The world's religions

by Huston Smith    (Get the Book)
Huston Smith's masterpiece explores the essential elements and teachings of the world's predominant faiths, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the native traditions of Australia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. Emphasizing the inner--rather than the institutional--dimension of these religions, Smith devotes special attention to Zen and Tibetan Buddhism, Sufism, and the teachings of Jesus.He convincingly conveys the unique appeal and gifts of each of the traditions and reveals their hold on the human heart and imagination. (Summary)

The gift of years : growing older gracefully

by Joan Chittister    (Get the Book)
Well-known in Catholic circles for her willingness to take on anybody--even the pope--in defense of women's rights, Chittister, now in her 70s, examines how it feels "to be facing that time of life for which there is no career plan." Clearly, getting older has not diminished the controversial nun, activist, lecturer and author of nearly 40 books on feminism, nonviolence and Benedictine wisdom. This collection of inspirational reflections, "not meant to be read in one sitting, or even in order, [but] one topic at a time," abounds in gentle insights and arresting aphorisms: "'Act your age' can be useful advice when you're seventeen; it's a mistake when you're seventy-seven." Beginning each short chapter with a trenchant quotation ("'It takes a long time,' Pablo Picasso wrote, 'to become young'"), she ponders topics such as fear, mystery, forgiveness and legacy. Old age is rich for those who choose to thrive, not wither: "We can recreate ourselves in order to be creative in the world in a different way than the boundaries of our previous life allowed." --Publishers Weekly

Toxic charity : how churches and charities hurt those they help (and how to reverse it)

by Robert D. Lupton    (Get the Book)
Americans are a generous people. Individually and as a nation, we contribute money, goods, and countless volunteer hours in order to address needs both here and abroad. Yet poverty, hunger, unemployment, and lack of economic opportunity continue to plague individuals and communities the world over. Lupton, with many years of experience in urban renewal, argues that the lack of better results lies not in our good intentions but in our charitable activities themselves. We hurt those whom we seek to help. When relief does not transition to development in a timely way, compassion becomes toxic. Immediate needs such as food, clothing, and shelter should surely be met. Subsequent efforts must empower those less fortunate to do for themselves, lest we create a culture of dependence that is dehumanizing. Lupton chronicles examples of good intentions gone awry and examines charitable activities that are resulting in transformative outcomes. Compassion must be both long-term and results oriented if it is to be successful. A must-read book for those who give to help others. --Booklist

Running with the pack : thoughts from the road on meaning and mortality

by Mark Rowlands    (Get the Book)
The dancing thoughts that appear to philosophy-professor Rowlands during his runs, and the rhythm and value of those runs themselves, make for a meditative read. Rowlands incorporates work by philosophers from Aristotle to Wittgenstein with his own musings, leading to ruminations on topics as diverse as midlife crises, evolution, and the meaning of life, love, and mortality. He recalls his runs on both sides of the Atlantic with various canine companions, including Brenin, featured in his previous book The Philosopher and the Wolf (2009). You don't need to be a runner to enter the philosophical investigations in this book, although you do have to be willing to follow the author on his rambling, sometimes repetitive, musings. The runs are recalled with clarity, capturing both the agony and exhilaration of the experience, and connect to his thoughts through, for instance, relating the phases of a marathon to certain philosophers. Rowlands, more critical than starry-eyed, still brings deep feeling to his work. Cerebral and heartfelt, this memoir uses one man's history on the road as a foundation to investigate universal experiences. --Booklist

Stitches : a handbook on meaning, hope and repair

by Anne Lamott    (Get the Book)
Lamott's (Help, Thanks, Wow) latest inspirational title explores how we can find significance in the face of pain or disaster. Readers are guided by an older, wiser Lamott than we met 20 years ago, when Operating Instructions was published. This narrator is not afraid to say that she has learned a few things, and that there are not "shortcuts to wisdom and self-knowledge. . I so resent this." This is also vintage Lamott: funny, brilliantly self-deprecating, and insightful. Characteristically, she ruminates about needing help to get through life, and about finding your family in a group of people who love you and who are not necessarily your blood kin. Indeed, faithful readers may be disappointed by the extent to which Lamott reprises earlier themes-as in Traveling Mercies, Lamott here quotes C. S. Lewis on forgiveness and says it is best to start with something small; she rehearses a vignette she previously told in a novel. Still, Lamott succeeds at using "some of Christianity's language and symbols" to offer spiritual truths that will reach beyond a church audience, and the delights of this new offering outweigh the frustrating repetitions. --Publishers Weekly

Moral tribes : emotion, reason, and the gap between us and them

by Joshua David Greene    (Get the Book)
The human brain processes morality automatically, influenced by evolution, culture, and experience but with a capacity for deliberate reasoning that allows for nuance, much needed in our increasingly complex world. Greene, a philosopher and scientist, draws on research in psychology and neuroscience to explore the roots of morality, particularly the tragedy of commonsense morality, when people of different races, religions, ethnic groups, and nationalities share the same sense of morality but apply it from different perspectives in whose differences lie the roots of conflict. Us-versus-them conflicts date back to tribal life. Greene analyzes the structure of modern moral conflicts on a wide spectrum of issues, from global warming to Obamacare to economic policy, and also the structure of our moral brains. Conflicts stem from a lack of moral philosophy, a problem pondered by philosophers since the Enlightenment. Greene ends with a vision of universal moral philosophy, a metamorality that crosses, racial, religious, ethnic, and national boundaries. Greene's strategies for examining moral reasoning are as applicable to day-to-day decisions as they are to public policy. This is a highly accessible look at the complexities of morality. --Booklist

The reason for my hope : salvation

by Billy Graham    (Get the Book)
Graham (Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well), in his mid-90s, is known the world over for his evangelical Bible crusades, which have attracted millions over the 70 years of his preaching career. His latest book coincides with an extensive campaign by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association that will cover North America in the fall of 2013. Here Graham comes full circle, writing about the core beliefs underlying his life's work. The gospel, simple and plain, is presented along with discussions on the themes of rescue, redemption, and hope. As is typical, Graham includes relevant stories and anecdotes (along with Bible verses sprinkled throughout) that help to convey the contrast between what he believes the Bible says with what modern society says about the Christian faith and hope. In the afterword, Graham offers an altar call of sorts and explains how to come to Christ. VERDICT Fans of Graham will welcome another chance to hear from him. Although simplistic for seasoned Christians and a little old-fashioned for young people, this straightforward book will benefit those seeking a deeper understanding of the evangelical Christian faith. Recommended for public libraries and those with a Christian faith collection. --Library journal

How to train a wild elephant : and other adventures in mindfulness

by Jan Chozen BaLeave no trace. The value of accomplishing this axiom when using just one room of our home. work space or just about any place, may be far more than we can imagine.This is just one of 53 lessons that can foster mindfulness offered by author Bays, a pediatrician, meditation teacher, and abbess of Great Vow Zen Monastery in Oregon. These exercises resonate with our deepest desire to leave the world no worse than we found it and include eliminating unnecessary words from speech, offering true compliments, abstaining from cell-phone use, eating without distraction, praying while waiting, walking backward, and using a nondominant hand. The exercises vary dramatically, but all manage to bring consciousness to actions we often take for granted. The book also contains inspirational quotes from Zen masters. An uplifting read for the solitary practitioner and a great workbook for meditation groups and friends wanting to get the most out of life. --Booklist    (Get the Book)

You'll get through this : hope and help for your turbulent times

Mark Lukado    (Get the Book)
New York Times best-selling author Lucado uses the Old Testament's Joseph to illustrate that, no matter what happens, we fare better facing challenges with God's help. Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery, but he made the best of his circumstances by looking out for others, avoiding seduction, remaining honest, and staying true to his heart and intuition. After two decades, he progressed from prisoner to prince of Egypt. For those facing difficult times job loss, illness, loss of a loved one, accident, divorce maintaining integrity may seem out of reach, but Lucado offers countless examples of those who have done just that and reaped untold rewards. He insists that what kept these individuals rock solid was the understanding that God was with them. Lucado also touches upon several universals: understanding your specific calling and destiny, absorbing God's grace, doing what's morally right, the benefits of gratitude, the power of forgiveness, and the importance of making a life plan. With this book, and maybe the intercession of the divine, those facing tough times can make it through. --Booklist

All in : you are one decision away from a totally different life

by Mark Batterson    (Get the Book)
While leading a growing ministry on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the author (The Circle Maker) preaches and teaches about the committed life of faith. He sees the Christian life as "playing offense" in the community, living each day with integrity and hope that the world can be changed. "Success is spelled stewardship, and stewardship is spelled success," he writes. Taking examples from his congregation, National Community Church, Batterson examines the faith journeys of lay people who have been able to make a difference in an inner-city church. Using the scriptures, he makes a convincing argument that Christians need to move from beyond the pew to put faith in action. According to the author, good works are the fruit of a strong belief system. The tough decision about putting faith into action is one that each person in the community needs to make. This is an exciting text for the Christian reader and should appeal to those who need a boost in their faith. --Publishers Weekly

Killing Jesus : a history

by Bill O'reilly    (Get the Book)
"Millions of readers have thrilled to bestselling authors Bill O'Reilly and historian Martin Dugard's Killing Kennedy and Killing Lincoln, page-turning works of nonfiction that have changed the way we read history. Now the anchor of The O'Reilly Factor details the events leading up to the murder of the most influential man in history: Jesus of Nazareth. Nearly two thousand years after this beloved and controversial young revolutionary was brutally killed by Roman soldiers, more than 2.2 billion human beings attempt to follow his teachings and believe he is God. Killing Jesus will take readers inside Jesus's life, recounting the seismic political and historical events that made his death inevitable - and changed the world forever."--Provided by publisher.

The case for the Psalms : why they are essential

by N.T. Thomas    (Get the Book)
Wright (Simply Christian) preaches on the page. He knows the Bible about as well as he knows his name, and on this go plumbs the Psalms, the biblical book a songwriter such as Bob Dylan might have written had he lived a long, long time ago. The Psalms sing, praise, curse, and offer a view of a relationship to God that is by turns humble and assertive, joyful and mournful. Wright offers an insider's appreciation; it helps to have some familiarity with this remarkable group of prayers, because Wright quotes liberally, as if his interpretation will be obvious as soon as he cites the passage he is exegeting. Wright's deep knowledge is in New Testament, not Old, yet few readers will want to quarrel; the book is not addressed to scholars, although its origin is a gathering of pastors and theologians. Rather, the author's reflections are pastoral, urging the reader to understand and then pray and sing the Psalms. Reading is easier, and more rewarding, if a Bible is nearby to provide context and references. --Publishers Weekly

But where is the lamb? : imagining the story of Abraham and Isaac

by James E. Goodman   (Get the Book)
For centuries, theologians, philosophers, and others have struggled with the 19 lines of Genesis 22 that Jews call the binding of Isaac and Christians refer to as the sacrifice of Isaac. No one has found a definitive answer to the questions of why Abraham was so ready to follow God's command that he kill his son or why Isaac agreed to be bound on the altar. Unlike other analysts, Goodman is a historian and a writer. Accordingly, his book focuses on the chronicle of the story, beginning with when and by whom it was written. He proceeds to analyze the explanations that have been given by Jews, Christians, Muslims, and others, including contemporary interpretations. Obviously fascinated by the story, Goodman demonstrates great prudence in not offering his explanation but in asserting that the story has many meanings. This refreshing restraint along with the author's writing skills make his contribution an important addition to the libraries of commentaries about Abraham and Isaac that vainly strive to explain what is ultimately unfathomable. --Publishers Weekly

