Autobiography: religious and spiritual Books

Book SynopsisA NYT Bestseller, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by former Muslim Nabeel Qureshi provides an intimate window into American Muslim life, describing how a passionate pursuit of Islam led him to Christ through friendship, apologetics, dreams and visions.Trade ReviewSeeking Allah, Finding Jesus is a brilliant book with an authentic and challenging message. Nabeel Qureshi tells the powerful story of his journey to Jesus, a story that began with a doubtful investigation and ended with a beautiful transformation. Jesus isn't intimidated by our questions; this story celebrates that truth! You won't be able to put this book down. * Louie Giglio, pastor, Passion City Church; founder, Passion Conferences *For anyone seeking understanding of their Muslim neighbors or colleagues, this is a book to read. We go on a journey from the inside out. We are introduced to the depth of spirituality, the love and honor of family, and the way a person 'sees' and 'feels' in a devout Muslim home. This is a profound book that skillfully shows the core differences between the gospel and Islamic claims. I highly recommend it. * Dr. Stuart McAllister, Regional Director The Americas, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries *Fresh, striking, highly illuminating, and sometimes heartbreaking, Qureshi's story is worth a thousand textbooks. It should be read by Muslims and all who care deeply about our Muslim friends and fellow citizens. * Os Guinness, author and social critic *In his personal quest to know the truth, Nabeel Qureshi paves the way for an analytical study of the faiths, dissecting the Christian and Islamic arguments, specifically citing numerous Islamic hadith and early Christian texts, so that the reader can see a logical progression to the analyses. But it is also a deeply personal heartwrenching and tear-evoking saga of the life of a young Muslim growing up in the West, a gripping biography that is impossible to put down. * James M. Tour, Professor of Chemistry, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Materials Science, Rice University *Nabeel describes the yearning in the hearts of millions of Muslims around the world. This book is a must-read for all seeking to share the hope of Christ with Muslims. * Fouad Masri, President and CEO, Crescent Project *Nabeel Qureshi's story is among the most unique two or three testimonies that I have ever heard. His quest brought together several exceptional features: a very bright mind, extraordinary sincerity, original research, and a willingness to follow the evidence trail wherever it took him. His search led to the cross and to Jesus Christ, who was resurrected from the dead. * Gary R. Habermas, Distinguished Research Professor, Liberty University *This book offers the fascinating story of the conversion of a sincere young Ahmadiyya man who tried his best to seek Allah and eventually fell in love with Christ. I trust that this book can be a powerful encouragement for all Christians to pray for many Muslims to find Jesus Christ. * Mark Gabriel, author and former lecturer, Al-Azhar University in Cairo *This is an urgently needed book with a gripping story. Nabeel Qureshi masterfully argues for the gospel while painting a beautiful portrait of Muslim families and heritage, avoiding the fearmongering and finger-pointing that are all too pervasive in today's sensationalist world. I unreservedly recommend this book to all. It will feed your heart and mind, while keeping your fingers turning the page! * Josh D. McDowell, author and speaker *

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review‘This brave and bracing memoir is an urgent reminder that America remains a place where queer people have to fight for their lives. It’s also a generous portrait of a family in which the myths of prejudice give way before the reality of love. Equal parts sympathy and rage, Boy Erased is a necessary, beautiful book’ Garth Greenwell, author of What Belongs to You ‘It is just so beautifully written and so powerful… a brilliant book… for anyone who has been through that journey of coming out or battling with society for who they are… even if you’re just someone who likes to read a passionate and beautifully written story, then this book is for you’ Nihal Arthanayake, BBC Radio 5Live ‘A brave, powerful meditation on identity and faith, Boy Erased is the story of one man’s journey to accepting himself and overcoming shame and trauma in the midst of deep-rooted bigotry’ Buzzfeed ‘An elegant memoir…Conley is a thoughtful writer’ Aaron Hicklin, Observer ‘The power of Conley’s story resides not only in the vividly depicted grotesqueries of the therapy system, but in his lyrical writing about sexuality and love, and his reflections on the Southern family and culture that shaped him’ Los Angeles Times ‘Boy Erased is a gut-punch of a memoir, but the miracle of this book is the generosity with which Conley writes in an effort to understand the circumstances and motivations that led his family to seek the “cure”… his memoir is not simply a story of survival — in this book, a true writer comes of age’ LA Review of Books ‘Exceptionally well-written… This timely addition to the debate on conversion therapy will build sympathy for both children and parents who avail themselves of it while still showing how damaging it can be’ Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewI am very grateful for Carolyn Whitney-Brown's accurate account of my brother Henri's inner feelings, hopes, wishes and despair. You brought Henri very close to me again. -- Laurent Nouwen, Founder of the Henri Nouwen Foundation on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGIn this book, I see Henri in the audience, smiling straight at me, clapping his hands above his head, enjoying our performance success as much as we did. This one is for you, my friend. -- Rodleigh Stevens, Founder of the Flying Rodleighs and former trainer with Cirque du Soleil on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGAnyone who knew Henri, either through his writing or in person, will immediately recognise how beautifully he’s been brought to life in this book.’ – his willingness to write so vulnerably about human relationships and feelings as a means to discovering our purpose in life, and a sense of the divine. -- Gary Donohoe, Professor & Chair of Psychology, National University of Ireland on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGFlying, Falling, Catching is far beyond religious belief or affiliation. It is a universal tale of mind-body connection and disconnection. While undoubtedly an account of a spiritual journey, Carolyn Whitney-Brown nimbly explores the corporeal inner life of Henri Nouwen as he literally swings through the air. It is brilliant! -- Ruth Rakoff, Author of When My World Was Very Small on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGNo question that flying, falling, and catching were unlikely teachers for Henri Nouwen, whose clear preferences were security, stability and being caught! I hope and trust that you, the reader, will allow Henri to guide your journey through risk to freedom! -- Sr. Sue Mosteller, CSJ, Executrix of Henri Nouwen's literary estate on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGFlying, Falling, Catching is a beacon of hope. It reminds us that despite all the perils and sufferings that surround us, with which we often collide, we can find healing, peace, and awe even in the most unusual detours that life offers. A must read. -- Marina Nemat, Author of international best-seller Prisoner of Tehran on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGA loving achievement and a riveting story of spirit meets body. With splendid pace and wit, Carolyn Whitney-Brown drops the words of Henri Nouwen’s flights of thought before us. Then, she arranges to gorgeously catch them. A singular spiritual tale written with tender-hearted eloquence from two arresting minds. -- Kathryn Bond Stockton, Author of Gender(s), Distinguished Professor of English, University of Utah on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGA lifelong search for wholeness takes a surprising late turn—toward the circus! As someone who’s spent much of my adult life absorbing beautiful spiritual truths in gritty entertainment venues, I can definitely relate. -- Shad, Rapper, Host of documentary series Hip-Hop Evolution on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGFor Henri Nouwen, a flying trapeze performance was like a Russian icon, drawing him into a spiritual world. This endearing true story about living and dying carefully brings together all of Nouwen's thinking on the Flying Rodleighs and the circus. Like the act itself, sheer elegance. -- Michael Ford, Author of Wounded Prophet and Lonely Mystic on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHINGIn Carolyn Whitney-Brown's deft hands, Henri’s intentions literally, vividly swing alive. This is a beautiful, moving story about interconnectivity, interdependence, and life's rich, beautiful, complicated pageant. I devoured it in a sitting. -- Lisa Napoli, Author of Susan, Linda, Nina & Cokie on FLYING, FALLING, CATCHING

