Religion & Spirituality

In this collection we've gathered fiction and nonfiction texts that address humanity's age-old search for meaning and purpose within a higher power.

Hinds’ Feet on High Places

by Hannah Hurnard

Publication year 1955

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Fear, Love

Tags Christian, Symbolic Narrative, Psychology, Religion & Spirituality, Self-Improvement, British Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Hannah Hurnard’s 1955 novel Hinds’ Feet on High Places is an allegorical portrayal of purgation, progress, and ascent within the spiritual life. Born to Quaker parents, Hurnard struggled with her faith in her youth but experienced a powerful conversion at the age of 19. Inspired, she gained theological training in England and went on to author almost two dozen books over the course of her life, including a sequel to Hinds’ Feet entitled Mountain of... Read Hinds’ Feet on High Places Summary

Hind Swaraj

by Mahatma Gandhi

Publication year 1909

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Truth & Lies

Tags Politics & Government, Religion & Spirituality, Education, Education, Asian Literature, World History, Philosophy, Philosophy, Indian Literature, Classic Fiction

Hind Swaraj, or Indian Home Rule, by Mohandas K. “Mahatma” Gandhi, was published in 1909 and inspires people in India to work for independence from British colonial control. The book outlines Gandhi’s critique of Britain’s domination of India; it urges the Indian people to reject English customs, laws, and industry in favor of traditional Indian ways. Gandhi also encourages India to reject armed conflict and instead adopt a policy of nonviolent, passive resistance.Hind Swaraj is... Read Hind Swaraj Summary

Hōjōki

by Kamo no Chōmei

Publication year 1212

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Loneliness, Place, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Philosophy, Religion & Spirituality, Natural Disaster, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, World History, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

... Read Hōjōki Summary

Holy the Firm

by Annie Dillard

Publication year 1977

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Good & Evil, Art

Tags Religion & Spirituality, Science & Nature, Philosophy, Philosophy

SummaryHoly the Firm is a 1977 book on Christian spirituality by American naturalist and author Annie Dillard. Dillard, whose 1974 Pilgrim at Tinker Creek won the 1975 Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction, is often championed for her ability to describe and narrativize the natural world. In Holy the Firm, Dillard applies this ability to what happened during a three-day period on an island in Puget Sound. Dillard ultimately stayed on this Island for two years... Read Holy the Firm Summary

Home

by Marilynne Robinson

Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Guilt, Forgiveness, Fate, Equality, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Grief & Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

... Read Home Summary

Home Before Dark

by Riley Sager

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Self Discovery, Guilt, Memory, Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Regret, Revenge, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Good & Evil, Safety & Danger, Appearance & Reality

Tags Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Science Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

... Read Home Before Dark Summary

House Of Leaves

by Mark Z. Danielewski

Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Satirical Literature, Postmodernism, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Religion & Spirituality

Mark Danielewski’s 2000 debut novel, House of Leaves, is an experimental text that contains multiple layers of narration. It is a type of frame story: the top frame, or layer, follows the life of Johnny Truant after he finds Zampanò’s manuscript The Navidson Record, with this manuscript acting as House of Leaves’ second layer. Zampanò’s manuscript analyzes the third layer of House of Leaves: a documentary of the same name filmed by Will Navidson. The... Read House Of Leaves Summary

How Does It Feel?

by Jeneane O'Riley

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Love, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Sexual Identity, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Plants, Family, Mothers, Self Discovery, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror & Suspense, Fairy Tale & Folklore, Religion & Spirituality

... Read How Does It Feel? Summary

How Does It Feel to Be A Problem

by Moustafa Bayoumi

Publication year 2008

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Marriage

Tags Sociology, Middle Eastern History, US History, Race & Racism, Education, Education, World History, Social Justice, Politics & Government, Religion & Spirituality

How Does It Feel to Be A Problem: Being Young and Arab in America (2008) is a nonfiction text by Brooklyn College English professor and Arab-American Moustafa Bayoumi. The title comes from W.E.B. Du Bois’s 1903 text, The Souls of Black Folk, wherein he directed this question toward the African-American experience. Following the stories of seven young ArabAmericans living in Brooklyn, and including their struggles after the 9/11 attacks, Bayoumi’s book suggests that present-day ArabAmericans absorb the... Read How Does It Feel to Be A Problem Summary

How the Irish Saved Civilization

by Thomas Cahill

Publication year 1995

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Nation, Globalization, Religion & Spirituality, Education

Tags European History, Irish Literature, Religion & Spirituality, Medieval, World History

How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland’s Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe is a popular history by Irish American author Thomas Cahill, published in 1995. The book argues that Ireland’s conversion to Christianity was instrumental in preserving the remnants of classical culture that survived in Western Europe after the Roman Empire’s demise. The book was on The New York Times Best Seller list for... Read How the Irish Saved Civilization Summary

How to Change Your Mind

by Michael Pollan

Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Psychology, Depression & Suicide, Science & Nature, World History, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Self-Improvement, Health, Religion & Spirituality

How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence (2018) was written by Michael Pollan after curiosity and a personal desire to experience psychedelics for himself prompted exploration into psychedelic research. Pollan uses multiple forms of narrative to weave a story that’s part history, part memoir, part biomedical nonfiction, and part travelogue. The book follows the history of LSD and psilocybin as well as... Read How to Change Your Mind Summary

How To Hang A Witch

by Adriana Mather

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Guilt, Loneliness, Shame & Pride, Coming of Age, Death, Appearance & Reality, Family, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Good & Evil, Justice, Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

... Read How To Hang A Witch Summary