popular in most libraries. --Library Journal (Check catalog)

Religion in human evolution : from the Paleolithic to the Axial Age

by Robert Neelly Bellah.  Bellah (sociology, emeritus, Univ. of California, Berkeley) examines the genesis of religion in human culture, artfully demonstrating how play, myth, and ritual developed during the Paleolithic era into the essential components that are still recognizable in religion today. He then examines the Axial Age (c. 800-c. 200 B.C.E.), with which we are more familiar: great philosophers in Greece, Israel, China, and India put forth ideas that were based on both the natural world and the spiritual plane; they effectively married the two. Bellah's book is an interesting departure from the traditional separation of science and religion. He maintains that the evolving worldviews sought to unify rather than to divide people. Poignantly, it is upon these principles that both Western and Eastern modern societies are now based. What strikes the reader most powerfully is how the author connects cultural development and religion in an evolutionary context. He suggests that cultural evolution can be seen in mimetic, mythical, and theoretical contexts. Ultimately, Bellah contends that our society is especially informed by our lengthy biological past. VERDICT This is an academic work recommended for specialists in the field of religion and sociology. Most lay readers, even if compelled by the subject, will find it heavy going, but the intrepid ones may well want to take it on and will marvel at Bellah's approach. --Library Journal (Check Catalog)

Peace be with you : monastic wisdom for a terror-filled world

 by David Carlson. Carlson (religious studies, Franklin Coll.), a scholar of monasticism, Orthodox-Catholic relations, and adult faith development, here offers an idiosyncratic mixture of spiritual autobiography and interfaith study. After 9/11, Carlson embarked on a long journey, interviewing more than 30 abbots, nuns, monks, and other religious leaders in an attempt to articulate new ways that Christianity and Islam, despite their apparent differences, might find a rapprochement. Carlson embraces, with some pain, the idea that Christ is found in the "woundedness" of the world, and that the only way forward is for all faiths to live more fully in their own faith, with compassion. VERDICT Carlson's moving personal journey reaches far beyond his own identities as a male, Christian, and academic, to address the questions many have asked over the past ten years; both individuals and church groups should benefit. --Library Journal. (Check catalog)

Where the hell is God?

 by Richard Leonard. Leonard, an Australian-born Jesuit who writes on Catholic approaches to film (Movies That Matter), has authored a brief, acute, and touching book on theodicy. For Leonard, guided in part by his own experience with a sister left disabled after an auto accident, and in part by the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, God does not directly will or send pain, suffering, natural disasters, or punishments. We can approach God through these experiences and learn from them, but God is not their "author" in the simplistic sense many espouse. While Leonard's God may feel more remote than the personal deity many have embraced, his liberation of God from personal evil is a breakthrough. VERDICT An explosive and progressive message in a small wrapper, Leonard's book may frustrate Catholic and non-Catholic conservatives, but it will be a tonic for liberal Christians and seekers of all faiths. --Library Journal (Check catalog)

Sanctuary of the soul : journey into meditative prayer /

 by Richard J Foster. This plainspoken book by bestselling author Foster (Celebration of Discipline) addresses the problem of listening for God (Jesus) in a world of noisy distractions. Dividing his work into three parts, Foster describes how God longs to communicate with each of us, how we can become present and surrendered to God, and how we can cope with common obstacles in our quest for communion with the divine. After each section, Foster recounts a story from his own life to demonstrate how one might practice meditative prayer in a real-world situation. At the end of the book, he answers typical questions about prayer. Foster leans heavily for guidance not only on his Quaker heritage but also on classic Christian mystics, including Brother Lawrence, Teresa of Avila, and Julian of Norwich, and he is not afraid to mention Satanic opposition. His quiet writing style models the listening stillness he wishes to impart. Amid many books on meditative prayer, Foster's stands out for its clarity, simplicity, and focus. --Publishers Weekly. (Check catalog)

The journey : walking the road to Bethlehem

 by Adam Hamilton. It is undoubtedly a challenge to bring a fresh perspective to biblical texts that many Christians have heard in church and read countless times. But Hamilton (24 Hours That Changed the World), founding pastor of the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kans., brings careful research, the perspective of an experienced minister, and an eye for detail to his work that will appeal to many. Beginning with the Gospel reading appropriate to his meditation, he draws on historical information as well as his own travels to take the reader on a spiritual walk, beginning with the angel Gabriel's annunciation to Mary that she will bear God's son and ending with the birth of Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem. Threaded with the stories of people he met along his way, and of others who have represented God's purposes in his own life, Hamilton also attempts to separate biblical facts, from a Protestant point of view, from traditions he appears to consider more speculative. While the writer doesn't break much new ground, the book serves as an inviting window into familiar texts that many Christians may be at risk for taking for granted-always a helpful exercise. --Publishers Weekly (Check Catalog)

