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.
Publication year 1961
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Satire, Religion / Spirituality, Post Modernism
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Gender / Feminism, LGBTQ, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags LGBTQ, Romance, Arts / Culture, Grief / Death, Health / Medicine, Love / Sexuality, Mental Illness, Parenting, Relationships, Religion / Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1678
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Community
Tags Classic Fiction, Christian literature, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Religion / Spirituality
The Pilgrim’s Progress was written by John Bunyan and published in 1678. The work is a religious allegory that is among the most famous works of English literature; many critics also consider it the first English example of the novel genre. Like Christian, the main character in Part 1, Bunyan’s path to Christianity was a journey. After rejecting religion early in his life, Bunyan devoted himself to God and became a Puritan. He believed the... Read The Pilgrim's Progress Summary
Publication year 1933
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Christian literature, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery
Tags Business / Economics, Inspirational, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Self Help, Psychology
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Disability
Tags Historical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Race / Racism, Disability, Anthropology, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1940
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Religion / Spirituality, Class, Politics / Government, Poverty, British Literature, Christian literature, History: World
Graham Greene’s The Power and the Glory (originally published in 1940) recounts the tragic story of the whisky priest. His religion has been outlawed, his faith shattered, and his history—like his name—all but erased. He’s relentlessly pursued by the lieutenant, whose secular beliefs are as passionate as others’ spiritual beliefs. The priest’s mere presence endangers those he once served, and he constantly struggles to fulfill his duty to bring comfort and absolution to others at... Read The Power and the Glory Summary
Publication year 1991
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community
Tags Anthropology, Anthropology, Philosophy, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Mythology, Philosophy
The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers, published in 1988, is a nonfiction companion to a six-episode PBS documentary series by the same name. The main text of the book is a transcript of an extensive conversation between comparative mythology expert Joseph Campbell and journalist Bill Moyers. Using mythological stories, psychoanalytic theories, and personal anecdotes, Campbell and Moyers examine how world mythologies illuminate the mysteries of human life through shared symbols as... Read The Power of Myth Summary
Publication year 1997
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Psychology, Self Help, Inspirational, Psychology, Philosophy
Publication year 1963
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: New Age, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Inspirational, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Business / Economics, Science / Nature
Publication year 1872
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Class
Tags Fairy Tale / Folklore, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Religion / Spirituality
The Princess and the Goblin, first published in 1872, is a Victorian children’s fantasy novel written by George MacDonald. Arthur Hughes and W. B. MacDougall created the accompanying drawings for the original publication, and Jessie Wilcox Smith added new visual art to the story in 1920. In 1992, the novel was adapted into a full-length animated feature film of the same name. This guide utilizes the 2018 Leaves of Gold Press version of the novel... Read The Princess and the Goblin Summary
Publication year 1824
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Classic Fiction, Gothic Literature, Religion / Spirituality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1940
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1905
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Sociology, Social Science, Business / Economics, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism is a book written by German historian and sociologist Max Weber in 1905. Weber is often considered to be one of the founders of the discipline of sociology, and The Protestant Ethic is one of his most famous texts. As a work of sociology, the book seeks to analyze broad changes in both the economic and the religious structures of Western European and American societies. Over the... Read The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism Summary
Publication year 1958
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Past, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags History: U.S., Religion / Spirituality, Colonial America
The Puritan Dilemma: The Story of John Winthrop (1958) is a work of history by Edmund S. Morgan. The Puritan Dilemma is a biographical study of the first governor of colonial Massachusetts, John Winthrop. Morgan examines Winthrop’s work and life, presenting him as a man of high ideals who understood how to lead as a model of moderation and practical flexibility. Though many Puritans chose to withdraw from the world into little cells of self-righteousness... Read The Puritan Dilemma: The Story of John Winthrop Summary
Publication year 2002
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Christian literature, Inspirational, Self Help
The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? by Rick Warren, an American evangelical Christian pastor and author, is a work of Christian literature that offers guidance by means of a 40-day personal, spiritual journey. Warren brings his experience in spiritual leadership to this text, exploring what he identifies as God’s five purposes for human life on Earth. This framework seeks to serve as a blueprint for Christian living in the modern... Read The Purpose Driven Life Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Identity: Masculinity
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction