June will see the release of an examination of life after death as it is portrayed in the media, an in-depth look at Martin Luther’s wife Katharina in Katie Luther, First Lady of the Reformation, and more.
Nonfiction
June 1
Martin Luther: Rebel in an Age of Upheaval by Heinz Schilling, trans. from the German by Rona Johnston Gordon (Oxford Univ., $39.95, ISBN 978-0-19-872281-6). This biography of Martin Luther by the former professor of early modern history at Humboldt University depicts him as a difficult, contradictory individual who changed history.
Living with the Living Dead: The Wisdom of the Zombie Apocalypse by Greg Garrett (Oxford Univ., $24.95, ISBN 978-0-19-026045-3). Garrett, professor of English at Baylor University, explores life after death as portrayed in popular movies, television shows, comics, graphic novels, fiction, and games.
June 6
How to Be a Muslim: An American Story by Haroon Moghul (Beacon, $17 paper, ISBN 978-0-8070-2074-6) explores the realities of being a second-generation immigrant living between cultures while in a society that fears Muslims.
The Currency of Love by Jill Dodd (Atria, $26, 978-1-5011-5037-1). First a top model in Paris and then the harem wife of a Saudi billionaire, Dodd reveals her life’s story and how she found the spiritual empowerment to walk away and start a new life "without forfeiting her independence, ambition, creative expression, and free spirit," according to the publisher.
Israel Matters by Gerald R. McDermott (Brazos, $17.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-58743-395-5). McDermott, the Anglican Chair of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Ala., examines the relationship between Christianity and the people and land of Israel.
Chasing Grace: What the Quarter Mile Has Taught Me about God and Life by Sanya Richards-Ross (Zondervan, $24.99, ISBN 978-0-310-34940-2). Five-time Olympic medalist Richards-Ross tells her story of becoming a world-class runner from Jamaica.
Real Love: The Art of Mindful Connection by Sharon Salzberg (Flatiron, $24.99, ISBN 978-1-250-07650-2). Salzberg, a meditation teacher, gives lessons in redefining and opening up limited definitions of love in order to help readers experience deeper relationships.
I Didn’t Sign Up for This: Finding Hope When Everything Is Going Wrong by John F. Westfall (Revell, $13.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-8007-2807-6) blends stories about the unpredictability of life with words of encouragement to embrace the “peace of acceptance, the pleasure of release, and the power of risk,” according to the publisher.
June 13
China’s Green Religion: Daoism and the Quest for a Sustainable Future by James Miller (Columbia Univ., $60, ISBN 978-0-231-17586-9). Miller, professor of Chinese studies at Queen’s University in Canada, makes a case for how Daoism leads to a holistic understanding of religion and nature.
June 20
The Koran in English: A Biography by Bruce B. Lawrence (Princeton Univ., $26.95, 978-0-691-15558-6). Lawrence, professor of religion at Duke University, chronicles the history of translating the Qu’ran into English, looking at translations of the work since the twelfth century as well as the "ongoing struggle to render the Qur'an's lyrical verses into English," according to the publisher.
June 27
Katie Luther, First Lady of the Reformation by Ruth A. Tucker (Zondervan Academic, $16.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-310-53215-6) explores the life of Katharina von Bora, the wife of Martin Luther who had a career of her own as a farmer, brewer, and innkeeper.
A Fierce Love by Shauna Shanks (Zondervan, $21 paper, 978-0-3103-4753-8). Shanks tells the story of her husband’s affair and how 1 Corinthians 13 helped save their rocky marriage.
Poets of the Bible: From Solomon's Song of Songs to John's Revelation, translated by Willis Barnstone (Norton, $35, 978-0-3932-4389-5) features works by Biblical poets such as David, Solomon, and Job translated in English from both the New and Old Testaments.
Fulfilled: How the Science of Spirituality Can Help You Live a Happier, More Meaningful Life by Anna Yusim (Grand Central, $27, 978-1-4555-9679-9). Psychiatrist Yusim uses scientific research to argue that fulfillment and happiness can come from spiritual practices ranging from Kabbalah to Buddhism.
Fiction
June 6
Bread of Angels by Tessa Afshar (Tyndale, $22.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-4964-2310-8) follows Lydia, a prominent merchant in 50 AD Greece who turns to the apostle Paul after a betrayal, becoming the first European to convert Christianity.
Love Story by Karen Kingsbury (Howard Books, $22.99, 978-1-4516-8759-0). The latest installment in the Baxter Family series chronicles the love story between John and Elizabeth, the matriarch and patriarch of the family.
June 13
Sweetbriar Cottage by Denise Hunter (Thomas Nelson, $15.99 paper, 978-0-7180-9048-7). This standalone novel follows Noah and Josephine whose divorce was never finalized, and when a snow storm leaves them stranded together, the pair is forced to reconcile their past and forgive one another.