Catholicism : a journey to the heart of the faith

 by Robert E. Barron. The Catholic Church has certainly faced some difficult challenges in recent years. Sex scandals, bishops who looked the other way, and a shortage of priests are seared into the consciousness of many within and outside this faith tradition. Barron, a Catholic priest and professor of theology at Mundelein Seminary near Chicago, draws attention back to the beautiful and rich tradition of this two-millennia-old religion. The author is able to set politics aside and examine the true heart of the Catholic faith-God, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and the numerous devotional practices and dogmas that have developed over the centuries. He casts a spotlight on some of the holy people who have helped build up the church, such as Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Katharine Drexel, and Mother Teresa. Barron's engaging stories help to dissect and explain complex theological tenets. One comes to understand that Catholicism transcends religious practice; it is a lifestyle. Those who would like a concise but substantive introduction to the Catholic faith need look no further. --Publishers Weekly (Check catalog)

Living beyond your feelings : controlling emotions so they don't control you

 by Joyce Meyer. Evangelical Christian author and speaker Meyer explains in her typical straightforward style how controlling emotions can be when they take over an individual's life. Meyer is known for her bold delivery and in this work maintains that standard, offering readers plain truth on taking back a life that has been ruled by emotions for too long. The author recounts generously from her own life episodes of comical (or otherwise) moments when she allowed her emotions to overrule her better judgment, with disastrous repercussions. Readers will resonate with Meyer's ability to relate biblical principles to daily life as she tackles the gamut of emotions: anger and resentment; sadness, loss, and grief; fear; guilt, and regret. Meyer focuses on learning to think biblically, speak biblically, and then see lives and emotions transformed. Her many fans will not feel disappointed in her latest work. --Publishers Weekly. (Check Catalog)

Surprised by Oxford : a memoir

 by Carolyn Weber.  Weber's transformation from agnostic to Christian occurs in the intellectually rigorous setting of Oxford University, where brainy students and brilliant professors both lead her to salvation and threaten to draw her away from it. Conveying the effects of unbridled inquiry and open-mindedness, this memoir of obtaining a degree in literature, and much more, also offers a peek inside of what many consider the world's most prestigious university, which Weber portrays as a place both steeped in great traditions yet tolerant of youthful exuberance. One of the best parts of the book is the author's self-deprecating sense of humor, which she uses to transcend challenging moments. Brimming with inspiring quotes from literary giants and great artists, this is a truly endearing work that offers great comfort and delight as it celebrates the Christian faith. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

Practical wisdom : the right way to do the right thing

 by Barry Schwartz. In this thoughtful consideration of an Aristotelian ideal, Schwartz and Sharpe delve deeply into what it means to practice wisdom. What makes this an engrossing (and socially significant) read is not the nod to the ancient Greeks but, rather, the numerous examples of people in all facets of American life who seek wisdom in their professional and personal choices. The authors consider how mandatory sentencing has removed the element of judgment from a judge's position, citing a heartbreaking example. As they further make the case for empathy and patience, they delve into health care, education, and the groundbreaking work being conducted in the extraordinarily successful Veterans Court in Buffalo. Repeatedly, by example, they stress the necessity of a human approach, without politics, to the issues of how we live and interact with each other. And through all of this, Schwartz and Sharpe demonstrate how relevant Aristotle is today. As surprising as it is convincing, this thoughtful work will long stay with readers, as will the many people who are profiled on its pages. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

A faith of their own : stability and change in the religiosity of America's adolescents

 by Lisa D. Pearce. Pearce (sociology, North Carolina-Chapel Hill) and Denton (sociology, Clemson) present the second book using data from the National Study of Youth and Religion. Denton wrote the first, Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers, with Christian Smith (CH, Dec'05, 43-2154). This newer analysis focuses on changes in religious identity, if any, as teens move into late adolescence. Pearce and Denton classify subjects as Abiders, Adapters, Assenters, Avoiders, or Atheists, based on content (belief), conduct (practice), and centrality (importance) of religiosity. The greatest stability emerged among Abiders and Atheists, those most confident and secure in their religious identity. Among others, the authors discerned small but significant change, usually a decrease in religious practice such as church attendance. At the same time, most respondents reported little change in belief. Many reported faith deepening, as it became more personalized than institutionalized. Pearce and Denton show how proper "scaffolding" (a support network allowing for increasing autonomy as adolescents mature) promotes positive reinforcement for religiosity. Most importantly, they argue that any unidimensional approach obscures the richness of adolescent spirituality. Primarily for social scientists, this work is important for readers at all levels who are attempting to understand the religious life of American adolescents. --Choice (Check Catalog)

The new sciences of religion : exploring spirituality from the outside in and bottom up

 by William Grassie. Based to a large extent on his own previously published articles, Grassie (founder, Metanexus Institute) presents an ambitious overview of contemporary work in the scientific study of religion, and attempts to show how current scientific understanding of the world can be compatible with--and even form the basis for--religious belief in what he calls "God-by-whatever-name," thereby closing the gap between science and religion. The early chapters focus on the function of the phenomenon of religion and its development as viewed from the perspectives of economics, evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, and medicine. The conclusion of the later chapters, that "religions are all partly right," will probably persuade neither the militant atheist nor fundamentalist apologist, but may establish a useful starting place for further dialogue among those whose minds are open. Ranging from Auguste Comte and Adam Smith to Clifford Geertz and Paul Ricouer, the book may attempt to cover too much (the index alone comprises 24 pages of three columns of reduced print). But the writing is clear, and the presentation balanced. --Choice (Check Catalog)