7 : an experimental mutiny against excess

by Jen Hatmaker    (Get the Book)
The central principles of living a Christian life, like tithing, fasting, and prayer, might get short shrift from some people but not Hatmaker (A Modern Girl's Guide to Bible Study). The wife of a pastor at Austin (Texas) New Church aims for a more saintly life by cutting back on possessions, food, stress, and other excesses with funny and lively writing that can get overly self-deprecating. Her goal is to convince the reader that a simpler life is a godlier one, which lends a sanctimonious element to some of the writing. Other parts are earnest and moving, such as the final chapter, in which the book drops snarky humor to offer sincere appreciation for prayer, even if the subject matter is divided between prayer and the couple's adoption of two Ethiopian children. For Christians who desire to live out their New Year's resolutions year round, this is worth reading. --Publishers Weekly

Positive words, powerful results : simple ways to honor, affirm, and celebrate life

by Hal Urban   (Get the Book)
Although we live in an ocean of words, we rarely acknowledge their power to uplift or put down, to inspire or discourage, to help or hurt. But in this jewel of a book, Hal Urban -- parent, award-winning teacher, and author of the classic Life's Greatest Lessons -- shows us simple and immediate ways that we can use language to change lives -- both our own and those around us. (Summary)

Soil and sacrament : a spiritual memoir of food and faith

by Fred Bahnson     (Get the Book)
Bahnson (Making Peace with the Land) is outstanding in his field. Now director of the Food, Faith, and Religious Leadership Initiative at Wake Forest University School of Divinity, Bahnson has spent a lot of time in a lot of fields. He developed his field studies into essays of depth and inspiration, humility and, yes, frustration, for he is dealing with the earth and the fullness-or dratted emptiness-thereof. More specifically, he deals with soil (not dirt), a living organism that "both craves life and wants to produce more life, even a hundredfold." With Christians, he plants in Mepkin Abbey in South Carolina at Advent, plows the Lord's Acre in North Carolina at Eastertide, and fertilizes Tierra Nueva in Washington State at Pentecost; with Jews, he harvests during Sukkot at Adamah Farm in Connecticut. Like Anne Lamott's spiritual writing, Bahnson's essays introduce people of deep faith, imprisoned pasts, ticklish humor, and hope-filled vision, farmer/priests being church by feeding the hungry and praying in the dirt. --Publishers Weekly

Zealot : the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth

by Reza Aslan    (Get the Book)
In his notes section, Aslan (creative writing, Univ. of California, Riverside; No god but God) remarks that he is heavily indebted to John Meier's multivolume A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus. Like Meier, Aslan analyzes historical information from first-century Palestine in order to situate Jesus within the turbulent social and political context of his time, appreciating the man for who he really was: one of many itinerant peasant preachers and teachers who sought to reinvigorate the Judaism of his day with eschatological and spiritual fervor. Aslan takes a somewhat dim view of Pauline Christianity, arguing that Paul's concept of a divine, cosmic Christ is at odds both with the Jerusalem church of James, brother of Jesus, and with the Gospel of John. Likewise, Paul's approach, Aslan believes, is at odds with sacred Jewish norms, e.g., circumcision, and with eyewitnesses who saw Jesus as reviving Judaism. But following the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 CE, claims Aslan, "the Christ of Paul's creation utterly subsumed the Jesus of history," giving the world the Christianity we have today. This perspective is hardly new but is accessibly and strongly presented here. VERDICT Readable and with scholarly endnotes, Aslan's book offers a historical perspective that is sure to generate spirited conversation. For Christian history buffs of all stripes. --Library Journal

Think : a compelling introduction to philosophy

by Simon Blackburn    (Get the Book)
Sensing that many people are daunted by the big questions in philosophy, university professor Blackburn supplies this primer. Its capital weapon is logic, but Blackburn shrewdly postpones discussing that until he explores such areas as the self, free will, the reality of sensory perception, and God. Doubt, either initially or continually, infuses anyone who reflects on those spheres, and Blackburn illustrates ways to begin thinking about them by using the example of Descartes. Descartes gave yes answers to the question of whether the four spheres exist or not, through a logical process with which, after Blackburn has mapped it out, one can agree or not. One spoil sport was eighteenth-century philosopher David Hume, and Blackburn deploys further disputations of Descartes' beliefs, as in mind-body dualism. Blackburn does, however, subscribe to a species of free will, which he describes as "revised compatibilism." Finding out its definition is sufficient reason to consult Blackburn's book, written with exemplary concision and with conviction that philosophy needn't be an ethereal subject, alienated from practical concerns. --Booklist

Against the current : essays in the history of ideas

by Isaiah Berlin    (Get the Book)
In this outstanding collection of essays, Isaiah Berlin, one of the great thinkers of the twentieth century, discusses the importance of dissenters in the history of ideas--among them Machiavelli, Vico, Montesquieu, Herzen, and Sorel. With his unusual powers of imaginative re-creation, Berlin brings to life original minds that swam against the current of their times--and still challenge conventional wisdom. In a new foreword to this corrected edition, which also includes a new appendix of letters in which Berlin discusses and further illuminates some of its topics, noted essayist Mark Lilla argues that Berlins decision to give up a philosophy fellowship and become a historian of ideas represented not an abandonment of philosophy but a decision to do philosophy by other, perhaps better, means. "His instinct told him," Lilla writes, "that you learn more about an idea as an idea when you know something about its genesis and understand why certain people found it compelling and were spurred to action by it." This collection of fascinating intellectual portraits is a rich demonstration of that belief.

Putting philosophy to work : inquiry and its place in culture-essays on science, religion, law, literature, and life

by Susan Haack    (Get the Book)
This engaging and wide-ranging collection of essays is informed and unified by the conviction that philosophy can, and should, engage with real-world issues. Susan Haack's keen analytical skills and well-chosen illustrations illuminate a diverse range of cultural questions; and her direct style and wry sense of humor make complex ideas and subtle distinctions accessible to serious readers whatever their discipline or particular interests. Putting Philosophy to Work will appeal not only to philosophers but also to thoughtful scientists, economists, legal thinkers, historians, literary scholars, and humanists. This new, expanded second edition includes several previously unpublished essays: a devastating critique of Karl Popper's highly (and dangerously) influential philosophy of science; a searching and thought-provoking analysis of scientism; and a groundbreaking paper on "academic ethics in a preposterous environment" that every professor, and would-be professor, should read.

50 philosophy classics : thinking, being, acting, seeing : profound insights and powerful thinking from 50 key books

by Tom Butler-Bowden    (Get the Book)
From Aristotle to Wittgenstein and Zizek, 50 Philosophy Classics provides a lively entry point to the field of philosophy. Analyses of key works by Descartes, Schopenhauer, Hegel, Heidegger, and Nietzsche also show how philosophy helped shape the thinking and events of the last 150 years. The list also includes 20th century greats including de Beauvoir, Foucault, Kuhn, and Sartre, along with contemporary philosophy including the writings and ideas of Peter Singer, Noam Chomsky, Harry Frankfurt, and Nassim Nicholas Taleb. 50 Philosophy Classics explores key writings that have shaped the discipline and impacted the real world. From Aristotle, Plato, and Epicurus in ancient times, to John Stuart Mill s manifesto for individual freedom and Ralph Waldo Emerson s struggle to understand fate as person versus the universe. Most notably, Butler-Bowdon takes readers beyond the twentieth century to introduce contemporary thinkers like Slavoj Zizek, who suggests that the fight for food and water, a biogenetic revolution, and social indicate the apocalyptic end of global liberal capitalism. 

Al-Ghazzali on patience and gratitude

Al-Ghazzali discusses the virtues of patience and gratitude in great detail using examples from the Quran and the Traditions (ahadith). Patience is considered to be half of faith and is necessary at all times in all situations according to al-Ghazzali. He explains how one can gain patience. In regard to the virtue of gratitude, he explores its opposite of ingratitude, the true nature of blessings, how knowledge is good and ignorance is evil and blessings and their various degrees. This is Book XXXII of Part Four of the Alchemy of Happiness entitled The Deliverers. Considered as one of the great books of the muslim world. (Summary)   

What went wrong : how the 1% hijacked the American middle class...and what other countries got right

by George R. Tyler    (Get the Book)
In his first book, Tyler, a former Clinton administration deputy assistant Treasury secretary, slams popular acquiescence to low wages, imperious CEOs, and diminished national net worth. He contrasts the pursuit abroad of "family capitalism"-a doctrine of healthy compensation, job retraining, and productivity growth-with the increasing income disparities in the U.S. that destroy economic mobility and perpetuate poverty. Tyler identifies the Reagan era and its free-market dogma as the beginning of the reversal of middle-class growth, but sees little change since then. He argues that a first step toward recovery would be to boost the wages of lower-income households; he cites Australia and Europe as examples showing that prosperity and living wages are complementary, not contradictory. Whatever the merits of his proposals, the array of data he presents justifies popular apprehension about America's future. The key issue is not big government vs. small government, he maintains, but rather the distribution of wealth. While Tyler's recommendations seem hard to achieve, he provokes outrage with his impassioned portrait of an America where job security is a relic of the past. --Publishers Weekly

Not a fan : becoming a completely committed follower of Jesus

by Kyle Idleman    (Get the Book)
"When it comes to Jesus, I am not a fan." That is the attention-snagging message megachurch pastor Idleman hopes readers are repeating by the end of this book. Addressing all Christians-including himself, Idleman writes that "the biggest threat to the church today is fans" who admire Jesus but aren't fully committed to being followers. Using Biblical examples and 11 startlingly honest testimonials from present-day followers, the author shows that being a Christian requires sacrifice and an all-consuming commitment to Jesus. Though his message is a direct challenge to the reader, Idleman offers humor and conversation instead of guilt and condemnation. He takes old themes (e.g., take up your cross, suffer for a greater purpose) and repackages them with natural wit and 21st century relevance. The meat of this succinct message could be lost if the titular catchphrase becomes yet another T-shirt slogan. But if readers latch onto the deeper meaning, they could find themselves reevaluating everything from their careers to their relationships. A refreshing read to recharge apathetic churchgoers. --Library Journal

The society of timid souls : or, how to be brave

by Polly Morland    (Get the Book)
British documentary filmmaker Morland takes readers on an expansive philosophical inquiry into the nuanced qualities of timidity and courage. With a mix of cheerful camaraderie and robust curiosity, she reports on individuals in widely diverging circumstances that try their courage or cowardice. Her choices range from veterans of the war in Afghanistan and big-wave surfers to a computer scientist with ALS and an opera singer heckled at La Scala. As she wades through thorny moral and ethical issues, Morland also delves into etymology, making frequent use of major writers and thinkers who have pondered the value of courage. Another tricky notion Morland tackles is whether selfless acts trump self-serving, high-risk adventures like high-wire walking and scaling skyscrapers. Occasionally, it seems as if she is comparing apples and oranges, but generally Morland steers deftly through touchy areas like the role of non-violent yet courageous actions. Her well-chosen examples are thought-provoking, and her refusal to offer a pat answer opens dialogue that will continue long after the book ends, making it a great choice for book clubs and classrooms. --Publishers Weekly

