The God box : sharing my mother's gift of faith, love and letting go

by Mary Lou Quinlan     (Get the Book)
Quinlan's mother was a woman of strong faith who wrote notes to God during the last 20 years of her life, dating and signing many with "Love, Mary." Although her family was aware of these notes, when they discovered ten containers of them after her death, they were astonished at the revelations, hopes, and memories contained therein. An inspirational speaker, Quinlan reminisces about her beloved mother and details the pleas, prayers, and thanks she presented to God on napkins, scraps of newspaper, coasters, and business cards. The supplications span a wealth of emotions and quotidian concerns-from asking that Oprah might pay attention to her daughter's writing (it worked), to begging God to "Please take care of poor, sick, gentle Mandy," the family dog. Interspersed with Quinlan's narrative are color photos of Mary's notes, which the author maintains helped her to understand the "breadth of her empathy," explaining that her mother "inhaled a worry" and "exhaled a prayer." Though sometimes overly sentimental, the book is saturated with Quinlan's mother's charming personality-Mary would even caution family members that "if you think you can handle it better than God, [the note]'s coming out." Even for readers not inclined to bow their heads and pray, Mary's God boxes speak to the power of faith, hope, and family. --Publishers Weekly

Everyday divine : a Catholic guide to active spirituality

by Mary deTurris Poust     (Get the Book)
Many people today are looking for opportunities to bring the spiritual into their everyday lives in non-traditional ways. Their days are so busy they can't imagine how they can fit in time to kneel or sit in prayer on a regular basis. As a result, they fly from one activity to the next at breakneck speed, always looking forward to some nonexistent time in the future when things will slow down long enough to allow them to breathe, center themselves, and pray. Everyday Divine: A Catholic Guide to Active Spirituality helps busy readers explore different ways to achieve a place of stillness and peace while remaining very much in the world. In fact, the day-to-day activities of life become the pathway to prayer -- even the prayer itself. Drawing on Catholic tradition, from ancient monastics to modern-day saints and sages, Everyday Divine looks at how we can adapt these ancient practices for modern times, quoting holy men and women on various methods and offering practical instructions and suggestions to help people put them into practice. (Summary)

The Second Coming of Christ : the Resurrection of the Christ within you : a revelatory commentary on the original teachings of Jesus

by Paramahansa Yogananda    (Get the Book)
This attractive two-volume, slip-cased edition of The Second Coming of Christ, presents Paramahansa Yogananda's unique perspective on the real meaning of Jesus' teachings, and takes the reader on a revelatory journey, verse by verse, through the four Gospels. Dispelling centuries old misconceptions and dogma, this monumental work is destined to leave an indelible mark on the way the world views the teachings of Jesus Christ. "In titling this work The Second Coming of Christ, I am not referring to a literal return of Jesus to earth. He came two thousand years ago and, after imparting a universal path to God's kingdom, was crucified and resurrected; his reappearance to the masses now is not necessary for the fulfillment of his teachings. What is necessary is for the cosmic wisdom and divine perception of Jesus to speak again through each one's own experience and understanding of the infinite Christ Consciousness that was incarnate in Jesus. That will be his true Second Coming." (Publisher)

Antifragile : things that gain from disorder

by Nassim Taleb    (Get the Book)
In this overstuffed, idiosyncratic theory of everything we don't know, financial adviser and epistemologist Taleb amplifies his megaselling The Black Swan with further musings on the upside of unpredictable upheavals. Ranging haphazardly across probability theory, classical philosophy, government, medicine, and other topics, he contrasts large, complex, "fragile" systems that try to minimize risk but collapse under unforeseen volatility with small, untethered, "antifragile" systems structured to reap advantages from disorder. Taleb's accessible, stimulating exposition of these ideas yields cogent insights, particularly in finance-his specialty. (He essentially inflates a hedging strategy into a philosophy of life.) Often, however, his far-flung polymathic digressions on everything from weight-lifting regimens to the Fukushima meltdown or the unnaturalness of toothpaste feel tossed-off and unconvincing, given his dilettantish contempt for expert "knowledge-shknowledge." Taleb's vigorous, blustery prose drips with Nietzschean scorn for academics, bankers, and bourgeois "sissies" who crave comfort and moderation: "If you take risks and face your fate with dignity," he intones, "insults by half-men (small men, those who don't risk)" are no more rankling than "barks by non-human animals." More worldview than rigorous argument, Taleb's ramblings may strike readers with knowledge-shknowledge as ill-considered; still, he presents a rich-and often telling-critique of modern civilization's obsession with security. --Publishers Weekly

Dear Chandler, dear Scarlett : a grandfather's thoughts on faith, family, and the things that matter most

by Mike Huckabee    (Get the Book)
Former Arkansas governor, presidential candidate, and current Fox News talk show host, Huckabee (A Simple Christmas) puts his trademark folksiness to use in a staged set of "grandpa's letters" to his one-year-old grandson, Chandler, and baby granddaughter, Scarlett. He hopes the two children will establish a "personal relationship with the Creator of All Things" and tells Chandler and Scarlett to be kind, especially to the less fortunate. He discusses love and marriage, the environment, and even creativity in decent, heartwarming ways, constantly referring to himself as "grandpa" for effect. In one pleasant chapter Huckabee makes the convincing case that pets, especially dogs, "make us better humans." He endorses patriotism and military heroism. Huckabee's down-home style attracts a loyal crowd from agrarian pietists to Tea Party activists. Here, nothing complex tugs at Huckabee's reassuring, anodyne thoughts, though that is likely a limitation of the form. However, he affirms values that are worth reiterating, even if he does so in treacly ways, and his easy-to-read essays will reinforce his admirers' fixed ideas. --Publishers Weekly