The wealth cure : putting money in its place

 by Hill  Harper. We are programmed to believe that money and acquisition are our keys to happiness, success, and well-being. But the national debt crisis has exposed how the detrimental effects of materialism and the pursuit of money have caused us to have unbalanced relationships with ourselves and others. Harper, an NAACP Award-winner, bestselling author, and star of CSI: NY, was forced to reevaluate his ideas about wealth after the shock of being diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Through a series of stories about family, friends, and his experience in coming to terms with his diagnosis, he takes the reader on a journey to examine the sources of true happiness while giving practical advice for getting one's financial house in order and achieving greater peace of mind and a commitment to higher goals. While most books on finance treat the subject as simply a set of rules to follow, Harper looks more deeply into how to build a healthy financial foundation while maintaining greater perspective on the values and relationships that are really important in life. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

The cure for the chronic life : overcoming the hopelessness that holds you back

 by Deanna Favre. There's one important message here: emotional pain and suffering can be greatly reduced by forgetting oneself and showing compassion toward others. After receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer, Favre, wife of NFL star quarterback Brett Favre, established a foundation to help women fight the disease and wrote Don't Bet Against Me! (2008), a hopeful book for breast cancer survivors. Stanford is an HIV-positive Methodist minister and author of When God Disappears (2008). In this title, their combined stories about themselves, their families, and people they've encountered provide inspiration for opting to live according to Christ's example instead of living in crisis. Beyond listing common mistakes that lead to crisis living and chronic unhappiness, the book serves as a 40-day, Bible-study guide and encourages discernment and application of God-centered truths for facing daily challenges. Full of helpful advice, but loaded with Biblespeak, so keep the King James handy. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

Paradise lust : searching for the Garden of Eden

 by Brook Wilensky-Lanford. William Fairfield Warren, esteemed theology professor and first president of Boston University, was convinced that Adam and Eve were giant people, 7- to 12-feet tall, who lived in Eden among prehistoric sequoia trees at what is now called the North Pole. Hong Kong businessman Tse Tsan Tai's 1914 research placed the garden somewhere in Mongolia. Maybe the fabled confluence of Eden's four rivers lies in southern Ohio. Examining the perennial quest to locate the Garden of Eden on earth, Wilensky-Lanford introduces a diverse cast of believers who sought to create a new world by finding the biblical garden somewhere amidst the imperfect geography we know. Given the unalloyed weirdness of some of their theories, expect a certain degree of authorial snark. But while Wilensky-Lanford's tone is indeed light and entertaining, she portrays her obsessed subjects with respect and even a little sympathy. In the end, the book is less about Eden-finding or myth-busting than it is a study of the undying human need for meaning, symbolism, and unity in a fractured and profane world. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

Twelve steps to a compassionate life

 by Karen Armstrong. *Starred Review* It takes courage for a religious historian and writer of Armstrong's stature to step out from behind the scrim of scholarship and analysis to offer guidelines for a spiritual practice designed to make humanity a kinder and saner species. With the boon of the prestigious TED Prize, Armstrong (The Case for God, 2009) worked with leading thinkers from a variety of major faiths to compose a Charter for Compassion, which calls for the restoration of compassion to the heart of religious and moral life in a dangerously polarized world. Not content with merely stating lofty goals, however, Armstrong, a revered genius of elucidation and synthesis, now tells the full and profound story of altruism throughout human history. She turns to neuroscience and tracks the evolution of our brains and our natural capacity for empathy, and performs her signature mode of beautifully clarifying interpretation in a mind-expanding discussion of the history of the Golden Rule ( Always treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself ), the essence of compassion and the kernel of every religious tradition. Exquisite and affecting explications of Buddhist, Confucian, Judaic, Christian, and Islamic commentary prepare the ground for meditation exercises meant to engender open-mindedness and the cultivation of compassion, making for the most sagacious and far-reaching 12-step program ever. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: A hefty print run is planned for renowned religious thinker Armstrong's bold approach to teaching the compassionate ethos. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

The solution : conquer your fear, control your future

 by Lucinda Bassett. Bassett (From Panic to Power; Life Without Limits) offers a 21-day emotional makeover for taking control of one's life. Her prescription for inner self-confidence and strength is first to understand one's core story (upbringing and life experience) and use it as motivation for success, rather than an excuse for self-sabotage and lack of good fortune. Bassett spends much time dissecting worry and depression and gives exercises for overcoming harmful thoughts. The exercises seem well thought out and helpful and can be undertaken at one's own pace. She offers a variety of quizzes, sidebars, and celebrity stories, which will leave readers feeling empowered and positive about life. Well done. --Library Journal (Check Catalog)

Seeking the sacred : transforming our view of ourselves and one another

 by Stephanie Dowrick. At age eight, New Zealand-born Dowrick lost her mother to cancer. Her father, wh. regarded religion as irrational. promptly became a Roman Catholic, which sent the little girl reeling into the mysteries and miseries of devout faith. The rituals and rapture of nuns and priests fascinated and comforted her. Yet adults who insisted Jesus Christ was forced to suffer for her sins caused her to experience levels of guilt she had never before known. Decades later, the author of Choosing Happiness (2005) and other best-sellers still experiences nostalgia and dismay about her father's chosen faith, but it is her questioning of what all religions attempt to bring followers that has produced a wonderfully inspirational book. This is not just about connecting with God or even fully understanding what God may be. It's about witnessing the sublime in the ordinary, seeking what is sacred in everyday experiences, and accepting life's challenges as important lessons. First steps in the journey involve achieving self-acceptance, self-love, and forgiveness. This is a genuine road-to-happiness read. --Booklist (Check catalog)