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Book SynopsisThe perennial classic: this intimate journal chronicling the Narnia author''s experience of grief after his wife''s death has consoled readers for half a century; this edition features responses from authors like Hilary Mantel, Francis Spufford, Rowan Williams, Jenna Bailey ...''An intimate, anguished account of a man grappling with the mysteries of faith and love ... Elegant and raw ... A powerful record of thought and emotion experienced in real time.'' Guardian ''Raw and modern ... This unsentimental, even bracing, account of one man's dialogue with despair becomes both compelling and consoling ... A contemporary classic.'' Observer''A source of great consolation ... Lewis deploys his genius for vivid imagery ... It is a relief for the reader to find that he or she is not alone in the intense loneliness or feelings of anguish that bereavement brings.'' Henry Marsh, The Times''Testimony from a sensitive and eloquent witness [on] The Human Condition'. It offers an interrogation of experience and a glimmer of hardwon hope. It allows one bewildered mind to reach out to another. Death is no barrier to that.'' Hilary Mantel''Here, sorrow and despair, the tiredness and numbness and petulance and nightmarishness of grief, all have their full, uncontrolled, experienced force ... [Such] radical openness ... Brilliant.'' Francis Spufford***No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear.Narnia author C.S. Lewis had been married to his wife for four blissful years. When she died of cancer, he found himself alone, inconsolable in his grief. In this intimate journal, he chronicles the aftermath of the bereavement and mourning with blazing honesty. He grapples with a crisis of religious faith, navigating hope, rage, despair, and love - but eventually regains his bearings, finding his way back to life.A luminous modern classic, A Grief Observed has offered solace to countless readers for decades. This companion edition combines the original text with personal responses from Hilary Mantel, Rowan Williams, Francis Spufford, Maureen Freely, Kate Saunders, Jessica Martin and Jenna Bailey.***What readers are saying:''A truly great book - inspirational and untold help.'' ''Every human being, living or dead, understands what Lewis means ... One of the most valuable books ever written.'' ''Lewis, as always, sits down next to you and validates your grief like a true friend. He lets you rage, and cry, and even be furious with God, just as he did.''''If you are grieving an enormous loss, you may find comfort here ... A great mind and wonderful writer who understands your grief well enough to put words to it.''''His journal was also my journal as I worked through my own grief. Reading this book was actually comforting in that I knew that someone else understood my situation and offered insight and hope ... I highly recommend this book for anyone who has gone through the death of a loved one or who wants to comfort. ''This little book has had me in floods of tears [and] shows a real understanding of grief ... To read the words of this great man who shared and understood my pain and is a life affirming and faith affirming experience.''

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Book SynopsisThree million girls across the world are at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) each year. When Ann-Marie Wilson met a girl named Fatima in West Darfur, who had experienced FGM at the age of five and was pregnant by the age of ten, she knew she had to do something. Her life’s work since then has been geared toward speaking out against FGM, as well as supporting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of as many survivors as possible. Built on the experience of more than 3,000 FGM survivors’ stories as well as meetings with heads of state and the Pope, Overcoming tells the compelling story of how Ann-Marie leaned on her Christian faith through her darkest moments to build 28 Too Many. This international organisation offers hope to the millions of girls who, just like Fatima, are at risk of FGM each year.Table of ContentsIntroduction 7One: Youthful ambition 12Two: Early days in aid work 27Three: What is FGM? 53Four: Called and equipped .71Five: Setting up the charity 78Six: Opposition, setbacks, and encouragements 97Seven: Stories of hope and seeds of change 114Eight: Living with cancer… 143Nine: Looking to the future 160Ten: My new normal 170Conclusion 180Further resources 191