Help, thanks, wow : the three essential prayers

by Anne Lamott    (Get the Book)
Lamott lovers get an extra treat this year even though the popular writer has already birthed a memoir about grandparenting (Some Assembly Required). Her newest will be a stocking stuffer for fans. It's small and very focused on God, who is clearly brought forward from his (or her) usual background presence in Lamott's writings. Equal parts 12 Step meeting in the church basement and walks on the beach, it's a prayer manual for people who wouldn't be caught dead reading prayer manuals. As such it may surprise, a bit, some of Lamott's most secular readers. But it takes a very familiar voice in a newish direction, and may attract younger readers whose religious preference is more offbeat than orthodox. It reads like it needed longer gestation or one more rewrite to go from casual-casual to casual-polished, but anybody who gets it as a holiday gift will likely just say, "Thanks. Wow." --Publishers weekly

Paul and Jesus : how the Apostle transformed Christianity

by James D. Tabor     (Get the Book)
In this compulsively readable exploration of the tangled world of Christian origins, Tabor (The Jesus Dynasty) vividly recreates the frenetic and fraught attempts by the earliest followers of Jesus to maintain his teachings and keep his memory alive. The followers of James, who was the brother of Jesus and likely the author of the New Testament letter that bears his name, continued to live as Jews, observing Torah and worshipping in the Jerusalem Temple while honoring Jesus as their martyred Teacher and Messiah. This group was quickly displaced by Paul, whose theological teachings on the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ; the gift of eternal life guaranteed by faith in Jesus' resurrection from the dead; and a glorified heavenly reign with Christ when he returns reached a larger, non-Jewish audience because of the more philosophical language and nature. Although Paul has long been acknowledged as the founder of Christianity, Tabor weaves a fascinating story out of close readings of Paul's letters and the book of Acts, which contains an idealized history of the early movement as well as Paul's earliest activities on behalf of his teachings, and compellingly illustrates the ways that Christianity is Paul and Paul is Christianity. --Publishers Weekly

The Templars and the shroud of Christ

by Barbara Frale     (Get the Book)
For a certain period in history, the Knights Templar are the most powerful military religious order of the Middle Ages. Secretly guarded, the Shroud of Turin, worshipped in a relentlessly secret manner, and known in its intimate nature by only a handful of the order's officials, the swathe of fabric was kept in the central treasury of the Knights Templar, who were known for their expertise in the field of relics. The precious cloth's history and whereabouts were known only to the highest dignitaries of the secretive order. In an era of widespread doctrinal confusion in much of the Church, the Templars considered the Shroud to be a powerful antidote against the proliferation of heresies. Easy to read and thoroughly researched, this book tracks the Templars from their inception as warrior-monks protecting religious pilgrims, to the later fascination with their secret rituals and incredible wealth, which ultimately led to their dissolution and the seizing of their assets. Following the Shroud's pathway through the Middle Ages, Vatican historian Barbara Frale has gone back in time, to the dawn of the Christian era, to provide a new perspective on the controversial relic. The author also includes several photos of the Shroud itself that reveal in startling detail a human face, mysterious writing, and marks of a crucifixion that many have claimed identify it as the true burial shroud of Jesus of Nazareth. (Publisher)

Grace : more than we deserve, greater than we imagine

by Max Lucado    (Get the Book)
A woman critically injured and permanently disfigured by a frozen turkey hurled at the windshield of her car manages to forgive the youth who threw it. A physician stricken with a reaction to an AIDS vaccine is helped by a planeload of doctors. A dress-shop owner lets a nonpaying customer wear a wedding dress to the hospital room of her dying father. These are just a few examples of God's grace working through people, according to best-selling author Lucado. Grace, he insists, is available in quantities greater than we imagine and more than we deserve, if we only open our hearts. Often it is extended to us whether or not we deserve it. Lucado's latest provides comforting and inspirational revelations about grace and the phenomena of getting and giving amazing second chances through true stories, Bible passages, and quotes from famous writers and spiritual leaders. True grace, Lucado rightly insists, is grand both to give and receive. --Booklist

Radical hope : ethics in the face of cultural devastation

by Jonathan Lear     (Get the book)
Lear, a psychoanalyst and professor of philosophy, delves into what he calls the blind spot of any culture: the inability to conceive of its own devastation. He molds his thoughts around a poignant historical model, the decimated nation of Crow Indians in the early decades of the twentieth century. The last Crow chief, Plenty Coups, told his white friend and biographer, Frank B. Linderman, about what happened to his people when the buffalo went away. They were despondent, and in Plenty Coups' words, After this nothing happened. Lear dissects this phenomenon, and the Crows' struggle for continued survival, in a highly esoteric discussion drawing on the writings of Aristotle, Plato, and other philosophers. What makes this discussion relevant to mainstream readers is his application of the blind-spot hypothesis to the present, in which the twenty-first century was ushered in by terrorist attacks, social upheavals, and natural catastrophes, leaving us with an uncanny sense of menace and a heightened perception of how vulnerable our civilizations are to destruction, as was the Crow's. --Booklist

Seven thousand ways to listen : staying close to what is sacred

by Mark Nepo    (Get the Book)
MARK NEPO MOVED AND INSPIRED millions of people with his #1 New York Times bestseller The Book of Awakening, a spiritual daybook that draws on his awakening through cancer to offer life lessons from all the spiritual traditions. In his continuing exploration of the human journey, Nepo has been called "one of the finest spiritual guides of our time," "a consummate storyteller," and "an eloquent spiritual teacher." In his latest book, he inquires into the endless ways we are asked to listen. Experiencing hearing loss himself, Nepo affirms that listening is one of the most mysterious, luminous, and challenging art forms on Earth: "Whatever difficulty you face, there are time-tried ways you can listen your way through. Because listening is the doorway to everything that matters. It enlivens the heart the way breathing enlivens the lungs. We listen to awaken our heart. We do this to stay vital and alive." In Seven Thousand Ways to Listen , Nepo offers ancient and contemporary practices to help us stay close to what is sacred. --Publisher

