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.

The Silver Chair

by C. S. Lewis

Publication year 1953

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Religion & Spirituality, Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Action & Adventure, Christian, Symbolic Narrative, Children`s Literature, Religion & Spirituality

The Silver Chair is a novel for children written by British author C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) and is part of his world-famous fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia. Originally published in 1953 as the fourth installment of the series, The Silver Chair is also referred to as the sixth book, since newer editions often publish them in chronological order by storyline rather than by publication date.This guide is based on the 2009 Kindle edition.Through its enduring... Read The Silver Chair Summary

The Sisters

by James Joyce

Publication year 1904

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Childhood & Youth, Community, Good & Evil

Tags Classic Fiction, Irish Literature, Religion & Spirituality, British Literature, Arts & Culture, World History

... Read The Sisters Summary

The Sound of Gravel

by Ruth Wariner

Publication year 2016

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Memory, Childhood & Youth, Family, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Biography, Religion & Spirituality

The Sound of Gravel is a memoir by Ruth Wariner about her experiences growing up in a polygamist colony in Mexico. Originally published in 2015, the memoir is a rare, detailed examination of the life of children in polygamist colonies, and it examines several themes, including The Consequence of Childhood Neglect, The Flaws and Dangers of Fundamentalism, Courage and Resilience in the Face of Adversity, and The Joys, Pains, and Sacrifices of Familial Love. Ruth... Read The Sound of Gravel Summary

The Spell of the Sensuous

by David Abram

Publication year 1996

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Indigenous Identity, Future, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Climate, Environment, Plants, Objects & Materials, Place, Space, Community, Globalization, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Science & Technology, Language

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

... Read The Spell of the Sensuous Summary

The Story of My Experiments with Truth

by Mahatma Gandhi

Publication year 1927

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Religion & Spirituality, Politics & Government, Colonialism, Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Social Class, Education, Justice

Tags Indian Literature, Philosophy, Religion & Spirituality, Politics & Government, Asian History, World History, Health, Poverty, Military & War, Race & Racism, Relationships, Social Justice

The Story of My Experiments with Truth is the autobiography of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, more widely known as Mahatma Gandhi. A key political and spiritual leader of India and the Indian independence movement, Gandhi penned this work to narrate his quest for truth and the principles that underpinned his life’s journey. Originally published in 1927, this memoir provides a meticulous account of Gandhi’s spiritual, moral, and political evolution. The literary era in which this was... Read The Story of My Experiments with Truth Summary

The Submission

by Amy Waldman

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Psychological Fiction, 9/11, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

The Submission is a novel written by Amy Waldman and published in 2011. The novel takes place in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy. A jury has been tasked with judging the blind entries for a 9/11 memorial. When it’s revealed that the designer of the winning submission is Muslim, it sparks a public controversy.The memorial jury is composed of Paul Rubin, the chair; Ariana Montagu, an artist; Claire Burwell, a representative of the families... Read The Submission Summary

The Sunflower

by Simon Wiesenthal

Publication year 1969

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Forgiveness

Tags World War II, Philosophy, Holocaust, Education, Education, Philosophy, World History, Biography, Religion & Spirituality

The Sunflower by Simon Wiesenthal is a book of non-fiction. The first section, also titled “The Sunflower,” is an account of Wiesenthal’s experience as a concentration camp prisoner under the Nazi regime. In the account, Wiesenthal describes his life in Poland prior to the German occupation, his experiences of anti-Semitism within the Polish culture, and his life as a concentration camp prisoner. He describes life in the concentration camp, the continuous humiliations, the hunger, the... Read The Sunflower Summary

The Swerve

by Stephen Greenblatt

Publication year 2011

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags World History, Science & Nature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

Stephen Greenblatt’s The Swerve: How the World Became Modern was published in 2011 and describes how the rediscovery of an ancient poem launches the Renaissance and helps shape the modern age. The Swerve won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the Lowell Prize.With the collapse of the Roman Empire in 476 CE, Europe moves into the Middle Ages, and Christianity is the only permitted religion. Most of the literary works of ancient Greeks... Read The Swerve Summary

The Tao Of Pooh

by Benjamin Hoff

Publication year 1982

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Philosophy, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Self-Improvement, Humor, Classic Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

The Tao of Pooh, by Benjamin Hoff, is an introduction to the philosophy of Taoism. Hoff uses Winnie-the-Pooh and other characters from A.A. Milne’s well-known children books to exemplify and explain these principles. The primary character, Pooh, exhibits many qualities that produce contentment. The literal meaning of Tao is “the way,” and the goal of the way is the kind of contentment that Pooh possesses.Many of the book’s passages are devoted to Taoist concepts such... Read The Tao Of Pooh Summary

The Third Man

by Graham Greene

Publication year 1949

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Politics & Government, Religion & Spirituality, Justice

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Religion & Spirituality, Social Justice, Politics & Government, Relationships, British Literature

English writer Graham Greene penned his novella The Third Man to work out the finer details of the plot and setting for the screenplay of Carol Reed’s 1949 film of the same name. (In writing screenplays, Greene preferred to work from source material in story format.) Although publication of the novella wasn’t originally planned, the film was such a huge commercial and critical success that the novella was published in 1950.The film The Third Man... Read The Third Man Summary