Nonfiction
Nov. 1
Becoming C. S. Lewis: A Biography of Young Jack Lewis (1898–1918) by Harry Lee Poe (Crossway, $22.99, ISBN 978-1-4335-6273-0) provides an account of C.S. Lewis’s adolescent years that explains how his youth shaped his later writing—tracing such themes as his delight in literature, his suffering and struggles, and his intense pursuit of joy.
The Morrigan: Celtic Goddess of Magic and Might by Courtney Weber (Weiser, $16.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-57863-663-1) explores Ireland’s ancient dark goddess—the beloved “phantom queen” of the Celtic world—with practices for modern-day devotees.
Nov. 5
A Theology of Love: Reimagining Christianity Through a Course in Miracles by Richard Smoley (Inner Traditions, $18.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-62055-925-3) reframes Christian theology using teachings of unconditional love and forgiveness, drawing inspiration only from the Bible, Buddhism, Gnosticism, Hinduism, and mystical teachings such as A Course in Miracles.
Revolutionary Witchcraft: A Guide to Magical Activism by Sarah Lyons (Running Press, $16.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-7624-9573-3) provides an introduction to the history and contemporary practice of feminist magic, mystical rituals, cleansing, power mapping, and casting spells.
Start Here, Start Now: A Short Guide to Mindfulness Meditation by Bhante Gunaratana (Wisdom, $9.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-61429-627-0). Meditation teacher Gunaratana instructs readers on how to start and maintain a mindfulness meditation practice.
The Lost Art of Scripture: Rescuing the Sacred Texts by Karen Armstrong (Knopf, $35, ISBN 978-0-45149-4863). Bestselling historian Armstrong argues against fundamentalist and literalist interpretations of sacred texts, suggesting instead that religions originally regarded texts as tools to enable individual connection with the divine and compassionate engagement with the world.
The Evolutionary Empath: A Practical Guide for Heart-Centered Consciousness by Stephanie Red Feather (Bear & Co., $18 paper, ISBN 978-1-59143-350-7) lends advice on how to manage life’s difficulties as an empath (one who has preternatural emotional senses), including how to employ one’s gifts in a healthy way.
Wounded Shepherd: Pope Francis and His Struggle to Convert the Catholic Church by Austen Ivereigh (Holt, $30, ISBN 978-1-250-11938-4). This biography from historian Ivereigh centers on the tensions generated by the pope’s attempt to turn the Catholic church away from power and tradition.
Nov. 12
Ecopiety: Green Media and the Dilemma of Environmental Virtue by Sarah McFarland Taylor (New York Univ., $30 paper, ISBN 978-1-4798-9131-3). Taylor, associate professor in the department of Religious Studies at Northwestern, examines intersections of environmental sensibilities, contemporary expressions of piety and devotion, and American popular culture.
Nov. 19
Family Papers: A Sephardic Journey Through the Twentieth Century by Sarah Abrevaya Stein (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $28, ISBN 978-0-374-18542-8). Sephardic historian Stein uses his family’s correspondence throughout WWI and WWII to tell the story of their journey from being Ottomans to becoming Greeks, and to examine the history of Sephardic Jews in the 20th century.
Unbelievers: An Emotional History of Doubt by Alec Ryrie (Harvard Univ., $27.95, ISBN 978-0-674-24182-4). Ryrie, a professor of the history of Christianity at Durham University, considers why societies that were once overwhelmingly Christian have become so secular, arguing that long before philosophers started to make the case for atheism, powerful cultural currents were challenging traditional faith.
Moon on Fire by Tenzin Priyadarshi (Random/Spiegel & Grau, $28, ISBN 978-1-984819-85-7). Buddhist monk Priyadarshi shares lessons about the power of mentorship and an open mind, explaining strategies for bridging the spiritual and secular worlds.
Fiction
Nov. 5
The Bake Shop by Amy Clipston (Zondervan, $15.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-310-35638-7). Christiana Kurtz loves to bake, but when she outgrows her small bake stand, she moves her business to the local market. The new shop becomes so busy it blocks the craft store next door, run by Jeffrey Stoltzfus, who Christiana begins to take a liking to.
Nov. 26
Abraham by Jennifer Beckstrand (Zebra, $7.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-4201-4772-8). This second novel in her series featuring Amish brothers Andrew, Abraham, and Austin Petersheim sees the brothers interested in finding romance after the success of their peanut butter business.