Read the Bible for life : your guide to understanding & living God's word

by George H. Guthrie    (Get the Book)
As a Bible scholar at Union University, one of the oldest American universities in the Southern Baptist tradition, Guthrie has tracked the decline in biblical literacy with consternation. With earlier books (The Structure of Hebrews and Biblical Greek Exegesis) best suited for academia, Guthrie has switched gears to produce a reader-friendly, digestible, biblical literacy study program that includes this book as well as a participant's workbook, study leader's CD-ROM, and three DVDs for group use. Anyone "touched by the English language or Western culture," argues Guthrie, should be conversant in biblical literature. Through informal kitchen-table conversations with evangelical scholars, Guthrie guides the reader through a study of historical context, differences in Bible translations, varieties of literary genres, and finally a heartfelt devotional on how to read the Bible in a postmodern world. Though successful in reaching beyond a Southern Baptist audience, Guthrie remains limited by the Protestant concept of "progressive revelation," which prefers later parts of the Bible over earlier ones, a concept not accepted by Roman Catholics or Orthodox Christians. --Publishers Weekly

Prayer : the art of believing

by Neville Gaddard    (Get the Book)
PRAYER is the master key. A key may fit one door of a house, but when it fits all doors it may well claim to be a master key. Such and no less a key is prayer to all earthly problems. This book is an attempt to reduce the unknown to the known, by pointing out the conditions on which prayers are answered, and without which they cannot be answered. It defines the conditions governing prayer in laws that are simply a generalization of our observations. The universal law of reversibility is the foundation on which its claims are based. (Summary)

Sacred ground : pluralism, prejudice, and the promise of America

by Eboo Patel     (Get the Book)
Patel, founder of the Interfaith Youth Core, lets his love for his work and his country shine through in this brief but charming introduction to the importance of interfaith work in America. Patel is particularly concerned with the contemporary mistrust of Muslim Americans, but his focus is broader, as he argues eloquently that America, by its very founding principles, should be a pluralist society, citing historical examples of religious tolerance. Patel also muses on practical considerations of interfaith leadership; he has adopted the somewhat counterintuitive practice of educating mostly individuals who are already committed to interfaith tolerance rather than trying to convert the unconvinced, since he has found that inspiring these individuals to action allows for a broader impact as they share their commitment with their own social networks. In some sections the book is only loosely organized, and sometimes Patel veers too far into the political arena, with examples that are likely to be outdated soon, but generally his expertise and blend of compelling personal anecdotes with researched argumentation makes this work an accessible and inspiring introduction to the meaning and practice of pluralism. --Publishers Weekly

Change your words, change your life: understanding the power of every word you speak

by Joyce Meyer     (Get the Book)
"Words are a big deal. They are containers for power, and we have to decide what kind of power we want our words to carry," says Joyce Meyer in CHANGE YOUR WORDS, CHANGE YOUR LIFE. "I believe that our words can increase or decrease our level of joy. They can affect the answers to our prayers and have a positive or negative effect on our future. ... One might say that our words are a movie screen that reveals what we have been thinking and the attitudes we have." Building on the premises of Power Thoughts and Living Beyond Your Emotions , she examines the tremendous power of words - which are the vehicles that convey our thoughts and emotions - and provides a series of guidelines for making sure that our talk is constructive, healthy, healing and used to good results. Topics include: The Impact of Words How to Tame Your Tongue How to be Happy When to talk and when not to talk Speaking Faith and Not Fear The Corrosion of Complaints Do you really have to give your opinion? The importance of keeping your word The power of speaking God's word How to have a smart mouth In a 'Dictionary of God's Word' at the end of the book, Joyce provides dozens of scripture verses, arranged by topic, that she recommends reading and saying out loud as one way of using and claiming healing words.

A little history of philosophy

by Nigel Warburton                  (Get the Book)
A readable if unremarkable addition to the increasingly crowded shelves of philosophy primers. Warburton (Philosophy Bites) provides a history of the major philosophers of the West from Socrates to Peter Singer-with a few surprising exclusions (Bentham but no Foucault, Philippa Foot but no Martin Heidegger). However, in his effort to make the work accessible, the author veers into a sophomoric style that tends to grate quickly. Furthermore, in the quest for brevity, Warburton's decisions about what exactly to emphasize in each philosopher are sometimes questionable; for example, his treatment of John Locke reduces the political philosopher's contributions to a series of musings on how memory influences identity. Still, this brisk primer is, for the neophyte, a good place to start immersing oneself in the history of Western thought. Others may find themselves wishing for a philosophical history that would combine such accessibility with a little more substantiality. --Publishers Weekly

Render unto Caesar : serving the nation by living our Catholic beliefs in political life

by Charles J. Chaput     (Get the Book)
Verdict: Although focusing on American Catholics, Chaput's text is applicable to all Christian men and women concerned about the directions being taken in the dominate political arena. This passionate and articulate work is really a theological analysis of the necessity of political activism in contemporary society. Recommended for larger public libraries. Background: This superbly written essay by the archbishop of Denver reflects on the value and duty of participating in the political process. Writing in modern times, Chaput incorporates historical scenarios from many different periods of world history and illustrates the consequences of involvement or noninvolvement in politics. The 12 chapters can be read as individual units or taken as a unified whole. The book does not promote any political party or even propose a singular political theory but encourages, cajoles, and motivates the morally informed reader to act responsibly in a complex society. --Library Journal

You are here : discovering the magic of the present moment

by Thich Nhat Hanh    (Get the Book)
Acclaimed Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh continues his exploration of what he has called engaged Buddhism, now considering the experience of everyday living. The author has been an active advocate for peace since the Vietnam War and is perhaps best known to readers for his book Peace Is Every Step. Now, he tells us that living is a joy and emphasizes how the awareness that Buddhist meditation and practice can promote contributes to that sensation of joy in living. Verdict Recommended as a thought-provoking contribution to the literature of modern Buddhism. --Library Journal