Once upon a time : discovering our forever after story

by Debbie Macomber    (Get the Book)
Debbie Macomber has inspired readers with her stories for decades. Now for the first time, she helps each of us to understand that life is a story, part of a grand narrative that God is writing day by day. With chapters that cover the importance of literary elements such as characters, setting, backstory, and conflict, Macomber uses the structure of a story to illustrate God's hand in our lives. Each chapter has a storytelling prompt--a searching question that will help frame our story--and a sidebar that pulls an idea out of the chapter and expands it with practical tips. Once Upon a Time shares Debbie's love of story and helps showcase the big picture of the story God is writing through us.   (Summary)

Mindfulness for beginners : reclaiming the present moment--and your life

by Jon Kabat-Zinn     (Get the Book)

In his latest book, Kabat-Zinn (founder, Stress Reduction Clinic & Ctr. for Mindfulness, Univ. of Massachusetts Medical Sch.) simplifies the approach to mindfulness he presented in his notable Wherever You Go, There You Are and makes it more inviting for beginners. He provides mindfulness teachings and over 40 practices for those interested in meditating to reduce stress, reenergize the body, clear the mind, and bring compassionate attention to situations and relationships. Kabat-Zinn thoroughly discusses the how-tos of mindfulness and offers several guided meditations with an accompanying CD (not heard by this reviewer). The brief, straightforward chapters make this book a valuable entry point for meditation novices. --Library Journal

Happier endings : a meditation on life and death

by Erica Brown    (Get the Book)
Living well seems to be the fixation of every disposition and discipline; there is never a shortage of opinions. Dying well, however, has traditionally fallen to the philosopher. Confronting death head on, Brown (Inspired Jewish Leadership) illustrates a practical stance on approaching the unknown. We all will die, so why avoid the inevitable? But why expedite it as well? Despite America's youth-obsessed and aging-averse culture, significant progress is being made in the field of thanatology (the study of death), and Brown establishes her place among the heavyweights of the field-even suggesting an additional stage to Kubler-Ross's five stages of death: inspiration. As the dark matter of life, death affects many aspects of everyday living; the financial, in the booming and discomforting "death industry" and embalming dedicated to preserving remains; the medical, with treatments aimed at delaying the inevitable; the spiritual, serving the contemplation of the soul; and the ritualistic, with detailed traditions surrounding death and mourning. Fear and death don't present themselves as the most ideal topics for a life-affirming book, but Brown manages to overcome negativity in her effort to create happier endings, for the living and the dying. --Publishers Weekly

Mindfulness for beginners : reclaiming the present moment--and your life

by Jon Kabatt-Zinn     (Get the Book)
In his latest book, Kabat-Zinn (founder, Stress Reduction Clinic & Ctr. for Mindfulness, Univ. of Massachusetts Medical Sch.) simplifies the approach to mindfulness he presented in his notable Wherever You Go, There You Are and makes it more inviting for beginners. He provides mindfulness teachings and over 40 practices for those interested in meditating to reduce stress, reenergize the body, clear the mind, and bring compassionate attention to situations and relationships. Kabat-Zinn thoroughly discusses the how-tos of mindfulness and offers several guided meditations with an accompanying CD (not heard by this reviewer). The brief, straightforward chapters make this book a valuable entry point for meditation novices. --Library Journal

Peirce : a guide for the perplexed

by Cornelis de Wall     (Get the Book)
Charles Sanders Peirce, the founder of pragmatism, is a hugely important and influential thinker in the history of American philosophy. His philosophical interests were broad and he made significant contributions in several different areas of thought. Moreover, his contributions are intimately connected and his philosophy designed to form a coherent and systematic whole. Peirce: A Guide for the Perplexed is a clear and thorough account of Peirce's life and thought, his major works and ideas, providing an ideal guide to this important and complex thinker. The book introduces all the key concepts and themes in Peirce's thought, exploring his contributions to logic, pragmatism, truth, semiotics and metaphysics and demonstrating how his ideas developed into a coherent system of thought. Geared towards the specific requirements of students who need to reach a sound understanding of Peirce's ideas, the book serves as a clear and concise introduction to his philosophy. This is the idea companion to study of this most influential and challenging of thinkers. (Summary)

On heaven and earth : Pope Francis on faith, family, and the church in the twenty-first century

by Pope Francis    (Get the Book)
"New York Times" Bestseller From the man who became Pope Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio shares his thoughts on religion, reason, and the challenges the world faces in the 21st century with Abraham Skorka, a rabbi and biophysicist. For years Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Argentina, and Rabbi Abraham Skorka were tenacious promoters of interreligious dialogues on faith and reason. They both sought to build bridges among Catholicism, Judaism, and the world at large. On Heaven and Earth, originally published in Argentina in 2010, brings together a series of these conversations where both men talked about various theological and worldly issues, including God, fundamentalism, atheism, abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia, same-sex marriage, and globalization. From these personal and accessible talks comes a first-hand view of the man who would become pope to 1.2 billion Catholics around the world in March 2013. (Summary)

Intuition pumps and other tools for thinking

by Daniel Dennett    (Get the Book)
Dennett (philosophy, Tufts Univ.; Consciousness Explained) thinks of intuition as ideas that have a central place around which other ideas hang. His phrase, "intuition pumps," refers to the philosopher's tools used to push such ideas to their limits. He argues that intuitions are either pushed aside and replaced with new ones, or they survive and become even more firmly rooted. According to Dennett, some of these tools are formal (the reductio ad absurdum), others are informal (various rhetorical fallacies), and still others resemble thought experiments. He introduces these general philosophical tools and then moves to a discussion of topics in which he is well known, such as evolution, consciousness, free will, etc. The author's weakness is lack of analysis; however, the concept of intuition pumps is in general provocative and makes for an entertaining intellectual appetizer. VERDICT Dennett shows himself again to be both avuncular to the curious and confrontational with opposing scholars. General readers and professionals should find him most engaging. --Library Journal

