|
Spirituality and Religion July 2020
|
|
|
|
Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife by Bart D. Ehrman What it is: An accessible and thought-provoking look at historical conceptions of heaven and hell across continents, cultures, and faiths.
Topics include: The Epic of Gilgamesh, Homeric Hades, Plato's views on the idea of an immortal soul, and what the Bible actually says about the afterlife.
About the author: Noted biblical scholar Bart D. Ehrman is the author of numerous books about early Christianity, including Misquoting Jesus and Jesus Before the Gospels. | | Thin Places: Essays from in Between by Jordan Kisner What it is: Pushcart Prize-winner Jordan Kisner's thoughtful and engaging essays about her roller coaster teenage relationship with Christianity, with reflections on similar trends in American society as a whole.
Topics include: The religious ripple effects of American attitudes toward race; discomfort with the body; Mormon social media influencers; hip young pastors who "could be J. Crew models;" and Kierkegaard's relationship with doubt. | | The Knights of Columbus: An Illustrated History by Andrew T. Walther and Maureen H. Walther What it's about: the history of American Catholic religious order the Knights of Columbus, which was established in Connecticut during the Gilded Age.
Who it's for: readers interested in the immigration of Catholics to the United States; anyone looking for insider information (as both authors have ties to the organization that give them unique access). | | Anchor and Flares: A Memoir of Motherhood, Hope, and Service by Kate Braestrup What it is: The popular author's candid, bittersweet memoir detailing the intersections of her Christian faith, work as a chaplain, inclusive social beliefs, and her role as a mother (and stepmother).
Reviewers say: "Sensitive and wholesomely charming" and "another appealing, tenderhearted memoir braiding faith and family" (Kirkus Reviews). | | Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution by Mona Eltahawy What it is: A well-researched, impassioned critique of difficulties faced by women in parts of the Arab world, with an exploration of their social and religious origins and the continued efforts of women to advocate for themselves.
Is it for you? Egyptian-American author Mona Eltahawy isn't afraid to discuss distressing topics in depth, from her own experiences with sexual harassment and assault to the difficult-to-eradicate practice of genital mutulation. | | The Witches: Suspicion, Betrayal, and Hysteria in 1692 Salemby Stacy Schiff What it's about: The road to and fallout of the notorious witch trials that took place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692.
Read it for: The analysis of the social, political and religious forces that created the perfect circumstances for paranoia and superstition to spiral out of control.
Author alert: Guggenheim fellow and Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Schiff has also written biographies of historical and cultural notables such as Cleopatra, Vera Nabokov, Benjamin Franklin, and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. | |
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
|
|
|