Unglued : making wise choices in the midst of raw emotions

by Lysa Terkeurst    (Get the Book)
If auditions were held for a replacement for Oprah Winfrey.1-the early Oprah, who was vulnerable, open, girlfriendly, and not a billionaire-TerKeurst would make a short list. This mom of five had a breakout hit with Made to Crave, and her newest should also resonate. TerKeurst is open about her moments of losing it-especially at home, saying nasty things in the heat of the moment to her best-loved ones. But after those confessions come tips and tricks for being less emotionally reactive. There's a bit of scientific and psychological discussion of these states, but mostly she presents psychologically acute insights that will be familiar to those with some self-awareness through therapy, 12 steps, journaling, or other self-help methods. She does it in a distinctive voice and with Bible in hand. While there's no groundbreaking psychology, her voice is fresh and friendly. It will be most welcome to Oprah's large audience of suburban mothers who are currently in need of a guiding light, as long as they're open to advice with a distinctly Christian inflection. --Publishers Weekly

America the philosophical

by Carlin Romano       (Get the Book)
Romano, currently a critic at large for the Chronicle of Higher Education, jabs provocatively at the notion that philosophy is largely irrelevant to American culture by arguing that American culture is actually the planet's most vibrant and important marketplace for ideas. America the Philosophical, he argues, deserves its name precisely because it is a place where anyone can be a philosopher, but all philosophers must prove the relevance and utility of their ideas lest they be shredded, ridiculed, or simply ignored by the pluralistic, cosmopolitan, and unfailingly skeptical American public. To illustrate this, Romano presents a vast and diverse panorama of influential American thinkers everyone from John Dewey and Susan Sontag to Robert Fulghum and Hugh Hefner and reminds readers that the academy has considerable but far from complete influence over American thought, and this is probably a good thing. Like the ancient Greek thinker Isocrates, America the Philosophical rejects esoteric and systematic thinking in favor of truths that emerge through consensus, however elusive or messy it may be in our diverse and opinionated land. Part love letter, part hand grenade, Romano's commentary is sure to delight and infuriate in a way that will underscore its thesis. --Booklist

Special intentions: remembering others in personal prayer

by Claire Coleman     (Get the Book)
Advance praise for Special Intentions "Special Intentionsreminds us of the importance of not simply praying for what we need, but for whatothersneed. Jesus taught us to ask God for our daily bread, but he also asked us to love one another. Commending our friends and families (and co-workers, neighbors, acquaintances and even those who bother us) to the care of God is a key aspect of that love, and an important element of the Christian tradition. "Claire Coleman's sensitive new work will help readers to more fully enter into this rich stream of the spiritual life."-James Martin, author ofMy Life with the Saints "If you've ever offered up a simple 'God help him' at the sight of someone less fortunate, then this book will resonate with your innate sense that prayers have power. Claire Coleman offers a graceful, easy way to benefit others with her beautifully written portraits of those in need. Take her advice, say a prayer for a stranger and make the world a better place." -Patricia Sheridan, Assistant Editor/Features Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "WhileSpecial Intentionsis a beautiful meditative book for the person alone in prayer before God, it likely also will be will be an inspiration for those in prayer groups, and friends who come together to talk about their life's journeys." -Dianne M. Traflet, J.D., S.T.D., Associate Dean, Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology, Seton Hall University "Prayer is a personal experience, but sometimes we need a little reminder. --Publisher

The girl's still got it : take a walk with Ruth and the God who rocked her world

by Liz Curtis Higgs     (Get the Book)
The bestselling author (Bad Girls of the Bible) takes readers on a time travel trip to the biblical world of Ruth. Higgs's contemporary, conversational style provides insight into the themes of strong women, devotion, and faith found in the biblical book. A perfect blend of humor, extensive research, descriptive language, and insightful commentary brings to vibrant life Ruth and her relationships with mother-in-law Naomi and second husband Boaz. Breathe in the smells of ancient Bethlehem; hear the sounds of laborers threshing in the fields; see the emotions on the faces of these women; and understand how God walked with them through their lives. Readers view the events with the help of friendly tour guide Higgs, who provides extremely detailed information in a way that's enjoyable and memorable. Each chapter ends with a "Ruth in Real Life" feature, in which women share personal messages about their husbands, mothers, and daughters-in-law to emphasize the contemporary application of the biblical lesson. The text also includes a map, discussion questions, a study guide, and tips for further reading. --Publishers Weekly

Why does the world exist? : an existential detective story

by Jim Holt    (Get the Book)
Aesthetically, wrote Wittgenstein, the miracle is that the world exists. In his lifelong quest to penetrate this miracle and, so, to explain why there is something rather than nothing, Holt has entertained deep thoughts. Here he invites readers to join him in the intellectual explorations that sustain such thoughts. Readers share in Holt's reflections on how the universe originated, pondering the cosmogonies found in Greek philosophy and Norse mythology and interrogating the theology of creation expounded by Anselm and Aquinas. Though Enlightenment thinkers such as Hume and Kant dismissed the entire question of cosmic origins as an irrelevance, Holt realizes that the modern theory of the big bang has pushed that question inescapably back into view. To cope with the difficulties inherent in modern explanations of cosmic beginnings, Holt seeks out living authorities, such as historian Adolf Grunbaum and physicist Steven Weinberg, probing their views with relentless curiosity. But Holt embeds these animated interviews in a profoundly personal narrative punctuated by insistent life events, such as the abrupt death of his mother. Winding its way to no reassuringly tidy conclusion, this narrative ultimately humanizes the huge metaphysical questions Holt confronts, endowing them with real-life significance. A potent synthesis of philosophy and autobiography. --Booklist

Sincerity : how a moral ideal born five hundred years ago inspired religious wars, modern art, hipster chic, and the curious notion that we all have something to say (no matter how dull)

by R. J. Magill       (Get the Book)
When Sarah Palin told a 2010 radio interviewer that she yearned to connect with the real people, the sincere people, few heard echoes of eighteenth-century romantic Jean-Jacques Rousseau. But Magill did. And here Magill explores the surprising implications of such echoes, tracing the tangled cultural history of sincerity as a moral and emotional ideal. That ideal, readers learn, first emerged in the theological firestorms of the sixteenth-century Reformation but metamorphosed when romantics (Rousseau and Diderot in France; Shelley and Byron in England) invested it with secular meanings in republican politics and emotive literature. But sincerity acquired dark, new connotations when Nietzsche reinterpreted it as a license for ruthless self-assertion, and Freud plumbed its depths for hidden lust and violence. Avoiding the depths, advertisers have transformed sincerity into a marketing formula, while self-help gurus have championed it as a success strategy. No wonder many artists and intellectuals have recast the question of sincerity as one of existential authenticity, while others have retreated into a cagey cynicism! Yet Magill sees Palin as just one of many twenty-first-century Americans on the Left and on the Right who still crave sincerity, even it if they must mask that craving with a hipster's protean irony. A wide-ranging and penetrating cultural inquiry. --Booklist