The four agreements : a practical guide to personal freedom

by Miguel Ruiz    (Get the Book)
Ruiz's explanations of Toltec-based cosmography got a major boost recently when publishing pooh-bah Oprah Winfrey mentioned his work on her TV show. Ruiz, whose workshop teachings are distilled here, was born into a Mexican family of traditional healers, became a surgeon in adulthood, then underwent a near-death experience that made him reexamine his life, his beliefs. Like the popular works of the late Carlos Castaneda, Ruiz's teachings focus on dreams and visions. "Dreaming," Ruiz argues, "is the main function of the mind." A series of four "agreements" are detailed, which make up a larger picture of unconditional human faith. Despite the New Age- sounding language, Ruiz is refreshingly clear in the presentation of his ideas. Reading aloud, actor Coyote sounds every bit the enthusiastic old hippie, genuinely excited by the concepts he is spinning. Based on the 1997 Amber-Allen edition. --Publishers Weekly

A Muslim primer: beginner's guide to Islam

by Ira G. Zepp    (Get the Book)
Zepp (emeritus, religious studies, Western Maryland Coll.) has written and now updated a superb introduction to Islam for the non-Islamic reader, including a brief history of the Prophet Muhammad and his ideas, the beliefs of Islam, divisions within the community, the role of women, and other topics. Scarcely less useful and informative are short sections on Islamic art, medicine, science, and architecture and hints for dialog between Islam and other religious traditions. The general reader could hardly do better than Zepp's thoughtful and careful primer. Highly recommended. --Library Journal

The religious beliefs of America's founders : reason, revelation, and revolution

by Gregg L. Frazer    (Get the Book)
The debate over the religious beliefs of the founders of the American Republic continues to rage between the deist camp and Christian evangelicals, as characterized by David Barton's recently discredited The Jefferson Lies (2012). Making a claim for a via media between deism and orthodox Christianity, Frazer (Master's College, Santa Clarita, California) here proposes a distinctly new category he refers to as "theistic rationalism." "Theistic rationalists" drew upon theologians such as Unitarian Joseph Priestley and Anglican divine Samuel Clarke, for whom the acceptable doctrines of Christianity served the purpose of giving a due regard for God and his creation and facilitated the system of rewards and punishments that bound man in the transcendent realm while heightening his moral sense and benevolence toward his fellow man. Frazer argues that the key founders valued religion not for any truths delivered by divine revelation or as a means to salvation but because of its "laudable effects," which included providing a foundation for public morality. In summary, Frazer has skillfully marshaled a considerable amount of evidence in support of his new category of revolutionary-era religious belief and added more fuel to an already intense discourse. --Choice

Clean : overcoming addiction and ending America's greatest tragedy

David Sheff     (Get the Book)
Sheff's bestselling Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction flipped the script on the traditional first-person addiction memoir, painting an agonizing portrait of what one family went through when its "beautiful boy," Nic Sheff, descended into years of methamphetamine addiction, deceit, and relapse. By the final page, he had been clean for a full year. But while the story may have ended for Sheff's family, the tragedy continues for the 20 million Americans who are currently addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. Thus, Sheff the elder is back; in his latest, he takes a macro look at the micro problem detailed in Beautiful Boy, to examine the state of addiction and addiction treatment-sadly lacking, he finds-in the U.S. today.As Sheff sees it, the chief impediments to preventing and treating addiction are the same ones that existed when Alcoholics Anonymous was founded 78 years ago: the stigma associated with addiction, and the belief that drug abuse is a choice, rather than a disease. --Publishers Weekly

Plato for everyone

by Avieser Tucker    (Get the Book)
In this adaptation, University of Texas philosophy professor Tucker (Our Knowledge of the Past) updates five of Plato's most resonant dialogues by recasting the scenes and topics around a modern Socrates. Affixing Socrates to a series of contemporary backdrops and replacing his toga with a fatigued t-shirt and jeans, Tucker seeks to break the ice between 21st century students and the philosopher whose nuanced meaning and humor are too often lost on contemporary readers. This revitalization project works best regarding situational shifts (grounding Socrates' social contract theory in his decision to obey draft orders) and conceptual translations (construing the Greek arte as all-American coolness). Anachronisms and detail contradictions, however, can prove distracting. Justin Bieber and President Obama typify cool, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito serve to demonstrate Socrates' rule of opposites, but a cool housewife, in this mash-up of New York City and a Greek agora, is one who obeys her husband and cool guys are known to patronize the "discos". Though it presents a mottled cultural timeframe, the book does accomplish its primary aim: fleshed out with references to latter-day conveniences and modern history, Socrates' theories of epistemology, pure ideas, and much more translate clearly. --Publishers Weekly

The myth of persecution : how early Christians invented a story of martyrdom

by Candida R. Moss   (Get the Book)
Countering politicians' and interest groups' claims that Christians are as persecuted now as they were before Roman emperor Constantine legalized Christianity (313 CE), Moss, an expert on martyrdom, shows how right they are by demonstrating how wrong they are. They're wrong, first, when they say martyrdom is particularly Christian, for the early martyrdom literature is, besides wildly improbable, modeled on accounts of the deaths of Socrates and other philosophers, of noble Roman suicides like Lucretia, and of faithful-unto-death Jews in the Maccabean period. Christians experienced anything resembling persecution in a mere 12 nonconsecutive years between Jesus and Constantine; only in the last bout of so-called persecution were Christians targeted, and even then it was for political nonconformity, not religion. Eusebius, the early-fourth-century historian of the faith, invented the still-prevalent concepts of persecution and martyrdom to bind the faithful together in support of the rising institutional church. The downside to this effort was that it encouraged among Christians an us-versus-them, all-or-nothing attitude that can lead to violence, for example, against abortion providers. Historical argumentation at its most cogent. --Booklist