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Book SynopsisTells the story of Thomas Merton's search for faith and peace in a world which first fascinated and then appalled him. It is written with the profound insight of a man who has seen himself clearly. Complete and unedited edition.Trade ReviewIt is a rare pleasure to read an autobiography with a pattern and meaning valid for all of us. The Seven Storey Mountain is a book one reads with a pencil so as to make it one’s own. * Graham Greene *A remarkable book, a classic of its kind, written in a vivid, rich and alert style which ranges from crisp vernacular to passionate eloquence, full of picturesque incident and passing at times into religious ecstasy. * The Times Literary Supplement *A book which may well prove to be of permanent interest in the history of religious experience. * Evelyn Waugh *

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Book SynopsisDuring her lifelong service to the poorest of the poor, Mother Teresa became an icon of compassion to people of all religions, and none. Her selfless commitment to the care of the sick and the dying, as well as to thousands of others who no one else was prepared to help, has been recognised and acclaimed throughout the world.Yet this impressive collection of her writings shows a different and unexpected picture of the Nobel Peace Prize winner. Her absolute conviction that she was doing God's will is well known but what is a revelation is the discovery that she fulfilled her mission in spite of feeling a chasm of spiritual emptiness within her, which lasted for decades. This book is a moving chronicle of her spiritual journey and it reveals the secrets she shared only with her closest confidants. It also illustrates how the experience of an agonizing sense of loss need not hold anyone back from doing something extraordinary with their lives.Trade ReviewStunning revelations * New York Times *Come Be My Light raises questions about God and faith, the engine behind great achievement, and the persistence of love, divine and human * Time *Remarkable * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewOne of the few life-changing books I have ever read. I wish everyone would read it. * Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul *Satish Kumar’s unique story is stranger than fiction. * Hazel Henderson, Author, Ecologist and Creator of TV series Ethical Markets *Reading this book, you will have the rare pleasure of meeting a warm and witty, thoroughly genuine man, and one whose inspiration will not fail to move you. * Kirkpatrick Sale, Author of The Collapse of 2020 *Table of ContentsMother Guru Ashram Benares Wanderer Escape Floating Mukti Maya Hartland The Small School Pilgrimage: Iona Pilgrimage Return Japan Founding Schumacher College Mount Kailas Schumacher College Worldwide Shared Values and Collaboration Influence Realisation

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Book SynopsisLonglisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Awards 2023''There was always hope. There was always next season. Inshallah.''Inshallah United is about growing up as a strictly halal Stretford Ender; a devout Muslim and diehard Manchester Red. It's about praying five times a day that United would sign Alan Shearer and knock the Scousers off their perch. And it's a deeply personal account of life as a Muslim Asian Mancunian kid in the late 80s and 90s, bookmarked by the most successful period in Manchester United''s history.

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Book SynopsisA heartrending and beautiful memoir of sudden loss and a journey to peace, from the bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of? Horse.Many cultural and religious traditions expect those who are grieving to step away from the world. In contemporary life, we are more often met with red tape and to-do lists. This is exactly what happened to Geraldine Brooks when her partner of more than three decades, Tony Horwitz - just sixty years old and, to her knowledge, vigorous and healthy - collapsed and died on a Washington, D. C. sidewalk.After spending their early years together in conflict zones as foreign correspondents, Geraldine and Tony settled down to raise two boys on Martha''s Vineyard. The life they built was one of meaningful work, good humor, and tenderness, as they spent their days writing and their evenings cooking family dinners or watching the sun set with friends at Lambert''s Cove. But all of this came to an abrupt end when, on Memorial Day 2019, Geraldine received the phone call we all dread. The demands were immediate and many. Without space to grieve, the sudden loss became a yawning gulf.Three years later, she booked a flight to a remote island off the coast of Australia with the intention of finally giving herself the time to mourn. In a shack on a pristine, rugged coast she often went days without seeing another person. There, she pondered the various ways in which cultures grieve and what rituals of her own might help to rebuild a life around the void of Tony''s death.A spare and profoundly moving memoir that joins the classics of the genre, Memorial Days is a portrait of a larger-than-life man and a timeless love between souls that exquisitely captures the joy, agony, and mystery of life.*number 5 in the New York Times hardback non-fiction bestseller chart February 12th 2025

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Book SynopsisThe compelling and richly detailed autobiography of one of the great Christian apologists of modern times.

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Book Synopsis''A beguiling exploration of what contemporary spiritual practices might offer to a world that?s lost its religion'' Dr Sharon Blackie, author of If Women Rose Rooted Abi Millar is looking for something. She grew up in an evangelical church, but after she lost her faith, she found herself searching for spirituality in other places. Torn between the logical part of her brain and the part that secretly believes in magic, and in the wake of a great loss, she wondered whether her crisis of faith was part of a larger story: at a time when more and more people in the Western world are moving away from organised religion, what does spirituality look like?The Spirituality Gap follows Abi as she receives a shamanic healing, drinks ayuahuasca, delves into astrology, experiences an awakening in a lake, and attends an atheist church. Written with great warmth, curiosity and humour, it explores our post-religious world from the perspective of someone who is neither a ?spiritual but not religious? hippie nor an angry atheist. Throughout, she asks: how can we embrace ritual in our own lives even if we are wary of religion?