Battlefield of the mind : winning the battle in your mind

by Joyce Meyer.     (Get the Book)
In her most popular bestseller ever, the beloved author and minister shows readers how to change their lives by changing their minds. This expanded commemorative edition features an additional Introduction and updated material. (Summary)

The honest truth about dishonesty : how we lie to everyone--especially ourselves

by Dan Ariely.          (Get the Book)
The author of Predictably Irrational (rev. ed., 2009) again turns his keen mind to the realm of irrational decision-making, this time in an effort to understand the causes of and reveal interesting ways to limit our seemingly intrinsic capacity for dishonesty. Through a remarkable series of experiments, Ariely presents a convincing case that while we all want to view ourselves as honest, we have a strong desire to reap the benefits cheating brings while continuing to view ourselves as honest, wonderful people. We rationalize our misbehaviors by chalking them up to lack of willpower, the what-the-hell effect, creativity, or even a blatant desire for retribution. Ariely argues that in so doing, however, we increase the fudge factor, a process that produces further dishonesty that can quickly lead to future actions and even become contagious to those around us. Lucid and succinct as always, Ariely ably identifies the primary reasons for dishonesty and adds a few pointers, such as moral reminders, to help us curb future actions. Required reading for politicians and Wall Street executives. --Booklist

What money can't buy : the moral limits of markets

by Michael J. Sandel            (Find the Book)
Should we pay children to read books or to get good grades? Should we allow corporations to pay for the right to pollute the atmosphere? Is it ethical to pay people to test risky new drugs or to donate their organs? What about hiring mercenaries to fight our wars? Auctioning admission to elite universities? Selling citizenship to immigrants willing to pay?In What Money Can't Buy , Michael J. Sandel takes on one of the biggest ethical questions of our time: Is there something wrong with a world in which everything is for sale? If so, how can we prevent market values from reaching into spheres of life where they don't belong? What are the moral limits of markets?In recent decades, market values have crowded out nonmarket norms in almost every aspect of life--medicine, education, government, law, art, sports, even family life and personal relations. Without quite realizing it, Sandel argues, we have drifted from having a market economy to being a market society. Is this where we want to be?In his New York Times bestseller Justice , Sandel showed himself to be a master at illuminating, with clarity and verve, the hard moral questions we confront in our everyday lives. Now, in What Money Can't Buy , he provokes an essential discussion that we, in our market-driven age, need to have: What is the proper role of markets in a democratic society--and how can we protect the moral and civic goods that markets don't honor and that money can't buy? --Summary

The Zen teaching of Huang Po on the transmission of mind : being the teaching of the Zen master Huang Po

by Huangbo.              (Get the Book)
This complete translation of the original collection of sermons, dialogues, and anecdotes of Huang Po, the illustrious Chinese master of the Tang Dynasty, allows the Western reader to gain an understanding of Zen from the original source, one of the key works in its teachings; it also offers deep and often startling insights into the rich treasures of Eastern thought. Nowhere is the use of paradox in Zen illustrated better than in the teaching of Huang Po, who shows how the experience of intuitive knowledge that reveals to a man what he is cannot be communicated by words. With the help of these paradoxes, beautifully and simply presented in this collection, Huang Po could set his disciples on the right path. It is in this fashion that the Zen master leads his listener into truth, often by a single phrase designed to destroy his particular demon of ignorance. --Summary

Ultimate aptitude tests : assess and develop your potential with numerical, verbal and abstract tests

by James Barrett.     (Find the Book)
From the assessment of one's capability of working with abstract visual objects to the measurement of practical verbal skills, this book includes 21 specific psychometric tests. Each of the 8 sections includes a one or two page introduction. The book closes with five pages on calculating one's IQ, including a chart enabling the translation of one's score on the 21 aptitude tests and their integration into a total. --Summary

Comfort : an atlas for the body and soul

by Brett C. Hoover.              (Find the Book) We begin our lives, Hoover points out, in the comfort of the womb, where everything we need is provided for us. And, to a certain extent, we spend the rest of our lives seeking comfort. Drawing on his own experiences and those of others, Hoover explores the notion of comfort from a variety of angles: comfort food, creature comforts, the rise of comfort as a lifestyle (which roughly coincided with the rise of technologies such as running water and indoor heating), the idea of intellectual comfort, and the seemingly paradoxical idea that comfort can be a restraint on us (because, in seeking comfort, we may turn away from challenge). He also explores the cultural relativity of comfort, the idea that different societies place different values on some comfort: some cultures derive comfort from being paid attention to (say, in a hospital setting) whereas others derive it from being left alone. Comfort is one of those concepts that has far more depth and variety than we realize; thankfully, there's this insightful, engaging book to set us straight. --Booklist

Brain wars : the scientific battle over the existence of the mind and the proof that will change the way we live our live

by Mario Beauregard                (Find the Book)
In this exploration of the nature of the mind, neuroscientist Beauregard (psychology & radiology, Univ. of Montreal; coauthor, The Spiritual Brain: A Neuroscientist's Case for the Existence of the Soul) covers a wide range of topics including placebos (and nocebos), neurofeedback, neuroplasticity, psychoneuroimmunology, hypnosis, psi (e.g., extrasensory perception and psychokinesis), near death and mystical experiences, and quantum physics. The 1990s were "the decade of the brain," he writes, and neuroscience remains one of the few largely unexplored scientific frontiers. Discussing imaging technologies, such as functional MRIs, that can noninvasively measure brain activity in new and exciting ways, Beauregard suggests that today's science fiction may become tomorrow's science, particularly in the field of biology. His book makes clear that, in the profound relationship between mind and body, there is a great deal about both that nobody yet knows. VERDICT Provocative and accessible, this book is ultimately less about hard science and more about the mind-body problem and philosophy of materialistic science. It will be of interest to readers of Andrew Newberg's How God Changes Your Brain. --Library Journal