Faith, doubt, and other lines I've crossed : walking with the unknown God

by Jay Bakker    (Get the Book)
Bakker (Son of a Preacher Man) calls his latest book "a chronicle of my doubt." The son of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, televangelists tainted by scandal in the 1980s, Bakker outlines his struggles with his childhood faith and offers a vision of Christianity based on unconditional love, radical forgiveness, and full embrace of the Other. The pastor of a church that meets in a bar, Bakker has a special place in his heart for the GLBTQ community and offers a spirited biblical defense for the acceptance of sexual difference. He expresses a faith that encourages questions and emphasizes relationships rather than rules. Bakker writes in a simple, down-to-earth style as he counters the focus on exceptionalism, exclusion, sin, and guilt that dominate some forms of evangelical Christianity. Like fellow evangelical Rob Bell, Bakker doesn't believe in a God who would consign people to hell for all eternity. Love trumps justice; participating in community trumps official church membership; compassion trumps dogma. His book should appeal to seekers, youth, and all who are searching for a loving and forgiving Christianity. Publishers Weekly

The Lord is my shepherd : resting in the peace and power of Psalm 23

by Robert J. Morgan    (Get the Book)
Beginning with the words The Lord is my shepherd, the Bible's Psalm 23 is perhaps the most memorized of any psalm. Recited by soldiers in the heat of battle, by families praying for the safety and recovery of loved ones, and by others needing courage and hope, the psalm has calmed and inspired people for countless generations. Best-selling author Morgan makes a solid case for studying the psalm's verses in order to relieve anxiety and gain a sense of peace. He offers several real-life examples of how the words have served people facing difficult times. Beyond analyzing the poem as a metaphor that likens God to a compassionate shepherd, Morgan shares fascinating anecdotes about life with several sheep he and his family have raised as pets. Many of these heartwarming accounts relate to the virtues of the compassionate and nurturing leadership exhibited by shepherds of the Bible. By recognizing the treasures to be found in a single psalm, this book supports important reflection and provides great comfort. Keep this by your bedside for a good night's sleep. --Booklist

The way of the wise : simple truths for living well

by Kevin Leman    (Get the Book)
Tradition holds that King Solomon in all his wisdom gave humankind the Proverbs. The author (Have a New Kid By Friday) focuses on just the first six verses of the third chapter of the Old Testament book. "God gives us the ability to get on the right path if we've been on a wrong one," writes Leman (Have a New Kid by Friday). The author leads the reader on a spiritual journey through the simplest chapter of the Bible. Leman is a psychologist who examines the human heart in light of how people live every day. He begins one chapter telling the children's story of the three little pigs to demonstrate the effects of stress in relationships with Jesus and God. Believers must be on a constant and diligent journey of faith. Prosperity in a world of hurt creates for the Christian an opportunity to serve in the world. This is a book for active Christians to deepen their faith through the study of a simple but profound scripture from the Hebrew Bible. Leman is an affable teacher, and his words should appeal to anyone looking for a delightful short Bible study. --Publishers weekly

The Vatican diaries : a behind-the-scenes look at the power, personalities, and politics at the heart of the Catholic Church

by John Thavis    (Get the Book)
Thavis, who covered the Vatican for 30 years as a journalist, has written an insider's account chronicling some of the people, issues, and scandals that have made headlines over the years. The press hasn't always been flattering, nor are some of the details Thavis recounts, such as the Vatican's inaction when repeatedly apprised of allegations of sexual abuse of teenage seminarians by the founder of the Legion of Christ religious order. Though sympathetic to the Church, Thavis doesn't stray very far from his journalistic roots. He presents the facts, leaving the editorial conclusions to be drawn by the reader. Although much of the book's content will be of most interest to Catholics, the chapter titled Sex, which addresses condoms, AIDS, and homosexuality, will surely command a wider audience. In the end, we are left with a more nuanced understanding of the Vatican, an institution Thavis describes as marked more by human flair and fallibility than ruthless efficiency. The clergy sex-abuse scandal, however, may well belie the latter part of that assessment. --Booklist

Immortal diamond : the search for our true self

by Richard Rohr    (Get the Book)
How well do we know ourselves? So many roles and identities shape individual lives that it's easy to be confused about what is authentically "us." Rohr, a Franciscan priest and founding director of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, N.Mex., leads a narrative excursion to the "True Self," the core of character that lies like a diamond buried within. Writing for secular seekers, the author claims that individuals need to allow the false self to fall away in order to get in touch with the true self, allowing it to breathe and flourish. Grasping onto the superficial identities of the false self, such as job, class, race, or accomplishments, can keep people from being the loving and generous conduits of the Divine that they are meant to be. God is always communicating with humans, but those who cling to ego and social position can't hear these divine messages. The author makes clear that it is not easy to shed this falseness for truth in the inner life, but it is a spiritual path well worth the effort. --Publishers Weekly

Is God happy? : selected essays

by Letzec Kolakowski   (Get the Book)
The late Kolakowski was a philosopher of many gifts. Chief among them was his ability to imbue his philosophical reflections with his life experiences, making his work not only accessible but also exciting to read, especially by nonacademics and those untrained in the Western philosophical tradition. Born in Poland, in 1927, he lived through the German occupation of WWII and much of the Communist totalitarian state that followed, witnessing firsthand some of the greatest evil of the twentieth century. The essays selected for inclusion here demonstrate his vast range. The collection's title is taken from the title of an essay in which Kolakowski offers his unique analysis of the age-old problem of reconciling human suffering with a compassionate god. The same freshness and originality are found in the other essays, which address such topics as natural law, totalitarianism, truth, history, and reason, along with selections from his withering critiques of Marxism. This is philosophy at its best; namely, engaging, thoughtful, timely, challenging, and eminently readable. --Booklist

