| I Felt the End Before It Came: Memoirs of a Queer Ex-Jehovah's Witness by Daniel Allen CoxWhat it's about: author Daniel Allen Cox's experiences growing up as a Jehovah's Witness and how the group's strong distinctions between who is "in" and who is "out" continue to effect his life even after leaving.
Read it for: the engaging, incisive writing and the self-aware sense of humor.
Reviewers say: "This thoughtful rendering will captivate those with ties to the religious group and literary memoir fans alike" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Unearthed: A Lost Actress, a Forbidden Book, and a Search for Life in the Shadow of the... by Meryl FrankWhat it is: a timely and sobering account of Jewish life before the Holocaust, a family's reckoning in its wake, and the responsibility to remember decades later.
Is it for you? Unearthed has something to offer Jewish and non-Jewish readers alike, especially those who appreciate family mysteries and reflections on generational trauma.
Try these next: Chasing Portraits by Elizabeth Rynecki; A Mortuary of Books by Elisabeth Gallas. |
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| Disruptive Thinking: A Daring Strategy to Change How We Live, Lead, and Love by T.D. JakesWhat's inside: a persuasive and affirming call to embrace the power of going against the grain when pursuing personal, professional, and spiritual breakthroughs.
Read it for: the discussion of periods of social upheaval and the fertile ground for creativity those moments can bring about (e.g. the legendary music of the 1960s and 70s).
Reviewers say: "Jakes is as charismatic as ever and bolsters his arguments with convincing personal anecdotes" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Oral Roberts and the Rise of the Prosperity Gospel by Jonathan RootWhat it's about: the life, work, and legacy of televangelist Oral Roberts, and how his ministry paved the way for modern prosperity theology.
Why you should read it: Author Jonathan Root takes a scholarly approach to his subject, presenting a well-researched and informative portrait of a controversial religious leader.
Don't miss: the discussion of Roberts' early life during the Great Depression and how it impacted his future career. |
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| Living Theravada: Demystifying the People, Places, and Practices of a Buddhist Tradition by Brooke Schedneck
What it is: a thoughtful and richly detailed foundational guide to Theravada Buddhism, the dominant school of Buddhism throughout Southeast Asia.
Who it's for: readers new to Theravada; anyone interested in the tradition's impact on art, culture, and modern life.
Did you know? The word "Theravada" translates to "the way of the Elders" in Pāli, the language of the most complete early Buddhist canon scriptures. |
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| The Sullivanians: Sex, Psychotherapy, and the Wild Life of an American Commune by Alexander StilleWhat it's about: the transformation of a secular group, the Sullivan Institute for Research in Psychoanalysis, into an insular cult.
When and where: Manhattan and Long Island, NY from 1950s to the early 1990s.
Reviewers say: "Doggedly researched and thoroughly compassionate, this is a page-turning exposé" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Christian Supremacy: Reckoning with the Roots of Antisemitism and Racism by Magda TeterWhat it is: an incisive, thought-provoking examination of how the rise of racism and antisemitism intertwines with the history of Christianity.
Read it for: the valuable look at the cultural and political context in which Christian theology has developed over time, spanning the Roman Empire, the Reformation, and the modern era.
About the author: Magda Teter is a history professor at Fordham University whose previous books include Sinners on Trial and Blood Libel. |
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| When the World Didn't End by Guinevere TurnerWhat it's about: the traumatic childhood of American Psycho screenwriter Guinevere Turner, who was raised in the cult known as the Lyman Family or the Fort Hill Community.
For fans of: Orthodox by Deborah Feldman; Educated by Tara Westover.
Reviewers say: "A moving portrait of a bizarre childhood written with emotional nuance and bittersweet deliverance" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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