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Book SynopsisAn instant New York Times bestseller! Journey with Kathie Lee Gifford and Messianic Rabbi Jason Sobel into Israel and explore the deep roots of the Christian faith.As a lifelong student of Scripture, Kathie Lee Gifford has always desired a deeper understanding of God’s Word and a deeper knowledge of God Himself. But it wasn’t until she began studying the biblical texts in their original Hebrew and Greek—along with actually hiking the ancient paths of Israel—that she found the fulfillment of those desires.Now you can walk with Kathie on a journey through the spiritual foundations of her faith: The Rock (Jesus Christ): Hear directly from Kathie about her life-changing and ever-deepening connection with Jesus, the Lover of her soul. The Road (Israel): Explore dozens of ancient landmarks and historical sites from Israel, the promised land of God’

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Book SynopsisA fiery and intensely dynamic Zen teacher and artist, Hakuin (1685–1768) is credited with almost single-handedly revitalizing Japanese Zen after three hundred years of decline. As a teacher, he placed special emphasis on koan practice, inventing many new koans himself, including the famous “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” This English translation of Hakuin’s intimate self-portrait includes reminiscences from his childhood, accounts of his Zen practice and enlightenment experiences, as well as practical advice for students.

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Book SynopsisRichard Harries was serving as a soldier in Germany when he suddenly had an overwhelming sense that God was calling him to be ordained. He had virtually no religious background, but like Martin Luther, he could do no other. The Shaping of a Soul is the story of a man who has engaged in some of the major issues of our time and who, for fifty years, has been a much loved voice on 'Thought for the Day' in the Today programme. Bishop of Oxford from 1987 to 2006, Harries was made a Life Peer on his retirement and remains active in the House of Lords as Lord Harries of Pentregarth. In a life repeatedly taken by surprise, he tells how he is still able to retain his faith even in our present highly secular and sceptical society.

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Book Synopsis'The introductory account of Mr. Brunton's pony-back journey up the mountainside has real charm. One of his most interesting chapters gives a practical-minded consideration to the probable future of Tibet.' New York TimesPaul Brunton was one of a very small number of his generation to travel in India and Tibet so extensively at a time when very few were doing so with such insight and discernment. His journalistic skills produced magnificent descriptions of the snowy peaks and high-desert landscapes of the Himalayan region, but it was the lessons he learned from the holy men he met on his journey that transformed him into one of the great interpreters of the East. In this magnificent spirituality classic, he explains that we all need 'oases of calm in a world of storm', no matter what era we are living in, and that to retreat from our everyday lives for a while is not weakness but strength. By taking the trouble to discover the deep silence within us we will find the benefits of being linked to an 'infinite power, an infinite wisdom, an infinite goodness'. A Hermit In The Himalayas is a fascinating blend of travel writing and profound spiritual experience. As we accompany the author on his journey through the vast Himalayas ranges towards Mount Kailas in Tibet, he also shows us an even more remarkable - and timeless - inner path which will help us cope with the ups and downs of our contemporary world.Trade ReviewHis work is excellent. It has life, colour, movement * The Times *He has a really unusual gift for describing the majesty of the mountains, stark or snow-bound, under sun, moon and stars...his feeling and his vision are fresh. * Daily Telegraph *

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Book Synopsiseverywhere she had been there grew flowers' When Karen and Gordon are asked how many children they have, they tell people two it's just easier that way. But the truth is that there will always be three... Their first child, Jennifer Grace, was discovered to have multiple abnormalities before birth. Faced with the invidious choice of termination or continuing the pregnancy, they chose the latter, and a beautiful baby girl was born to them, only to die hours later. Sharing the struggles and doubts they have faced, Jennifer's parents show how loved she was and how her short life was used to bless many lives. Blending recent reflections with contemporary journal entries and letters, this is a rich testimony to God's goodness and intimate involvement in our lives. It is evidence that even when tragedy strikes, every life is precious to Him.

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Book SynopsisThe No. 2 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER from the author of the No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling Canon Clement Series''Immensely moving and disarmingly witty'' Nigella Lawson''Such a moving, tough, funny, raw, honest read'' Matt Haig''Beautifully written, moving and gut-wrenching, but also at times very funny'' Ian Rankin''Captures brilliantly, beautifully, bravely the comedy as well as the tragedy of bereavement'' The Times''Will strike a chord with anyone who has grieved''IndependentWhen the Reverend Richard Coles'' partner died suddenly, shortly before Christmas in 2019, what came next took Richard by surprise. Despite his years of experience assisting his parishioners in examining life''s moral questions, Richard now found he needed guidance himself. Much about grief was unexpected: the volume of ''sadmin'' that must be undertaken, how much harder it is travellingTrade ReviewBeautiful, honest and massively comforting -- DAWN FRENCHImmensely moving and disarmingly witty -- NIGELLA LAWSONWill strike a chord with anyone who has grieved . . . shines with the sort of wry, self-analytical wisdom you might expect from Coles. Full of resonating reflections, ones that urge us all to be kinder, to love more strongly * INDEPENDENT *Such a moving, tough, funny, raw, honest read. The beautiful articulation of Richard's grief will be a comfort to so many -- MATT HAIGCaptures brilliantly, beautifully, bravely the comedy as well as the tragedy of bereavement . . . simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking, painful and strangely comforting as it confronts the reality of what happens to us all in the end * THE TIMES *Beautifully written, moving and gut-wrenching, but also at times very funny, each smile and laugh a candle in the dark -- IAN RANKINAn astonishingly brave, bold and honest book about the tragedy - and unexpected comedy - of bereavement. Such a harrowing, hopeful and comforting book. If I could prescribe Richard Coles, I'd administer him stat to us all * Dr Rachel Clarke, author of DEAR LIFE *This is not a self-help book on how to cope with death and loss, it is an honest, raw and personal account of a man's descent into the Madness of Grief. Richard provides a frank account of the trials and tribulations he endured during the weeks between the death and the funeral of the man he loved. Funny, sad, touching and thought provoking, it reminds us that grief has no normality, no time limit and most importantly, no rules -- PROFESSOR DAME SUE BLACK, author of ALL THAT REMAINSBold, intimate writing . . . THE MADNESS OF GRIEF is not a manual for the bereaved, but as a vivid account of how it feels when the world suddenly falls away, it performs another kind of service * THE SUNDAY TIMES *Deeply moving . . . has an immediacy that is not born of long reflection and it is all the better for it * FINANCIAL TIMES *Heartbreakingly sad and searingly honest . . . For those who find themselves bereaved, this book is sure to help * DAILY MIRROR *You don't need to be religious to find comfort in this book. Anybody who has experienced a similar complex grief will relate to many of Coles's anecdotes -- Helen Brown * THE DAILY TELEGRAPH *In this memoir, Coles shares his truth, stays kind, and, when possible, brings a smile . . . By reflecting the hurts of others' losses with such beauty and integrity, he confirms that it is his open humanity that is priestly. It gives me yet another reason to admire him * CHURCH TIMES *An honest book, and a brave one * THE OLDIE *Moving and candid, this book will resonate with anyone who has lost a loved one, or has had to cope with someone they love whom they just cannot help * I NEWSPAPER *Although not a self-help book, the homilies, experience and catharsis within creates invaluable solace. It will resonate for the myriad struggling with grief wrought by the pandemic * THE QUIETUS *Beautifully written, raw and deeply personal . . . A revealing and often funny insight into love and loss * ATTITUDE *This brief, wise, frank book deals with the surreal mundanity of bereavement * THE DAILY TELEGRAPH, Books of the Summer *His reading is pitch-perfect . . . creating an aural kaleidoscope. It is, at heart, a meditation on the nature of loss and one that is as strangely comforting as it is wrenching and painful -- Alex Clark * FINANCIAL TIMES, Audio Books review round up *A WORTHY heir to C. S. Lewis's 'A Grief Observed'... To be in Coles's company is always uplifting, even when he's writing about unbearable sadness and loss. -- Ysenda Maxtone-Graham * DAILY MAIL, Best Books of 2021 *