The book of Genesis : a biography

by Ronald S. Hendel    (Get the Book)
Genesis is the first book of the Bible. Even those who haven't read it are familiar with its contents stories about the creation of the world, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and Noah's ark. Collectively, these stories make up a foundational text of Western civilization that has shaped our perception of reality by offering a unique conception of God, humanity, the nature of the world, and the interrelationships of all three. Hendel's biography of Genesis like The Dead Sea Scrolls, opposite, part of the Lives of Great Religious Books series, begins with the birth of the book among the ancient Israelites. He then traces subsequent interpretations, both figural-allegorical and plain sense, over the centuries, examining the work of Luther, Spinoza, Emily Dickinson, and Franz Kafka, among others. Though remaining a text of religious significance, Genesis is also viewed as a collection of ancient legends. Either way, Hendel's engaging and accessible account reminds us that Genesis remains an astonishing book of marvelous realism and the root from which we came. --Booklist 

The first Muslim : the story of Muhammad

by Lesley Hazelton    (Get the Book)
It is surprising how little most people know about the life of the prophet Muhammad. Hazleton sets out to rectify that in this eminently readable biography. Relying on two biographies from the eighth and ninth centuries, as well as other sources, she presents Muhammad's life as both history and story. It begins with a moving scene: Muhammad alone in the barren mountains, at night, praying and waiting. Who he is and how he came to be there are revealed in chapters that show him as an orphan in need of protection, as a young camel driver appreciated for his fairness, as a prophet touched by Allah, and as a political leader driven to bring the message to all those with ears to listen. The beauty of Hazleton's book is that she portrays Muhammad throughout his life as a living, breathing man with the hopes, fears, struggles, and the monumental blessing and burden of knowing he has received divine knowledge. Does she delve into psychology to bring about a fully realized portrait? Yes, but respectfully so, posing more questions than she answers. A highly readable, insightful biography. --Booklist

True refuge : finding peace and freedom in your own awakened heart

by Tara Brach    (Get the Book)
In this richly detailed, hopeful book, Brach (Radical Acceptance) draws from the Buddhist concept of taking refuge to address unhappiness caused by the "trance of small self." The author, a clinical psychologist and founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, D.C., argues that cultivating "presence"-an embodied awareness-can lead to healing. "Our ultimate refuge is none other than our own being," she writes. A key mindfulness practice, RAIN-an acronym for recognize, allow, investigate inner experience, and nonidentification-guides exploration of difficult emotions to enhance openness, acceptance, and joy. Brach's discussions of such topics as anger, forgiveness, trauma, obsessive thoughts, self-compassion, and loss are marked by acute observations and careful distinctions. Throughout she illustrates the path to wholeness with the experiences of her meditation students and therapy clients, as well as her own journey toward "loving life no matter what," particularly with ongoing physical limitations. Guided meditations are included in each chapter. Rather than presenting a case for classic Buddhism, Brach grounds therapeutic goals for emotional health in Buddhist principles. This accomplished example of spiritual self-help offers a gentle path for change in the face of suffering.  --Publsiher's weekly

Going clear : Scientology, Hollywood, and the prison of belief

by Lawrence Wright     (Get the Book)
Pulitzer winner Wright (The Looming Tower) expands and carefully footnotes his investigation of Scientology, which began as a 2011 New Yorker article examining the defection of acclaimed screenwriter-director Paul Haggis from the church. The book-length version offers-in persuasive, albeit sometimes mind-numbing, detail-an eye-opening short biography of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and a long-form journalism presentation of the creature Hubbard birthed: a self-help system complete with bizarre cosmology, celebrity sex appeal, lawyers, consistent allegations of physical abuse, and expensive answers for spiritual consumers. Wright capably sows his thorough reportage into ground broken by Janet Reitman (Inside Scientology, 2011). He poses larger questions about the nature of belief, but can only lay groundwork because he has to fight to establish facts, given the secrecy and controversy surrounding Scientology, and his eyewitnesses are necessarily disenchanted and therefore adversarial. While Wright's brave reporting offers an essential reality test, an analysis of why this sci-fi and faith brew quenches a quasi-religious thirst in its followers is still needed. --Publishers Weekly

Jews and words

by Amos Oz   (Get the Book)
Oz and his daughter, a historian, combine their considerable talents to examine the role words and language have played in binding the Jewish people to their heritage. Although neither is religious (nor, for that matter, a believer), both find rich meaning in the words of the Bible (as well as the commentaries that followed). They theorize that the reason Judaism has survived is more about texts than faith, with controversy built into them from the start. Exhibiting eye-popping feats of literary scholarship and stunning swoops into the minds of writers, readers, and rabbis, the authors clearly relish the richness of their topic. The familar subjects are here (the role of humor in Jewish writing), but the duo goes much further than expected. What about the important part questions have played in the writings, starting with Genesis? A wonderful chapter recounts the role of women writers and shows how the author of Song of Songs might have been female. The text grapples with what it means to be a Jew, especially with God optional, and how Judaism might never have survived without the decision of fathers and mothers to impress the importance (and sweetness) of learning on children early and often. This is a book to read, think about, and discuss because, as the ending notes, every time we read a text, we author it in our own image. --Booklist

The happy life : the search for contentment in the modern world

by David Malouf   (Get the Book)
Even as we lament a sluggish economy, economic uncertainty, or even global warming, we are free of the kind of illness and famine common to earlier eras. So why aren't we happier? Why doesn't the good fortune of the times outweigh the bad? Australian author Malouf offers a penetrating meditation on happiness, quoting thinkers and philosophers from Kant to Plato, from Aristotle to Locke. He gives close examination to Thomas Jefferson's thinking in developing the Declaration of Independence with its famous evocation of the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and the significance of that evocation at the time and since. Malouf draws on etymology, psychology, religion, and philosophy to explore the meaning of happiness in a developed society, when greater freedom and leisure afford the luxury to ponder what makes us truly happy. In this slim volume, Malouf eloquently weighs the appeal of material goods and well-being against the heft of morality and individual longing for something we can't always articulate.