The Aleppo Codex : a true story of obsession, faith, and the pursuit of an ancient Bible

 by Matti Friedman.            (Find the Book)
Written in the tenth century, the Aleppo Codex is the most accurate copy of the Hebrew Bible. Named for the Syrian city in which it was kept, the codex is also known as the Crown of Aleppo and was said to protect those who cared for it and curse those who defiled it. Friedman, a Jerusalem journalist, came across part of the Crown in a museum and decided he wanted to write about it in doing so, he opened a treasure box of history, mystery, conspiracy, and convolutions that would do any biblical thriller proud. There are several intriguing strands in play here. First, there is the history of a vibrant Syrian community, under siege when Israel became a state. Add a cast of academics, spys, merchants, refugees, and bureaucrats, high and low, whose roles in getting the Crown out of Syria and into Israel loop and reloop throughout the narrative. Then there is the ever-evolving topic of the underground market for antiquities, fascinating in itself, but Friedman shows us, in addition, just how much is lost when the very rich purchase rarities and remove them from the public eye. The time line sometimes gets confusing, and so do the players (though an introductory cast list helps), but Friedman has done a remarkable job finding sources and digging through archives of getting the Crown's fascinating story out of the shadows and into the light. In the process, he's become the latest in the long line of the Crown's protectors. --Booklist

The way of the heart

 by Henri J.M. Nouwen.  Since it was first published more than twenty years ago, The Way of the Heart has helped millions of men and women cast off the anger and greed that trouble the world-and find love, compassion, and peace in the heart of God. Inspired by the ancient teachings of St. Anthony and the Desert Fathers, The Way of the Heart clears before us a spiritual path consisting of three stepping-stones: Solitude (learning not to be alone but to be alone with God); Silence (the discipline by which the inner fire of God is tended and kept alive); and Prayer (standing in the presence of God with the mind in the heart). Distinguished theologian Henri Nouwen brilliantly illuminates each of these disciplines. In reflections that are beautifully clear and practical, as uplifting on the fourth reading as on the first, he helps us separate the wheat from the chaff in our spiritual lives-and reconnects us with what truly matters. Within this one small book lies the most relevant and inspiring challenge that we shall ever face: to surrender the compulsive noise of the world for the way of the heart that leads us to God. --Summary (Check Catalog)

Like any normal day : a story of devotion

 by Mark Kram, Jr. During a football game in 1973, Buddy Miley, a promising high-school athlete, was paralyzed from the neck down. In 1997, after a quarter-century of imprisonment within his own body, and with his brother's help, he ended his life. Kram, a sports reporter for the Philadelphia Daily News who has written about Buddy over the years, focuses here not on the morbidities of Buddy's life, but on his close relationship with his brother, Jimmy, who spent years helping Buddy look for a cure and was instrumental in his assisted suicide (even as he harbored some deep misgivings). With a reporter's eye for detail and character, Kram takes what could have been a relentlessly depressing story and turns it into one that is equal parts hope and triumph. A potentially controversial book assisted suicide being a perennially hot-button issue it is genuinely inspiring. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

Almost Amish : one woman's quest for a slower, simpler, more sustainable life

 by Nancy Sleeth. After years of consumption, Sleeth and her family decided to live more simply. From eliminating a car to gardening and line-drying laundry, her life began to resemble that of the Amish-a greener, calmer existence. Sleeth (Go Green, Save Green), cofounder of the nonprofit Blessed Earth, offers ideas for a simplified lifestyle backed by biblical principles and Amish and Mennonite ideologies. In much the same vein as the Mennonite classic Living More with Less (Sleeth wrote an introduction for its anniversary edition), the book serves as a guide for a range of earth-friendly practices.The author idealizes days gone by, when children played outside and respected their elders. "Being behind the times can indeed have its advantages," she writes, as she warns about the use of cellphones, video games, and motorcycles. While Sleeth does not totally condemn progress, the book may not connect with younger audiences for whom technology is an indisputable fact of life. She is at her best when she sticks to the subject of sustainability, an important topic in a down economy. --Publishers Weekly (Check Catalog)

Religion for atheists : a non-believer's guide to the uses of religion

 by Alain de Botton.  Atheism is a form of faith. The convinced atheist believes that there is no god and no supernatural, and that religion is nothing but superstitious bunk. The atheist is therefore unlikely to see that there is a lot that is useful and good in religion. De Botton (How Proust Can Change Your Life), a convinced atheist but a Jew by birth, shows how much of religion is indeed very good and worth keeping, even in a society tending (at least in Europe) toward atheism. There is strong community, for instance, and high art, especially in architecture, painting, sculpture, and music. De Botton discusses these and many other benefits, while rejecting religious doctrine and ritual. He demonstrates his usual urbane, intelligent, and witty prose, always entertaining and worth reading. VERDICT While the educated atheist may have noticed some of the benefits of religion, many of those that de Botton proposes are not obvious. Religious believers may take some of this for granted, but they will also find enlightenment in de Botton's discussions, even if some may think his atheist convictions somewhat smug. Both useful and entertaining, this book will advance amicable discussion among both believers and disbelievers. --Library Journal (Check catalog)