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Book SynopsisAutobiography of a Yogi is a timeless tale of a remarkable life and the power of yoga. It remains relevant today and was a favorite of George Harrison, along with the Bhagavad Gita.

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Book SynopsisFrancis X. Clooney SJ is Parkman Professor of Divinity at Harvard University, USA.

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Book SynopsisIn stunning, lyrical prose, Helen Knott explores female power, motherhood and grief as she reflects upon how her identity asa woman of Dane Zaa a group of First Nations Indigenous people has shaped her.

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Book SynopsisA memoir from Andrew White, the 'Vicar of Baghdad', whose personal and professional life has been filled with tumult.Trade Review“Abouna Andrew is for us in Iraq not just a spiritual leader for the Christians: he is the spiritual leader of all of us – Iraqis, Sunni, Shia, and others. He has stood with us and been our supporter and defender for nearly two decades. When people were too afraid even to come to Iraq he stayed with us. He is like the Almighty: he will never leave us. However hard the circumstances he is with us.” -- Grand Ayatollah Hussein Al-Sadr, The Grand Ayatollah of Khadameer, Baghdad“Canon Andrew White has devoted his life to the true mission of religion – to assist, comfort and save lives of human beings in the most difficult places of conflict. He is a messenger of divine peace in the world, and a great friend of the Jewish people.” -- Rabbi Melchior, Chief Rabbi of Norway, and former Member of the Knesset

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Book SynopsisAged nineteen, Alison McKelvie was a self-confessed romantic, immersed in books and poetry, and dreaming of beauty, truth and love. In 1940, whilst working as a secretary at MI6, Alison met Alexander Wilson. Thirty years her senior, Alexander was worldly and charismatic. An intense affair quickly led to marriage and two children. But the Wilsons'' lives then spiralled into the depths of poverty. Alexander was sacked, imprisoned twice, and then declared bankrupt. His lack of reliability was a hefty emotional burden for Alison to bear. Nevertheless, she loved her husband unreservedly and stuck by him through thick and thin.In 1963, Alexander died suddenly of a heart attack. Alison''s world imploded when she discovered that their life together had been built upon layer after layer of deception. Who was Alexander Wilson? How well had Alison really known him? Slowly the lies were unravelled: Alexander had been a novelist, spy and, devastatingly, a bigamist. Alison was the thiTrade ReviewClear, unsentimental and eloquent prose . . . a testimony to her [the author's] fidelity, her integrity and her deep faith -- Charlie Hegarty * Catholic Herald *

