May Publications

Susan Corso's God's Dictionary: Divine Definitions for Everyday Enlightenment is a spiritual etymologist's dream, providing "the spiritual take on everyday words" such as disappointment ("not chosen"), companion ("sharing bread together") or support ("to carry near"). Corso's wordsmithing can have some profound implications, such as when she defines respect as "to regard again." She explains that this means that if we want respect from others, we first have to show it to them. Each meditation ends with an "infinition," a resolve to incorporate the word and its idea into daily life. Corso's dictionary is original, fresh and thought-provoking. (Putnam/Tarcher, $14.95 paper 224p ISBN 1-58542-169-3; May)

Palgrave offers The New Buddhism, a manifesto for a socially engaged Buddhism. David Brazier argues in favor of "liberation Buddhism," which seeks to free the world from oppression, over "extinction Buddhism," which attempts to release the practitioner from the world. It's unfortunate that Brazier's book shares its title with James William Coleman's recent study of Buddhism in the West (Oxford Univ., 2001), because both books are noteworthy, and they are entirely different. ($16.95 paper 288p ISBN 0-312-29518-9; May)

Sex and Marriage

"How can I mention holiness and sex in the same phrase?" asks Tim Gardner, the author of Sacred Sex: A Spiritual Celebration of Oneness in Marriage. "Well, for one thing, because God does." So begins this thoughtful let's-talk-about-sex book for Christians. Gardner encourages readers (i.e., married couples) to practice unconditional acceptance of their partners' bodies and to have a clear understanding of why God created sex in the first place. The "big O," according to Gardner, "is not orgasm; it's oneness." Gardner provides excellent biblical and cultural examples of why the union of husband and wife should, as the New Testament explains it, represent the mystery of the relationship between Christ and the church. (WaterBrook, $13.99 paper 240p ISBN 1-57856-461-1; May)

Lois Kellerman, who is a spiritual leader in the Ethical Culture movement, shares stories from her counseling practice and her own experiences in Marriage from the Heart: Eight Commitments of a Spiritually Fulfilling Life Together, written with Nelly Bly. The book centers on eight commitments, or long-term values, that characterize strong and healthy marriages, including placing the marriage at the center of one's life, having reverence for one's partner and oneself and celebrating spiritual values together. The book is well-written, down to the carefully chosen epigraphs that begin many of its sections, and filled with wisdom from many diverse religious traditions. (Viking, $23.95 240p ISBN 0-670-03118-6; Apr. 29)