God is not a Christian : and other provocations

 by Desmond Tutu. Drawing mostly from public utterances by Tutu, South Africa's Nobel Peace Prize laureate, his biographer (Rabble-Rouser for Peace, 2006) creates an ideal calling card for this magnificent apostle of peace and fellowship. The selections span four decades of Tutu's advocacy for tolerance, justice, and forgiveness, and Allen presents them in sections concerned with, respectively, inclusiveness in religion and society, freedom from political oppression, economic and racial injustice, and the exercise of power. Specific topics include interfaith respect, gay and lesbian religious and social equality, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the necessity of black theology, Christian involvement in politics, and the successes and failures of South Africa after apartheid. No matter the topic, Tutu speaks throughout in the voice of the Christian prophet, decrying cruelty and meanness, defending the poor and the powerless, delighting in the beauty of creation, assuring us that each and every person has God's love, as we hope, pray, and work for the kingdom of God. A little book that perfectly answers the question, who is Desmond Tutu? Ed: cap not in the title. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

Max on life : answers and insights to your most important questions

 by Max Lucado. Sure to be another bestseller for renowned pastor Lucado, Max on Life brings together 25 years of answers to questions posed by readers, all in the reassuring voice fans have come to value as uniquely his. Lucado divides the sometimes tough-to-tackle subjects into palatable sections on hope, hurt, home, him and her, and the hereafter. Presented in a topical, Q&A format, this book is a departure from his usual narrative mode of operation, making it more accessible for some readers in comparison to his other books that could be touted as superior in literary merit. The union of practical advice and scriptural reference elevates Max on Life from just another self-help book to the status of a Christian quick-reference addressing a host of hot topics, from the trials of everyday life to major, life-altering decisions. Recommended where there is an established following for Lucado and demand for quick, Scripture-based answers to life questions. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

2012 and the end of the world : the Western roots of the Maya apocalypse

 by Matthew Restall and Amara Solari. Well, here's a much-needed breath of fresh, rational air. A welcome counterpoint to the seemingly endless end-of-the-world tomes, this well-documented, well-presented book (written by a pair of history professors) explores the origins of the alleged Mayan prediction that the world will end on December 21, 2012. For conspiracy buffs, the authors' conclusions will prove decidedly disheartening. For example: they show that there is no hard evidence that the Mayan calendar has any predictive function; the Long Count calendar (which is key to the 2012 date) has a purely arbitrary start date, rendering the 2012 date meaningless; and (despite common misperception) the Mayans were not especially apocalyptic in outlook. The authors have a simple mission, to explain what the 2012 fuss is all about, and they do it admirably. They don't go as far as saying the world won't end in December 2012, but they do say this: there is no evidence, either historical or textual, that the Mayans were predicting the end of the world in 2012 or any other year. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

From Bible belt to sunbelt : plain-folk religion, grassroots politics, and the rise of evangelical conservatism

 by Darren Dochuk. This well-written intellectual and political history traces the emergence of the evangelical wing of the Republican Party from the early 1930s to the national ascent of Ronald Reagan in 1980. Dochuk (Purdue) follows migration patterns from the southern and southwestern edges of the Dust Bowl in search of opportunity in southern California, where migrants prospered under the New Deal and wartime economy. But their religious fundamentalism prompted a suspicion of the very government that enabled their successes; their faith consoled "the heart without troubling the mind." Billy Graham, Ronald Reagan, and Pepperdine College (now University) embodied the shift from the New Deal to the Cold War and from regional to national prominence. Together, these three reinforced the vision of evangelical claims that the New Deal/Great Society represented an assault on American values and Christian liberty through incipient socialism. Learning from the debacle of Goldwater's defeat in 1964, the religious and political Right of Southern California strengthened ties to the South; these played out successfully in Nixon's 1968 victory via his "southern strategy." Dochuk reminds readers that the rise of evangelical-based politics accompanied the rise of Southern California after the Great Depression and, as California's influence grew, so did the clout of evangelicals. --Choice (Check Catalog)

Seeking the sacred : transforming our view of ourselves and one another

 by Stephanie Dowrick. At age eight, New Zealand-born Dowrick lost her mother to cancer. Her father, wh. regarded religion as irrational. promptly became a Roman Catholic, which sent the little girl reeling into the mysteries and miseries of devout faith. The rituals and rapture of nuns and priests fascinated and comforted her. Yet adults who insisted Jesus Christ was forced to suffer for her sins caused her to experience levels of guilt she had never before known. Decades later, the author of Choosing Happiness (2005) and other best-sellers still experiences nostalgia and dismay about her father's chosen faith, but it is her questioning of what all religions attempt to bring followers that has produced a wonderfully inspirational book. This is not just about connecting with God or even fully understanding what God may be. It's about witnessing the sublime in the ordinary, seeking what is sacred in everyday experiences, and accepting life's challenges as important lessons. First steps in the journey involve achieving self-acceptance, self-love, and forgiveness. This is a genuine road-to-happiness read. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

