Spirituality and Religion
September 2020

Recent Releases
Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured...
by Kristin Kobes Du Mez

What it is: a thought-provoking and well-researched history of evangelicalism in America, from the charismatic tradition that emerged in the early 1900s to the modern Religious Right.

Why you should read it: Besides its connection to our current social and political dynamics, inside are intriguing arguments about the role of gender in the development of the evangelical movement. 
The King of Confidence: A Tale of Utopian Dreamers, Frontier Schemers, True Believers...
by Miles Harvey

Introducing: Lawyer and committed atheist James Strang, who disappeared from his small New York town in 1843 only to reemerge as part of the fledgling Latter-Day Saint movement, eventually declaring himself Joseph Smith's successor.

Read it for: the surprising moments of dark humor that come from the truly farcical nature of parts of Strang's story, including forgery, piracy, and creating a private kingdom for himself on an island in Lake Michigan.
The Buddhist on death row : how one man found light in the darkest place
by David Sheff

Explores the spiritual transformation of death-row inmate Jarvis Jay Masters, describing the brutal suffering that led him to the discipline of meditation and his embrace of the philosophies of Buddhism. 100,000 first printing.
White Christian privilege : the illusion of religious equality in America
by Khyati Y. Joshi

"White Christian Privilege" explores the illusion of religious equality in America"
Buddhist Thought
Radical Compassion: Learning to Love Yourself and Your World with the Practice of RAIN
by Tara Brach

What's inside: an accessible guide to learning mindfulness skills, with a focus on developing self-compassion through an easy-to-remember "RAIN" technique -- Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture.  

About the author: Mindfulness teacher Tara Brach hosts an eponymous weekly meditation podcast and her previous books include Radical Acceptance, True Refuge, and Healing Traumatic Fear.
Advice Not Given: A Guide to Getting Over Yourself
by Mark Epstein

What it's about: the combined positive effects of Buddhist teachings and psychotherapy techniques on an individual's struggles with self-doubt and unrealized potential.

Topics include: managing the ego, coping with destabilizing life events, and the importance of taking advice but drawing your own conclusions from it.

About the author: Mark Epstein is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and has published other books on Buddhism and psychology, such as Going to Pieces Without Falling Apart and The Trauma of Everyday Life.
The Art of Living: Peace and Freedom in the Here and Now
by Thích Nhất Hạnh

What it is: an inspiring and thought-provoking guide to mindful living from one of the world's foremost Buddhist figures, peace activist and monk Thich Nhat Hanh.

Why you should read it: With new books about mindfulness published every day that increasingly remove meditation from its traditional context, The Art of Living is refreshingly grounded in Buddhist thought and practice.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
Culpeper County Library
271 Southgate Shopping Center
Culpeper, Virginia 22701
540-825-8691

www.cclva.org
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