In her many years as a Hospice nurse and administrator, Trudy Harris has witnessed countless end-of-life experiences, including that of her own father. In Glimpses of Heaven, Harris collects and shares the stories of the final days of 44 patients, and in the process offers insight into what both the dying and their loved ones want to know and hear. As a primer on what the living can learn from the dying, this is an excellent choice, but it's also likely to provide comfort and support for those who are going through--or have gone through--similar experiences.

The idea of original sin--that people are born with a predisposition to evil--has been around in various guises for millennia; this cultural history traces the debate that rages over the doctrine. Well-respected professor and author Alan Jacobs examines how the philosophy has been expressed, not only in modern Western and Christian traditions, but also in ancient and non-Christian writings (such as Homer's Iliad or in tales from Nigeria). He also addresses the people and movements that sought to prove or deny it. Booklist calls his work "a brilliantly illuminating, deeply thought-provoking intellectual journey."

Critically acclaimed author Karen Armstrong traces the origins and history of religious traditions during the 9th century B.C.E. (known as the Axial Period) as she compares Confucianism and Daoism in China, Hinduism and Buddhism in India, monotheism in Israel, and philosophical rationalism in Greece. She also examines the roles that Buddha, Socrates, Confucius, and Ezekiel played in the development of these major belief systems. This "utterly enthralling reading experience" (Booklist) is for readers with an interest in religious history and the comparative study of world religions.

Anyone interested in current events, regardless of religious background, should know at least a little about Abraham. He is, after all, the patriarch common to three major world religions that are often in the news: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. To learn more about Abraham from an interfaith perspective, bestselling author Bruce Feiler traveled to the Middle East to visit the war zones, ancient shrines, and other locations central to his story. The result is a "quietly brilliant" book that combines "theological meditation with adventurous travelogue and sly wit" (Booklist). Readers who enjoy Abraham may also want to check out a few of Bruce Feiler's other books, such as Walking the Bible and Where God was Born.

From 1604 to 1611, a group of about 50 scholars, clergymen, poets, and translators worked together to create an English translation of the Bible commissioned by King James I. Known as the King James Bible, it was not an instant hit, though it has become the Bible's most influential English translation. In bringing the history of this particular translation to light, author Adam Nicolson explores both the religious and political contexts of the time, and shares insight into the characters of the men involved--a diverse group, by all accounts. Anyone interested in the history of the King James Bible or about the age in which it came about will be pleased by this "indispensable" (Booklist) book.