The Hindus : an alternative history

 by Wendy Doneger. Note that Doniger is the Mircea Eliade Distinguished Service Professor of Religions at the University of Chicago and the author of many books. Note that alternative neatly defines her. Learned, fluent, and entertaining in spite of the complexity of this ambitious undertaking, Doniger is also controversial, a role she embraces, confident that fresh viewpoints are essential to understanding the worlds that shaped the Hindu tradition, and the ways Hindus shaped society. While Doniger delves deeply into the Vedas and the two great poems, Ramayana and Mahabharata, she searches other spheres for clues to the lives of women and the lower castes. She also analyzes depictions of animals, which are central to Hindu tales and the cultural ideal of nonviolence. As she energetically parses the relationships between gods and humans, karma and renunciation, asceticism and sensuality, priests and kings, men and women, she is also seeking glimpses into everyday Hindu life during each of India's empires. Lavishly detailed, dynamic, and encompassing, Doniger's multidimensional history celebrates Hindu wisdom, diversity, and pluralism with knowledge, insight, and passion. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

Unconditional?

 by Broan Zahnd. In this insightful critique of contemporary Christianity, Zahnd (What to Do on the Worst Day of Your Life), pastor and founder of Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Mo., challenges Christians to make Jesus' call to forgiveness central to their faith. He bases his argument that Christians are not merely forgiven-a belief he considers "cheap grace"- but also called to "extend the grace of forgiveness to others" on his compelling analysis of the Sermon on the Mount, as well as Jesus' teaching and life, particularly Jesus' own plea on behalf of his executioners. In addition to drawing examples of radical forgiveness from scripture and literature, Zahnd provides powerful role models from recent history: Nelson Mandela's seeking reconciliation in postapartheid South Africa; the astonishing response of the Amish community to the murder of Amish schoolchildren in 2006; Pope John Paul II's befriending of his would-be assassin; and numerous others who chose to "end the cycle of revenge." Zahnd's evident preaching skills enliven this thought-provoking book; for example, he asks: "Who has fired the gun of hate at your heart?" The author may shake up his presumed readership of fellow evangelical Christians with his challenges to red-state America, and his demanding yet hopeful arguments deserve attention from Christians of all persuasions. --Publishers Weekly (Check Catalog)

The path : creating your mission statement for work and for life

 by Laurie Beth Jones. The author of Jesus, CEO combines powerful spiritual insight and inspirational, practical advice on how to achieve one's highest goals and potential in business and in life, discussing the three key elements of a successful mission statement and explaining how to fulfill a mission. Reprint. 75,000 first printing." --publisher (Check catalog)

The essential Santayana : selected writings

 by George Santayana. Although he was born in Spain, George Santayana (1863--1952) became a uniquely American philosopher, critic, poet, and best-selling novelist. Along with his Harvard colleagues William James and Josiah Royce, he is best known as one of the founders of American pragmatism and recognized for his insights into the theory of knowledge, metaphysics, and moral philosophy. The Essential Santayana presents a selection of Santayana's most important and influential literary and philosophical work. Martin A. Coleman's critical introduction sets Santayana into the American philosophical tradition and provides context for contemporary readers, many of whom may be approaching Santayana's writings for the first time. This landmark collection reveals the intellectual and literary diversity of one of American philosophy's most lively minds. --Summary (Check catalog)

The Rorty Reader

 by Richard Rorty. "The Rorty Reader" represents the first comprehensive collection of the writings of Richard Rorty, one of the twentieth century's most influential thinkers, best known for the controversial "Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature" (1979). Gathering together key essays from over four decades of writings, the volume offers an in-depth introduction to the philosopher's life and prolific body of work. Topics addressed include the continuities and transformations that span Rorty's early training in the history of philosophy, his engagement with the analytic tradition, and the 1979 publication that brought him international renown. Particular attention is devoted to his later political writings, including his turn to literature as the vehicle of moral reflection most suitable to democratic life, and his embrace of philosophy as cultural politics.
With selections from "The Linguistic Turn" (1967)," Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature" (1979)," Contingency, Irony, and Solidarity" (1989)," " "Achieving Our Country" (1998)," " and his four volumes of philosophical papers, including "Philosophy as Cultural Politics" (2007), as well as in-depth interviews and revealing autobiographical pieces, "The Rorty Reader" offers a compelling and representative view of Rorty's relationship with American pragmatism and the overall intellectual trajectory of his philosophical and political thought. --Summary (Check Catalog)

The most human human : what talking with computers teaches us about what it means to be alive

 by Brian Christian. Each year humans and computers square off for the Turing test, which Christian describes as a kind of speed dating via instant messaging, with five minutes to prove which is human. In 2009, Christian traveled to Brighton, England, to compete in a contest matching four humans and four computers. Christian chronicles his preparation and time spent devising strategies to trump the chatbot computers that can imitate humans. Along the way, he draws on philosophy, neurology, linguistics, and computer science, recalling chess master Garry Kasparov losing a match to IBM's Deep Blue computer and more recent developments in artificial intelligence. He explores how computers have challenged our bias toward the left hemisphere of the brain (logic) versus the right hemisphere (emotions) and how he and others have come to a deeper appreciation of emotional intelligence. He laments how so many jobs have trained employees with limited scripts that render them human chatbots. Christian intersperses interviews and musings on poetry and literature, observations on computer science, and excerpts from post-Turing test conversations for a fascinating exploration of what it means to be human. This book will surely change the way readers think about their conversations. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

