National Network for Equitable Library Service

In this annotated translation and study of an early fourteenth-century Japanese devotional picture scroll set, Royall Tyler illuminates the complex relationships between medieval Japanese religion and politics, text, and art. The Kasuga Gongen genki ("The Miracles of the Kasuga Deity") mingles text and painting on silk to tell the tale of miraculous events at the Kasuga shrine in Nara, a site favored by the dominant Fujiwara clan for centuries.

For those who don't believe in God—or don't know whether they believe—New York Times best-selling author Marya Hornbacher offers an insightful, moving approach to the concept of faith. Many of us have been trained to think of spirituality as the sole provenance of religion; and if we have come to feel that the religious are not the only ones with access to a spiritual life, we may still be searching for what a spiritual life would be, without a God, a religion, or a solid set of spiritual beliefs.

Best-selling American Buddhist nun Pema Chödrön presents a friendly and encouraging guide to spiritual practice for all those who want to take up the path of the bodhisattva-one who aspires to live life with courage, generosity, patience, fearlessness, and compassion. The Way of the Bodhisattva has long been treasured as an indispensable guide to enlightened living, offering a window into the greatest potential within us all.

Tibetan Buddhist instructions for developing radical compassion through lojong mind training-from a contemporary master with a gift for making the ancient teachings speak to modern hearts. Dzigar Kongtrül's lively and accessible presentation of the Tibetan training method known as lojong (mind training) focuses on what he considers the heart of that practice: tonglen, the practice of exchanging self for other, for taking in others' pain and suffering and sending out kindness, ease, and consolation.

A fascinating narrative of community and faith, Charles London’s Far From Zion explores the Jewish Diaspora in some of the most unexpected places—from Burma to Tehran to Cuba and even Bentonville, Arkansas. The award-winning author of the highly acclaimed One Day the Soldiers Came, London tells the stories of the Jews who stayed behind, choosing to remain in the countries of their birth rather than immigrating to the Holy Land of Israel.

National Book Award winner: This story of a family torn apart by the Vietnam era is “a magnificent portrayal of two noble men who broke each other’s hearts” (Booklist). James Carroll grew up in a Catholic family that seemed blessed. His father, who had once dreamed of becoming a priest, instead began a career in J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI, rising through the ranks and eventually becoming one of the most powerful men in the Pentagon, the founder of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

This book discusses the special call to ministry and describes how our calling is interconnected with the other key areas of life. God's callings for our lives include a broad spectrum of areas. Our Creator, who knits us together in our mother's womb, places within our hearts and minds our purpose for our being on earth, and out of that context calls us to serve the needs of His Kingdom—sometimes in specific ways.

An award-winning writer delivers a major reckoning with religion, place, and sexuality in the aftermath of 9/11. Hailed in The Washington Post as “one of the most eloquent and probing public intellectuals in America,” Richard Rodriguez now considers religious violence worldwide, growing public atheism in the West, and his own mortality. Rodriguez’s stylish new memoir—the first book in a decade from the Pulitzer Prize finalist—moves from Jerusalem to Silicon Valley, from Moses to Liberace, from Lance Armstrong to Mother Teresa.

While Buddhism has no central text such as the Bible or the Koran, there is a powerful body of scripture from across Asia that encompasses the dharma, or the teachings of Buddha. This rich anthology brings together works from a broad historical and geographical range, and from languages such as Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, Chinese and Japanese. There are tales of the Buddha's past lives, a discussion of the qualities and qualifications of a monk, and an exploration of the many meanings of Enlightenment.

Can anyone even see me? As a woman, it’s so easy to feel invisible. Amid the exhaustion of day-to-day life, it’s hard not to wonder: Does anyone see my effort, my struggles? Does anyone even want to? In Adored by the God Who Sees Me, Kerry Clarensau and Kay Burnett remind you that yes, you are seen! Not only that, but the One who sees you is the Creator of all things—an amazing God who has incredible plans for your life.