Spirituality and Religion
July 2024

Recent Releases
Soul by Soul: The Evangelical Mission to Spread the Gospel to Muslims
by Adriana Carranca

In her English-language debut, Brazilian journalist Adriana Carranca takes a deep (and sometimes dangerous) dive into the world of evangelical missionary work in Muslim-majority countries. Don't miss: the examination of the social dynamics and hierarchies within rapidly globalizing evangelical movements as they grow away from their homogenous, North American roots. 
Now and Not Yet: Pressing in When You're Waiting, Wanting, and Restless for More
by Ruth Chou Simons

With vulnerability, warmth, and relevant examples from both scripture and her own experiences, When Strivings Cease author Ruth Chou shares her advice for keeping the candle of hope and faith burning when the desire to get more out of life is limited by circumstances beyond our control.
Do It Anyway: Don't Give Up Before It Gets Good
by Tasha Cobbs Leonard

Part memoir and part motivational guide, this heartwarming debut from Grammy award-winning gospel singer Tasha Cobbs Leonard is filled with moving and inspiring reflections on how her faith in God's plans for her life gave her the courage to pursue the "impossible" in her professional and personal lives. 
In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face-To-Face With the Idea of an Afterlife
by Sebastian Junger

After a visceral near-death experience raised existential questions he had never previously considered, award-winning journalist and author of The Perfect Storm and Tribes Sebastian Junger shares his candid reflections on navigating this unanticipated shift in his worldview. 
Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart
by Brian D. McLaren

Readers interested in the intersections between their faith and the looming specter of climate change will want to check out this thought-provoking and surprisingly inspiring analysis of the detrimental effects of modern social structures on the planet, with examples from scripture of ways to meet potential calamity without succumbing to despair.
As Long as You Need: Permission to Grieve
by J.S. Park

Drawing on years of experience as a hospital chaplain, The Voices We Carry author J.S. Park reflects on familiar patterns of grieving and encourages readers to allow themselves however much time and space are needed to process grief in the healthiest ways possible.
Being Muslim Today: Reclaiming the Faith From Orthodoxy and Islamophobia
by Saqib Iqbal Qureshi

Political scientist and Fellow at the London School of Economics Dr. Saqib Iqbal Qureshi provides this thought-provoking yet accessible appraisal of the state of modern Islam, with the aim of dispelling prevailing misunderstandings about the faith perpetuated by Islamophobia and strict orthodoxy alike.
The Devil's Best Trick: How the Face of Evil Disappeared
by Randall Sullivan

Drawing as much from the conventions of true crime as from social history and folklore, journalist Randall Sullivan examines the pervasive nature of concepts of the Devil (and lowercase-D devils) across an array of cultures and how depictions of the satanic have changed over time.
Lotus Girl: My Life at the Crossroads of Buddhism and America
by Helen Tworkov

In this candid and engaging first memoir, writer and editor Helen Tworkov recounts her journey to and in Buddhism, explores the development and spread of Buddhism in the West; and reflects on her spiritually formative experiences with figures such as writer Joseph Goldstein, musician Charles Mingus, and the Dalai Lama himself.
Rift: A Memoir of Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy
by Cait West

With great candor and thoughtfulness, podcast host Cait West shares this unflinching account of what it was like to grow up in a religiously oppressive, emotionally neglectful family with parents whose primary concern was enforcing a rigid gender binary, with an emphasis on perpetuating the unequal, patriarchal power dynamics that aligned with their faith. 
 Contact your librarian for more great books!
Contact your librarian for more great books!
Sonoma County Library
707-545-0831www.sonomalibrary.org