The wisdom books : Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes : a translation with commentary

 by Robert Alter. The prolific Alter (Hebrew & comparative literature, Univ. of California, Berkeley; The Five Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary) has provided a magnificent work of translation and commentary on the Old Testament books known as wisdom literature. In the books of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes, we find evocative poetic statements on the value of life, the role of suffering, and God's place in a moral order that often seems neither just nor ordered. This translation is superb. Alter's literary training gives this rendition a poetic edge over more prosaic translations. In some cases, he keeps previously loved images even when those are perhaps not quite right (the whirlwind in Job 38, for example, more properly translated as "storm"). In other places, he supplies gems, such as translating the names of Job's daughters (Dove, Cinnamon, and Horn of Eyeshade). Of equal importance is the commentary, which is rich in linguistic, historical, and literary insights that immeasurably enrich the reading of these texts. VERDICT Highly recommended for religion and seminary collections. --Library Journal (Check Catalog)

Hegel's practical philosophy : rational agency as ethical life

 by Robert B. Pippin In their groundbreaking studies of Hegel's ethical thought, Charles Taylor and Allen Wood largely extracted that thought from Hegel's larger (and supposedly less plausible) speculative metaphysics. In this, the first book-length discussion of Hegel's practical philosophy to appear in the wake of renewed interest in Hegelian metaphysics generated by the work of Robert Brandom and John McDowell, Pippin (Univ. of Chicago) instead takes Hegel's theory of rational agency as an entry point for understanding the larger project. Pippin details the rationale behind Hegel's unconventional approaches to nature and mind, rational agency, and freedom of the will. In conceiving the mind as the awakening of slumbering nature rather than as material or immaterial substance, or rationality as a retrospective "game of giving and asking for reasons" rather than an individual capacity for deliberation, Hegel sought to overcome dualisms that have continued to influence ethics and political philosophy. Pippin is adept in his use of sources (his turn to the Jena Phenomenology in exploring rationality is particularly noteworthy), and remarkably clear in his explanations of difficult texts. This book is crucial for serious students of Hegel's ethical theory. --Choice (Check Catalog)

Christianity and world religions : disputed questions in the theology of religions

 by Gavin D'Costa. D'Costa (Bristol Univ., UK) offers a Roman Catholic analysis of how Christianity relates to other religions. He describes his existential engagement with the subject: namely, as an African-born theologian of Indian Catholic descent, the brother of a Buddhist, and a teacher in a modern secular setting. He offers what he believes to be a nuanced and therefore useful typology of theological positions, critically evaluating leading proponents of each in turn. He also gives attention to what one means by "religion," and seeks to include secular modernity rather than to allow it to maintain a privileged objectivity. D'Costa proposes alliances and deeper conversation among Christians and Muslims in Europe, to meet the challenge of the comparatively young religion of secularism that idolizes the sovereign state and seeks to exclude other religious options from the public forum. Finally, he takes a position within what he calls Christian universal-access exclusivism, which assumes that one must explicitly hear and trust the gospel for salvation, but that this may happen after death. He finds convincing substantiation for his position in biblical, patristic, and medieval Christian doctrine. Summing Up: Recommended. --Choice (Check Catalog)

A history of philosophy in America, 1720-2000

 by Bruce Kuklick. Offering a thoughtful, inclusive overview of American philosophical activity from colonial divines to present-day academics, Kuklick, a historian at the University of Pennsylvania, defines philosophy expansively as "more or less systematic writing about the point of our existence, and our ability to understand the world of which we are a part." This broad definition allows him to include the philosophical aspects of writers often neglected in philosophy surveys, including Jonathan Edwards, Benjamin Franklin and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Dense but clear, the book grounds its panoply of thinkers in their social context, particularly that of an evolving academic establishment for which Kuklick has some choice words ("constipated arrogance," in one case). The history is broken into three overlapping periods: a religiously inspired era (1720-1868), in which ministers, theologians and other amateurs shared equal status with professional philosophers; the "Age of Pragmatism" (1859-1934), dominated by Peirce, James and Dewey; and the contemporary "professional" period (1912-2000), in which American philosophy became more refined and internationally prestigious, but also more fragmented and remote from the public. Admittedly selective, the book becomes too much so at the end: the last 40 years are largely reduced to Kuhn and Rorty, skimming over almost everything else. Yet the book generally succeeds in identifying broad trends while spotlighting curious and significant points. Readers looking for a grounded narrative of American thought's development and contexts will find this book an accurate and compelling guide. --Publishers Weekly (Check catalog)

Love wins : a book about heaven, hell, and the fate of every person who ever lived

 by Rob Bell. Outspoken pastor and best-selling author Bell dares to question conventional Christian wisdom, such as the popular belief that states a select number of Christians will spend eternity in heaven while the rest of humanitynon-Christians and those who have not been savedwill suffer pain and punishment in hell. How does a person end up being one of the few? Chance? Luck? Random selection? he wonders. By asking these and other similarly pointed questions, Bell raises issues some may find disturbing or, at the very least, unsettling, not only about religion but about what it means to be a believer. He contends that some images of Jesus and God should be rejected outrightimages contrary to what he considers authentic Christian behavior. Through the use of anecdotes and Bible stories, Bell suggests alternative ways of understanding heaven and hell as well as such deeply Christian concepts as salvation and repentance. Further, he maintains that the cruel rather than loving God so many Christians believe in is a distortion of the Christian spirit. Thought-provoking. --Booklist (Check catalog)

The path : creating your mission statement for work and for life

 by Laurie Beth Jones. Laurie Beth Jones's first business bestseller, Jesus, CEO, made her the writer of choice for the large group of readers interested in bringing a spiritual dimension into their lives and business practices. In The Path, she again -- to great success -- combines powerful spiritual inspirations with sound, practical advice for helping individuals and the enterprises they lead to achieve their highest purposes and potentials. The Path is a complete guide to finding and fulfilling one's mission in life and business through the formulation of a succinct and focused plan. --Publisher (Check Catalog)

The experience of samādhi : an in-depth exploration of Buddhist meditation

 by Richard Shankman. Shankman (Sati Center for Buddhist Studies), one of the leading meditation teachers in the English-speaking world, provides an in-depth analysis of Buddhist meditation, especially drawing from the traditions rooted in the P~li Canon and the Visuddhimagga, an important treatise in Therav~da. This work does not address the meditation traditions found in the Mah~y~na or Vajray~na traditions. The primary intended audience is those who have a meditation practice or are interested in developing one. This is not an academic analysis of the topic, but rather an important primary source. Two related concepts thread through this work, namely sam~dhi (right concentration) and the stages of jh~na (profound meditative states of stillness that are the attainments of concentration and that lead to Enlightenment). Shankman provides excellent summaries of the related content in the major texts of the P~li Suttas and the Visuddhimagga, and also summarizes the controversies concerning sam~dhi and jh~na. The clarity of these discussions alone is enough to make the book a useful purchase. The other significant contribution that this work makes to the field is a collection of interviews with influential, English-speaking Buddhist meditation instructors; the content of the interviews focuses on samdhi. --Choice (Check Catalog)

Redeeming the Enlightenment : Christianity and the liberal virtues

 by Bruce K. Ward. This rich, nuanced book by Ward (Laurentian Univ., Ontario, Canada) draws on his previous work on Russian novelist Dostoyevsky, combining that literary analysis with probing explorations of philosophers such as Kant, Rousseau, Nietzsche, and Taylor. Ward argues that liberal modernity's ethics and philosophy are distorted reflections of richer Christian notions of the self and ethical existence. In contrast to the growing proliferation of specialized studies, this book offers an expansive tour looking for connections and differences among a host of thinkers--not to argue for a wholesale rejection of the Enlightenment but to show that Christian humanism is a richer philosophy upon which to base human fulfillment. In that project, humanity finds fulfillment in the giving of the self in love, not an endless quest for self-authored authenticity. This volume finds a way into a beyond-current debate about religion's role in a liberal society to show how religion and theology can point the way to a deeper meaning of the liberal project. Philosophically and theologically sophisticated, the book delineates the rich ways in which philosophy and theology can powerfully engage literature. --Choice  (Check Catalog)

The hemlock cup : Socrates, Athens, and the search for the good life

  by Bettany Hughes. There are certain historical figures whose lives merit perpetual reexamination because their impact continues to reverberate century after century. According to historian Hughes, author of Helen of Troy: Goddess, Princess, Whore (2005), Socrates is one of these seminal social and cultural architects. Beginning at the end of Socrates' long life, she reaches back in time, analyzing the historical context responsible, in part, for spawning such an exceedingly influential thinker. If, as she purports, we think the way we do because Socrates thought the way he did, it is important for us to understand why and how he posited the relentless questions about what it means to be human that drew attention to his famous philosophical method of inquiry and debate. This, then, is not only a lively and eminently readable biography of Socrates the man but also a vivid evocation of Athens, the city-state on the cusp of originating many of the greatest precepts of modern Western civilization. --Booklist (Check catalog)

The truth (and untruth) of language : Heidegger, Ricoeur, and Derrida on disclosure and displacement

 by Gerrit Jan Van Der Heiden. This book investigates the relationship between language and truth/untruth through analysis of contemporary hermeneutic theory in the thought of Heidegger, Ricoeur, and Derrida. Van der Heiden (Radboud Univ. Nijmegen, the Netherlands) suggests that much of the history of philosophy attempts to eliminate ambiguity by reducing language to a universal and transparent system. Hermeneutics, on the other hand, stresses the importance of metaphor, poetics, and translation. The author focuses on points of agreement between hermeneutic and deconstructive theories to argue for the roles of disclosure and displacement in the function of language. Disclosure is the relationship between language and being and truth as most clearly seen in Heidegger; displacement involves linguistic phenomena such as metaphor, translation, and mimesis that displace "a word or a group of words from one (con)text to another." Chapter 1 sets the stage through a discussion of Heidegger's notions of truth, untruth, understanding, and language. The following three chapters address the themes of writing, metaphor, and mimesis and their relationship to disclosure and displacement. The final chapter provides a more direct investigation of these two thematic terms. Summing Up: Recommended. --Choice (Check catalog)