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Book Synopsis'This is the kind of book that make you different when you're done.' - Ashley C. Ford, New York Times bestselling author of Somebody's Daughter'From the womb, we must repeat with regularity that to love ourselves is to survive. I believe that is what my father wanted for me and knew I would so desperately need: a tool for survival, the truth of my dignity named like a mercy new each morning.'So writes Cole Arthur Riley in an unforgettable book of stories and reflections on discovering the sacred in her skin. In these deeply transporting pages, Cole reflects on the stories of her grandmother and father and encounters of enfleshed, embodied spirituality. As she writes memorably of her own lived experiences of childhood and selfhood, Cole boldly explores some of the most urgent questions of life and faith:How can spirituality not silence the body, but instead allow it to come alive?How do we honour, lament, and heal from the stories we inherit?How can we find peace in a world overtaken with dislocation, noise, and unrest? At once a compelling spiritual meditation and a tender coming-of-age narrative, This Here Flesh invites us to ponder the site of the soul by examining our capacity to rest, wonder, joy, rage, and repair - and finding that our humanity is not an enemy to faith but evidence of it.'Exquisite' - Ayo Tomenti, co-founder of Black Lives MatterTrade ReviewAt a time when establishing peace within one's own soul is so vitally important, this book is a balm - reminding me to exercise the spiritual muscle of awe, to notice the simple and to find beauty in the ordinary. -- Ben Lindsay, Author of WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT RACEIn This Here Flesh, Cole Arthur Riley reaches deep beneath the surface of words unspoken, wounds unhealed, and secrets untempered to break them open in order for fresh light to break through. Her personal anecdotes alongside Biblical anchors are serene vehicles through which any reader will remember the preciousness of their body, humanity, and most of all, their dignity. -- Morgan Jerkins, New York Times bestselling author of THIS WILL BE MY UNDOINGThis book is an invitation into the delicate weavings of family, inheritance, and pain, how they mark a bloodline, and connect a people. Riley writes with all the grace and gravity the spirit of humanity deserves. And somehow teaches us to think of ourselves as deserving of such grace, along the way. This is the kind of book that make you different when you're done. -- Ashley C. Ford, New York Times bestselling author of SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTERThis book is breathtaking. Full of profound revelation and beauty woven into poetry, unforgettable imagery and story, it will stay with me long after I've read it. I will keep returning to its pages, ready to hear in Cole Arthur Riley's reflections new ways to see myself, my family, my faith and my God. Who knew truth-telling could be so beautiful? -- Chine McDonald, author of GOD IS NOT A WHITE MANWelcome the rising of Cole Arthur Riley's astonishing voice. This is a gorgeous and muscular work. -- Krista Tippett, host of On BeingTimeless. This is a book I know I will return to again and again. Through this work, I am reminded I am seen. I am reminded I am free. -- Morgan Harper Nichols, artist and poetExquisite. . . Arthur Riley's writing is both transporting and hauntingly intimateas she narrates this important account of generational inheritance. The stories and meditations in this book are sure to stay with you forever. -- Ayo Tometi, co-founder of Black Lives MatterThrough a narrative of family and generation, Cole Arthur Riley speaks of a Blackness so beautiful it can't be contained and a liberation that is present and possible. This Here Flesh is an invitation to hold space, return home and rediscover joy. -- Amena Brown, poet, author, and host of HER with Amena Brown podcastBeautiful. Soul-stirring. . . we rediscover a sense of awe for the bodies that make us, the stories that ground us, and the delicate grace that enlivens our spirits. -- Kate Bowler, New York Times bestselling author of NO CURE FOR BEING HUMANThis Here Flesh is a gospel to what we remember. This book is rigorous, joyous, complex, honest and tells the story of how we get free. It is a story that would not let me go. -- Danté Stewart, author of SHOUTIN’ IN THE FIRE[A] wonderfully winsome, heartbreakingly honest, and ever-poetic work of spiritual biography and theological reflection. While some theologians will talk in the abstract about 'incarnation,' 'enfleshment,' or 'embodiment,' Arthur Riley's book is a lesson in concreteness, in Black theology, in seeing a body, being a body, being a person rooted in time, space, stories, and very particular flesh. * Library Journal (starred review) *A multi-layered, moving and often a poetic exploration of faith, lament, community and much more. * Keep the Faith *

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Book Synopsis'I never imagined that the wind would blow me here, to a kind of isolation I have never experienced... There is never anything out here but my shadow, that no one treads on any more'When Jade's partner leaves the barn that they moved into just weeks before, he leaves a dent in the wall and her life unravelled. Numbed from years in a destructive, abusive relationship, she faces an uncertain future and complete solitude. Slowly, with the help of Devon's salted cliffs and damp forested footpaths, Jade comes back to life and discovers the power of being alone.As Jade reacclimatizes, she considers what it means to live alone. Through conversations with other hermits across the world, Fitton sheds light on the myriad - and often misunderstood - ways of living alone: from monks to hikikomori, and the largely ignored female hermit. Jade questions whether hermitic living is possible in an era of constant communication and increased housing costs as she finds herself financially unstable and itinerant. She realises that home doesn't exist within walls, but within the landscape of her childhood home county.Lyrically written, this is an inspirational story of recovery, of finding home, and of celebrating solitude in the natural world.Trade ReviewA dreamy, beautiful book about the consolations of solitude. In Hermit, Jade wanders a sunlit, windswept, delicately drawn landscape of loss and longing, and in doing so finds the stillness at the centre of herself. Hopeful and open-hearted. -- Cal Flyn, author of 'Islands of Abandonment'A compelling, engrossing memoir that beautifully encapsulates the human experience (both the misery and the magic) of suddenly finding yourself rebuilding life from the ground up, alone. I loved it. * Emma Gannon *Hermit is a beautiful written debut memoir drawing on the hermetic tradition that shows the power of being alone. -- Katherine May, author of WinteringA book of spellbinding brilliance by a writer of rare talent. -- Tristan GooleyThis distinctive, alluring memoir, reminiscent of The Outrun by Amy Liptrot, relates how Fitton slowly learns to live alone and celebrate solitude in the natural world. * The Bookseller *

