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. 
 
Also available in eAudiobook on Hoopla
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.
An Appeal to the World: the Way to Peace in a Time of Division
by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Franz Alt

What it is: A concise, inspiring contemplation of some of the most important-yet-contentious issues dividing people today, from one of the world's most revered spiritual leaders.

Why you should read it: The co-author, German journalist Franz Alt, first began covering the Dalai Lama 35 years ago, and in that time has developed a unique rapport with His Holiness that makes reflecting on weighty ethical topics feel a bit more accessible. 
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.


 
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!