The truth about grief : the myth of its five stages and the new science of loss

 by Ruth Davis Konigsberg. Veteran journalist Konigsberg offers a spot-on critique of Elisabeth K bler-Ross's seminal theory-the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. This "staged" approach, Konigsberg argues convincingly, is unscientific, tends to assume more prolonged mourning, and "completely omits positive emotions that are also integral to the experience of grief." Konigsberg also looks at various scientific studies on how people cope with grief, noting, "On average, those who got help experienced no less distress nor recovered more quickly than those who didn't." She maintains that people cope with grief thanks largely to the human capacity for resilience, relying heavily on the work of psychologist George Bonanno, though Konigsberg acknowledges that this isn't the case for those who experience the intractable grief that Freud called "melancholia." Konigsberg makes few distinctions among different mourning situations and among various therapeutic approaches (e.g., individual versus group treatment; long- versus short-term counseling; cognitive-behavioral versus psychodynamic treatment). In general, she has researched her subject, writes clearly and engagingly, and uncovers a host of interesting facts. Despite a few conceptual flaws, this book is well worth reading. --Publishers Weekly (Check Catalog)

The death of the animal : a dialogue

 by Apola Cavalieri. This small book is full of large issues: philosophical reflection on the moral status of animals, the ethics-metaphysics relationship, the is/ought distinction, the relationship between analytic and Continental philosophy, the role of reason and argument in ethics, and more. Not that the book provides complete analyses of all these important issues; rather, it aptly raises the other issues while discussing the status of animals, demonstrating thereby the intricate relationships among them. Cavalieri (editor, Etica & Animali) begins with a Platonic-type dialogue that argues cogently that one's concept of "the animal" relies on perfectionism, the unjustifiable view that entities possessing certain desirable traits are morally superior to entities without those traits. In a series of short essays that follow, several other prominent thinkers join Cavalieri for a provocative discussion of "the animal" and the many other questions that swirl around that issue. They include analytic and Continental philosophers (Harlan Miller and Matthew Calarco, respectively), the novelist John M. Coetzee, and the literary thinker Cary Wolfe. Readers will find much to agree and disagree with throughout. This stimulating, unique book could have many uses in academic contexts. Summing Up: Recommended.  --Choice (Check Catalog)

Real happiness : learn the power of meditation : a 28-day program

 by Sharon Salzberg. In an inviting, easy-to-follow format, Salzberg (Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness), cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society, provides a 28-day program for incorporating meditation into one's life. Written for beginners, the book explains breathing and sitting techniques, the science behind the practice, and 12 guided meditations. Interspersed throughout are FAQs from Salzberg's students regarding their difficulties with the practice. The accompanying CD includes nine meditations to guide readers through breathing, walking, emotional, and loving-kindness exercises. This is one of the best guides for anyone interested in exploring meditation or mindfulness. --Library Journal (Check Catalog)

100 years of pragmatism : William James's revolutionary philosophy

 by John J. Stuhr. This collection of essays uses the recent centenary of William James's Pragmatism (1907) as the occasion for a series of reflections on the continued relevance of James's elaboration of pragmatism. The essays range from considerations of the historical and cultural significance of James's work in the context of American culture in the 100 years since its publication (James T. Kloppenberg, "James's Pragmatism and American Culture, 1907-2007" and Mark Bauerlein, "The Enemies of Pragmatism") to assessments of James's philosophical significance in the context of the broader history of philosophy (Richard M. Gale's "The Deconstruction of Traditional Philosophy in William James's Pragmatism" and Ross Posnock's "The Earth Must Resume Its Rights: A Jamesian Genealogy of Immaturity") to essays considering more systematic concerns in epistemology, political philosophy, and ethics. The final two essays consider possible futures for James's version of pragmatism. Overall, this volume consists of well-written essays that ought to prompt a thoughtful reconsideration of William James's thought and its place in American culture. --Choice (Check Catalog)

The masque of Africa : glimpses of African belief

 by V. S. Naipal. In his engrossing new work of nonfiction, Nobel Prize winner Naipaul (A Writer's People: Ways of Looking and Feeling) recounts his travels through six African countries and the religious and spiritual beliefs he encountered in each. The journey begins in 2008 with Naipaul's return to Uganda, where he had been a visiting professor in the 1960s. From there he takes us to Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Gabon, and, finally, South Africa. In each country, Naipaul visits sacred places and talks with people-from cab drivers to witch doctors and diviners-about their beliefs and spiritual practices. Naipaul narrates the journey with finely wrought detail, transporting the reader to the landscapes and city scenes he describes. Naipaul is witty, and his writing can be quite charming and delicate. He is also disarmingly frank in his assessments, a quality often not found in discussions of belief. Verdict A sharply written and engrossing exploration of the effects of religious and spiritual belief on societies. Effective both as a vivid piece of travel writing and for its glimpses of belief in Africa. --Library Journal (Check Catalog)