Self-compassion : stop beating yourself up and leave insecurity behind

 by Kristin Neff. Through her encounters with eastern spirituality, Neff, an associate professor in human development at the University of Texas-Austin, began to understand that having compassion for oneself is as important as having compassion for others: "From the Buddhist point of view, you have to care about yourself before you can really care about other people." As Neff defines it, self-compassion has three core components: self-kindness, realizing one's common humanity, and mindfulness. Self-kindness means being gentle and understanding, rather than harshly critical of our own errors. The recognition of common humanity involves feeling connected to others rather than alienated by our suffering. Mindfulness requires "that we hold our experience in balanced awareness, rather than ignoring our pain or exaggerating it." While exploring these three components in depth, Neff weaves in events that inform her own life, such as the "precipice of despair" she felt while struggling emotionally with her son's autism. By sharing such personal anecdotes, Neff helps readers understand how self-compassion can aid them. Neff's compassionate tone makes Buddhist principles accessible, and exercises make them applicable in real life.  --Publishers Weekly (Check Catalog)

Rescuing the Bible from fundamentalism : a bishop rethinks the meaning of Scripture

 by John Shelby Spong.  Spong, an Episcopalian bishop, is tired of the fundamentalist wing of the Church claiming the Bible as their own. He doesn't agree with their narrow interpretation, but his own, more liberal view is sure to provoke discussion and at times cause consternation. He discusses issues that have been raised elsewhere (Is the virginity of Mary based on a mistranslation of the Greek word in the Bible?) and brings forth new interpretations that have only been whispered about (Was Paul gay?). His appraisal of Paul's character is perhaps the most controversial of his positions, but his problems with the Bible and the harsh God it depicts, even in the New Testament, won't be well received in many circles. Spong is not writing to discredit the Bible, the book with which he says he has had a lifelong affair. Rather, he wants to bring it into the twentieth century by focusing on its eternal truths rather than the historical, philosophical, and scientific aberrations that have caused some to discount it entirely. Though he reaches a bit on the Paul issue, Spong offers interesting, well-thought-out ideas that should do what he intends--get people thinking about the Bible. --Booklist (Check Catalog)

Revelations : visions, prophecy, and politics in the book of Revelation

 by Elaine H. Pagels. The preeminent scholar of the early-Christian-period sacred writings found at Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in 1945 uses them as well as the Bible to illuminate the New Testament's last book, which almost wasn't added to the canon because, Pagels explains, it conflicted with the Pauline epistles. For it revived the argument over how Judaistic the Gentiles in the Jesus movement had to be, which Paul had answered conclusively in Galatians. The visionary tract squeaked into the NT only when fourth-century bishops saw that, if the aim of its wrath was shifted from Gentiles and their advocates to those who fit in the new category of heretics, it could help with consolidating the institutional church. But how Revelation made the cut is only one of Pagels' revelations about it. She also discloses the extent to which it extrapolates from the prophetic tradition of Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel; its status as one of many similarly visionary texts, typically also called Revelation and more Gnostic, found at Nag Hammadi; its primary purpose as anti-Roman propaganda intended to rally continuing Jewish resistance after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem; and its modern role in fostering hope in the face of seemingly ultimate cataclysm. A lot for so little a book to do, but, thanks to Pagels' sublimely fluent exposition, not too much. --Booklist (Check catalog)

Married for real : building a loving, powerful life together

 by Eddie George.  Eddie and Tamara George are living the American dream together. From humble backgrounds, they have each risen to national prominence. In "Married for Real," Eddie and Tamara draw on their personal stories to guide readers to a more successful marriage. --Summary (Check Catalog)

Let it go : forgive so you can be forgiven

 by T.D. Jakes.  “Forgiveness is a big idea and it works best when it is invested into people who have the courage to grasp the seven-foot-high idea of what’s best for their future rather than the four-foot-high idea of recompense for what has happened in their past,” Jakes writes in Let It Go. This book explores forgiveness as an idea and at the same time offers specific and clear actions for readers who seek to apply the idea in their daily lives. Offenses are a part of life, he says. But conflicts can be resolved and relationships do have a future, if we learn how to forgive. No matter how great or small the injustice, Jakes shows how the matter can be put behind you for the sake of a better tomorrow if you can Let It Go. --Summary (Check Catalog)

God's jury : the Inquisition and the making of the modern world

 by Cullen Murphy.  In 1998, the Vatican opened the Archivio della Congregazione per Dottrina della Fede, the Inquisition archive, thereby unveiling to the world the secrets of censorship and persecution that the Catholic Church had hidden since the Middle Ages. Journalist Murphy (The Word According to Eve) visits the archives several times and in his typically compelling style leads readers on a journey through the many inquisitions conducted by the Church over time, from the Spanish Inquisition to the Roman Inquisition of the 16th century. Murphy convincingly demonstrates that while the inquisitions most often are associated with the Church, they arise anytime an organization, state, or institution possesses and uses tools-such as censorship and torture-to stoke and manage suspicion, intolerance, and hatred of the other. Inquisitions require a system of law that can be administered with uniformity, the power to conduct interrogations and extract information, a bureaucracy with a large staff of individuals to administer it, a capacity to restrict the communications of others, and a source of power to ensure enforcement. Murphy powerfully shows that the impulse to inquisition can quietly take root in any system-civil or religious-that orders our lives. --Library Journal (Check Catalog)

The sacred art of forgiveness : forgiving ourselves and others through God's grace

 by Marcia Ford.  Forgiveness-a simple concept that is complex and difficult to live out-is basic to most all spiritual paths. Ford (Memoir of a Misfit) helps iron out the complexities by sharing personal and historical stories of real people who forgive, giving scriptural encouragement for forgiveness and providing questions and practice exercises at the end of each chapter. What's more, she does all this with an inviting, witty tone reminiscent of a chat with a friend over coffee. Her stated purpose is to provide a book on forgiveness that stresses the spiritual connection we foster with God when we forgive. In doing so, she puts the Divine in the forefront. We forgive because God shows us how: "God wrote the book on the sacred act of forgiveness." Although our call is always to forgive, Ford recognizes the thorniness of forgiving someone who is persistently abusive. "Anyone who tries to make you believe that forgiveness always requires reunion is someone who neither understands forgiveness nor has your best interests at heart," she explains. This primer belongs in the hands of anyone who needs to give or receive forgiveness. --Publishers Weekly (Check Catalog)