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Book SynopsisBarbara Brown Taylor is one of America's most renowned and beloved spiritual writers and author of the acclaimed An Altar in the World. Here she reflects on keeping faith and the relentless demands that characterise life for so many today. In this moving and memorable book she writes of her life and work as a priest and the burden of being one of the most celebrated preachers in America. She recalls with grace and wit what led her to priestly ministry, the privilege of exploring the mysteries of God with others, her growing fame, the crisis it provoked and the unexpected blessings that followed. Having been part of a team in a large urban church for ten years, she sought a parish of her own and it was love at first sight when she was invited to view a small rural parish in Georgia. Little did she imagine that here Jesus's words about losing one's life in order to find it would have such impact. She tells of the rapid growth of the church, the crowds who travelled miles to hear her preach, the tensions that arose - and the call to lay it all aside in order to rediscover the authentic heart of her faith.Trade Review“This beautiful book is rich with wit and humanness and honesty and loving detail. It is a book about the wonderful mess of being alive in this world, and about the wonderful and terrible things that happen to us in it, and about the dream of God. I cannot overstate how liberating and transforming I have found Leaving Church to be.” -- Frederick Buechner“Eat this book. And you will be satisfied. Here is a story of a life told with the clarity, beauty, and honesty of a mountain stream. Those who attend church, those who do not, and everyone in-between will find here a feast, and the satisfaction of an eloquent voice speaking the truth.” -- Nora Gallagher“Here the reader will find an awesome reverence for mystery. This book comes as a refreshing challenge to reconnect with the longings in the depths of the soul. Many will read this book with relief and recognition.” -- Alan Jones“Leaving Church is a canticle of praise to creator and creation. It is a blessed and a blessing text.” -- Thomas Lynch“[This] beautiful, absorbing memoir will bless countless readers, helping us see God in the church, and out in the world, and in the small interstices in between.” -- Lauren Winner * The Dallas Morning News *“A finely crafted memoir . . . a rich evocation of [a] lifelong love affair with God.” * Publishers Weekly *“This is an astonishing book. . . . In a word, she is the best there is.” * Living Church *

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Book SynopsisDazzling Darkness is a true story about searching for one's authentic self in the company of the Living God. Rachel Mann has died many deaths' in the process, not the least of which was a change of sex, as well as coming to terms with chronic illness and disability. Through these experiences she has discovered that darkness is as much a positive place as a negative one, inhabited by the Living God the Dark God, the Hidden God. This is the God that many of us, because we try to make our lives safe and comfortable, are too afraid to meet. This is the God who is most alive in those things we commonly associate with the Dark failure, loss and brokenness. The Christian church has legitimated certain ways of talking about God male, fatherly, monarchical and so on. Many believe these descriptors tell the exhaustive truth about God. In accepting the complexity of her sexuality and identity, Rachel Mann has been able to explore with a greater freedom what God might look like to an unconventional creature' like her. This second edition of Rachel's passionate, celebrated and nuanced book has been thoroughly revised and extended, with new chapters which re-examine what it means to live with ill-health and being trans nearly a decade on from the original publication of Dazzling Darkness. Rachel Mann is an Anglican priest, poet, scholar and broadcaster. The author of eleven books, her work has been shortlisted for the international Michael Ramsey Prize, and has been called exceptional' (Rowan Williams) and astonishing' (Michael Symmons Roberts). She regularly broadcasts on BBC Radio 2 and 4.

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Book SynopsisThe Book of Sarah is missing from the bible, so artist Sarah Lightman sets out to make her own: questioning religion, family, motherhood and what it takes to be an artist in this quietly subversive visual autobiography from NW3.

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Book SynopsisINSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NATIONAL BESTSELLERAn intimate window into the world of American evangelicalism. Fellow exvangelicals will find McCammon's story both startlingly familiar and immensely clarifying, while those looking in from the outside can find no better introduction to the subculture that has shaped the hopes and fears of millions of Americans. -Kristin Kobes Du Mez, New York Times bestselling author of Jesus and John Wayne The first definitive book that names the growing social movement of people leaving the church: the exvangelicals. Growing up in a deeply evangelical family in the Midwest in the '80s and '90s, Sarah McCammon was strictly taught to fear God, obey him, and not question the faith. Persistently worried that her gay grandfather would go to hell unless she could reach him, or that her Muslim friend would need to be converted, and that she, too, would go to hell if she did not believe fe

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Book Synopsis'She can pick up personal facts impossible to fathom by deduction or guesswork.' JEANETTE WINTERSON'A marvellous book.' DR EBEN ALEXANDER__________________________________'We all have psychic experiences in our lives that connect us to one another and to those we love on the Other Side. Not just once in a while, but all the time.'Laura Lynne Jackson has been receiving communications from the afterlife since she was a child. In The Light Between Us she takes us through her struggle to come to peace with her gift and use it to help others.Through her moving and uplifting stories of the people she has helped, Laura Lynne shares her knowledge of how to understand these messages of love, and how we can use those lessons to help us live more peacefully in the present.What The Light Between Us has meant to readers:'A genuine and honest testimonial''This book has made me laugh, made me cry and make me think''I love this book. It really helps you realise that the ones we love are never far from us.''The stories are heartfelt and had me in tears towards the end''Very uplifting''It has given me so much comfort and understanding'

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Book SynopsisWhile countless memoirs exist written by Zen students and teachers, few are as engaging and as tantalizing as Taisen Deshimaru''s. Looking back at his early life, growing up in Japan, from the viewpoint of his status as a Zen teacher in Paris, the author reflects on his earliest misadventuresfrom defacing a valuable painting of Bodhidharma as a child, to turning the Zen stick on a young monk during a retreat. Adventures abound with stories about alcohol and women, during his student years, and his activities during World War II in working for the arms industry in Malaysia, where he was sympathetic to the underground freedom movement. This first English-language translation of Taisen Deshimaru''s autobiography will be prized for its clear and honest documentation of this great master''s life. Many people all over the world have been influenced by Deshimaru''s Zen teachings, especially his book on Zen and the martial arts. This memoir fills an important gap in our knowledge of his teacher, Kodo Sawaki''s influence on the world of Zen. The story of how Deshimaru met Sawaki as a boy, even slept in the same room with him, and later received monastic ordination is the story of a lifelong friendship of two extraordinary characters in the history of modern Zen. Deshimaru''s influence extends beyond Zen practitioners, though, especially in those interested in the martial arts, as he touches on his martial arts experience as a young man and offers a look into the master''s early training. Additional interest extends to historians who recount the supposed scandals of Zen masters'' participation in the war effort. Although Deshimaru''s viewpoint is decidedly subjective, he was intimately acquainted with priests and generals alike, and approaches the difficult subject with a refreshing lack of judgmental disdain which counterbalances many other more lopsided works.