The better end : surviving (and dying) on your own terms in today's modern medical world

 by Dan Morhaim.  As a practicing physician, Morhaim (health medicine & policy, Johns Hopkins Univ.; delegate, Maryland General Assembly) has watched the detrimental effects that end-of-life procedures have on dying patients, their families, and the medical personnel who care for them. He has made it his personal mission to urge patients to prepare advance directives-legal documents that convey decisions about end-of-life care ahead of time-to improve the comfort and quality of a dying patient's care. Using real-life examples and minimal medical jargon, he describes in detail how many common emergency procedures, like CPR, are implemented and comments on the pros and cons of each. A resource list provides links to general resources on palliative care, hospice, organ donations, and alternative funerals. Also included is a state-by-state list of advance directive resources. Verdict Morhaim's book should take some of the mystery out the critical care and end-of-life process. Though a bit pricey, this slim volume can be read in a few hours. A good introduction not bogged down with detail, this book will prepare readers to discuss this very important topic. --Library journal (Check Catalog)

A brief history of thought : a philosophical guide to living

 by Luc Ferry. No dry academic, Ferry restores to philosophy a compelling urgency. That urgency, manifest in the probings of the ancient Stoics and still animating the strivings of postmodern phenomenologists, springs from the need to surmount the fear of death and to find meaning in life. As he traces the evolution of philosophy, from Crates' demonstration of harmony in the cosmos by making love to his wife in public, to Husserl's discovery of transcendence in a six-sided matchbox, Ferry highlights philosophers' commitment to formulating a theory of the world, identifying means of knowing truth within that theoretical world, and finding ways to live wisely. Insistent that those performing this three-fold task cannot be guided by divine grace, Ferry joins Nietzsche in rejecting salvation of the immortal soul in heaven. Yet he glimpses philosophic salvation in this world in the wisdom that post-Nietzschean humanists develop through love. In rejecting faith, albeit with surprising wistfulness, Ferry parts company even with believers, including Augustine, Kant, and Pascal, from whom he has learned much. But in a conclusion that warns against both dogmatism and skepticism, readers will sense Ferry's abiding solidarity with all who seek horizons large enough to encompass human perplexities and corresponding human hopes! --Booklist (Check Catalog)

Smart trust : creating prosperity, energy and joy in a low-trust world

 by Stephen Covey. Smart Trust is without doubt one of the most powerful and seminal books of our age" (Warren Bennis). After illustrating the global relevance of trust with his book The Speed of Trust by selling more than one million copies in twenty-two languages, Stephen M. R. Covey again illuminates the hidden power of trust to change lives and impact organizations in Smart Trust . In a compelling and readable style, he and long-time business partner Greg Link share enlightening principles and anecdotes of people and organizations that are not only achieving unprecedented prosperity from high-trust relationships and cultures but--even more inspiring--also attaining elevated levels of energy and joy. The sustainable success these leaders and enterprises are exhibiting is paradoxically being produced in what has proved to be the lowest trust climate in years, if not decades. --Publisher (Check Catalog)

The mighty weakness of John Knox

 by Douglas Bond. The book is a profile of the great Scottish reformer John Knox. It focuses on the extraordinary power with which he ministered and the extraordinary things he accomplished despite being physically ill and weak, making the point that he found his strength in the Lord. We hope it will introduce readers to one of the most fascinating figures of the Reformation, filling a large void in popular-level books on Knox. We also hope it will challenge readers to draw near to God for the strength they need in their walk with God. --Summary (Check Catalog)

Real marriage : the truth about sex, friendship, and life together

 by Mark Driscoll. High-profile pastor Driscoll and his wife, Grace, have not only pulled back the curtain on the condition of marriage but have opened wide the door to their own home, taking readers into arguments, dating life, mistakes, and healing in their own marriage. While written from a theological point of view, they also did their homework in a wide range of therapeutic marriage books and have done thousands of hours of counseling and teaching marriage seminars along with their regular teaching in their Seattle church, Mars Hill. This is a book about married friendship, sexuality, healing broken marriages, and "reverse engineering" a marriage that will last-beginning with a vision of the end result and working back toward that. It includes no-holds-barred chapters on sex-how Mark held sex as "god" and Grace as "gross" and how they together discovered sex as a "gift" from God. The Driscolls' Neo-Reformed views come shining through, with much emphasis on sin's role in wrecking marriages today and Christ's role in redeeming them. Taken to heart and put into practice, this boldly refreshing approach can change couples across America by letting God do the changing. --Publishers Weekly (Check Catalog)

Through the year with Jimmy Carter : 366 daily meditations from the 39th president

 by Jimmy Carter. In Through the Year with Jimmy Carter, the thirty-ninth President of the United States takes you on a unique journey into the heart of the Christian faith. Based on more than three decades of practical Bible teaching, these readings draw from the riches of God's Word and the compelling experiences of Mr. Carter's own life. Whether through fascinating glimpses into behind-the-scenes activity at the White House, or insightful remembrances of his career in the U.S. Navy, Mr. Carter never ceases to connect the wisdom of Scripture with your own crucial place on the stage of life. Frank, honest, sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, and always relevant, Through the Year with Jimmy Carter challenges readers to be more Christ-like every day of their lives. --Summary (Check Catalog)

Aging as a spiritual practice : a contemplative guide to growing older and wiser

 by Lewis Richmond. Although this is a user's guide to aging well written from the perspective of a Buddhist priest and meditation teacher, you don't have to be a Buddhist or, for that matter, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or even a believer to appreciate its very helpful reflections. The crux of the book is the simple declarative sentence, Everything changes. The first truth of Buddhist teaching and the first truth of aging are the same. As Richmond poignantly observes, Everything we love and care about . . . will change, transform, and eventually pass away. Richmond believes this potent idea need not be depressing. On the contrary, it can be positive and transformative. Each chapter explores a specific facet of the aging process, from a discussion of the stages of aging to the science of healthy aging, and concludes with a series of contemplative reflections. Included are stories of ordinary people, some of whom like growing old and others who do not. In addition, Richmond offers examples of contemplative Buddhist practices. An effective primer. - --Booklist (Check Catalog)