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Book SynopsisAn exquisite and inspiring memoir about one mother's unimaginable choice in the face of oppression and abuse in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.How far would you go to protect yourself? Your dignity? Your family?In the days before Homeira Qaderi gave birth to her son, Siawash, the road to the hospital in Kabul would often be barricaded because of the frequent suicide explosions.With the city and the military on edge,it was not uncommon foran armed soldiertopoint his gun at the pregnant woman's bulging stomach, terrified that she was hiding a bomb. Propelled by the love she held for her soon-to-be-born child, Homeira walked through blood and wreckage to reach the hospital doors. But the joy of her beautiful son's birth was soon overshadowed by other dangers that would threaten her life.No ordinary Afghan woman, Homeira refused to cower under the strictures of a misogynistic social order. Defying the law, at the age of thirteen, she risked her freedom to teach children reading and writingTrade Review‘Page-turning account of the lives of Afghan women … at the heart of this moving memoir is an aching sadness’ Observer ‘How does a girl grow to be a woman in a society that shuts off every opportunity? How does a mother choose between her child and the future, not just her future but that of the women of Afghanistan? Homeira Qaderi answers these impossible questions in her stunning memoir, Dancing in the Mosque – one of the most moving love letters to life itself that you will ever read.’ Meg Waite Clayton, author of The Last Train to London ‘Powerful … an unvarnished, memorable portrayal of a mother’s grief and love’ Kirkus ‘A remarkable story of great strength, perseverance, and personal sacrifice by a woman selflessly working to advance the rights of women in her homeland of Afghanistan, women and girls who yearn to be free … I wept when I read the words, " in this land, it is better to be a stone than a girl." Thank you, Homeira, for telling a story that everyone needs to read.’ Deborah Rodriguez, author of The Kabul Beauty School and The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul

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Book SynopsisEven Jennifer herself has in the light of severe recent tragedies found herself gaining a new understanding of all she has been through. This book looks back at the traumas and insecurities of her childhood, the joys and trials of family life through the most testing of circumstances, the confusion caused by her life-threatening illness and subsequent miracle healing, the pain of bereavement and - the most recent chapter that no-one foresaw - divorce from her husband Tony.Journey Into God''s Heart is an epic saga of a unique woman''s journey through the fire. An adventure that lasts a lifetime, a path strewn with heart-testing challenges.Written as compellingly as a novel, it presents a completely new perspective on the story told in Jennifer''s previous autobiographical books Beyond Healing and Unexpected Healing. Her journey unfolds against the backdrop of the momentous changes undergone by the evangelical and charismatic church in the mid and late twentieth century.Trade ReviewJen's book is brilliantly written, as always. it answers many fasinating questions and provokes some that are even more intriguing. Gripping from first to last. * Adrian Plass *An absolute gem of a find and read... This is a book that cries out to be read more than once. * Woman Alive *

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Book SynopsisWhat led a glamorous radio presenter, Sharon Grenham-Thompson, to get involved with working with some of the most despised in society - prisoners?Trade Review“Totally gripping and extremely personal, this fluid biography comes gushing down the mountain like a raging floodwater. I literally couldn’t put it down. In fact I read the whole thing in one session.” -- Chris Evans - BBC Radio 2 Presenter * from his foreword *Table of ContentsContentsForeword by Chris Evans 9Introduction 11Chapter 1 – To be a pilgri m 15Chapter 2 – Famil y (mis )fortunes 25Chapter 3 – Saving graces 35Chapter 4 – Highwa y to hope 51Chapter 5 – Fro m high heels to hymnbooks 67Chapter 6 – Losing the plot 85Chapter 7 – Into the jungle 107Chapter 8 – Parallel lines 125Chapter 9 – Carrot or stick ? 147Chapter 10 – Face to face 163Chapter 11 – Land aho y 183Chapter 12 – Hearts to hold 197Postscript 203Acknowledg ments 205

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Book SynopsisAt the height of the Iranian revolution, Farifteh V. Robb came to the Christian faith. This is the story of a woman torn between two worlds, and the difficult choices she had to make.Table of ContentsContentsPreface 10Chapter 1: Baba and Mami 12Chapter 2: Childhood Memories 34Chapter 3: In the Shadow of the Shahs 52Chapter 4: Academic Interlude 72Chapter 5: Love 104Chapter 6: The Secret World of God 115Chapter 7: Perfect Joy 125Chapter 8: Chaos 142Chapter 9: Rising from the Ashes 163Chapter 10: Into the Light 175Chapter 11: Motherhood and a Scottish Mullah 196Chapter 12: Four Last Things 213Postscript 225AppendicesAppendix A: Timeline 230Appendix B: Brief Outline of Christianity in Iran 232Appendix C: Glossary 236

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Book Synopsis'You know those people who always radiate cheerful optimism? Nauseating aren't they? So proclaims Isabel Losada, Starbucks addict, exercise allergic and self-confessed sceptic as she sets out on the road to enlightenment. This work is suitable for those who have been tempted to dip a toe in the waters of self-discovery.Trade Review'Candid, thought-provoking, sassy and very, very funny' Daily Telegraph 'Searching and honest' Independent on Sunday 'Remarkably revealing' Mail on Sunday 'Brazenly probing' Scotsman

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Book Synopsis

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