Religion & Spirituality

In this collection we've gathered fiction and nonfiction texts that address humanity's age-old search for meaning and purpose within a higher power.

Publication year 1990

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: New Age

Tags Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Religion / Spirituality

Full Tilt is a young adult psychological horror novel written by author Neal Shusterman. Shusterman has written over 30 books, many of which have won literary awards. He was born in New York City but moved to Mexico City as a teenager. From there, he studied psychology and theater at the University of California in Irvine. He is also a screenwriter for both television and film. Full Tilt earned over 20 literary awards after its... Read Full Tilt Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: The Future

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Religion / Spirituality, Science / Nature, Race / Racism, Fantasy

Future Home of the Living God is a 2017 speculative fiction novel by American author Louise Erdrich. Told by Cedar Hawk Songmaker, a pregnant Native American woman in her mid-twenties living in Minneapolis, the story consists of her reflections as she waits to give birth. In the novel’s pre-apocalyptic America, human evolution has reversed, meaning that the species has begun to biologically regress into an infertile state. Meanwhile, the United States government has undermined citizens’... Read Future Home of the Living God Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature


Publication year 1881

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity

Tags Play: Drama, Psychological Fiction, Scandinavian Literature, Realism, Victorian Period, Drama / Tragedy, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality, Finance / Money / Wealth, Love / Sexuality, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction

The play Ghosts (1881) by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen chronicles the complicated relationship between Helen Alving and her son, Oswald. Ghosts documents a day in the life at the Alving estate as Helen prepares to open an orphanage in honor of her late husband. A three-act play, Ghosts explores the complex social issues of sexually transmitted infections, incest, and euthanasia—topics that made the play highly controversial when it was first produced.Ghosts followed the success of... Read Ghosts Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags Fantasy, Grief / Death, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Grandparents

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1979

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1990

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Tags Health / Medicine, Inspirational, Biography, Religion / Spirituality

Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (1990) is a memoir written by Ben Carson, a former neurosurgeon turned politician, and coauthor Cecil Murphey. Born Benjamin Solomon Carson Sr., Carson served as secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development under President Donald Trump. The book explores how Carson’s gifts from God, his mother and older brother’s influence, and his faith in God and himself allowed him to escape the Detroit ghetto and become a... Read Gifted Hands Summary


Publication year 1955

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Midlife, Identity: Femininity

Tags Inspirational, Philosophy, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Gender / Feminism, Philosophy, Biography, Self Help, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Gift from the Sea is a 1955 work of inspirational nonfiction literature by American author Anne Morrow Lindbergh. While vacationing on Captiva Island, Florida, Lindbergh explores the questions of how to find a new, more natural rhythm of life and how to gain a deeper relationship with herself and others. To gain inspiration for this, she discusses various shells that she finds on the beach. The first two shells she finds symbolize the importance of... Read Gift From The Sea Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Sociology, Science / Nature, History: World, Philosophy, Politics / Government

God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (2007) is a polemical text by English writer Christopher Hitchens. The author argues that religion is a cultural construct that represses people more than it liberates them. He examines religion’s role in sexuality, science, and human dignity and posits that organized religion rarely (if ever) benefits humanity at large. Hitchens was a noted columnist and contributing editor to Vanity Fair magazine.Its themes include mass delusions, the misogyny... Read God Is Not Great Summary


Publication year 1872

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger

Tags Russian Literature, Classic Fiction, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality

“God Sees the Truth, but Waits” is a short story by Leo Tolstoy originally published in 1872. The story, a parable about forgiveness that explores religious and spiritual themes, tells of a man sent to prison in Siberia for a murder he did not commit. The story has been adapted for various media, including films and radio programs. This guide refers to the 1990 Norton Critical Edition.Set in Tolstoy’s contemporary Russia, the story is narrated... Read God Sees the Truth, but Waits Summary


Publication year 1918

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Victorian Period, Industrial Revolution, Education, Education


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Fantasy, British Literature, Religion / Spirituality, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Humor

Good Omens, The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman is a darkly comic novel originally published in 1990. It is a satirical imagining of the Biblical apocalypse featuring angels, demons, humans, and the hosts of Heaven and Hell.Pratchett is well known for his ˙comic fantasy Discworld series, which spans 41 books. Gaiman is the author of, among other titles, Stardust, American Gods, and the graphic novel series... Read Good Omens Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: The Future, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Self Help, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Inspirational, Health


Publication year 90

Genre Scripture, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Christian literature

The Gospel of John is the last of the four biblical gospels in the New Testament, each offering a biography of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. It is traditionally attributed to John, one of Jesus’s 12 disciples and a major leader in the early church, though some scholars dispute that attribution. The Gospel of John, most likely written in the latter decades of the first century CE, is part of the Johannine corpus... Read Gospel of John Summary


Publication year 1953

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Religion / Spirituality, Race / Racism, American Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

Go Tell it on the Mountain is a semi-autobiographical novel by James Baldwin. Published in 1953, the novel tells the story of a teenager in 1930s Harlem named John Grimes as well as his wider family, dealing with themes of religion, sexuality, and race. This guide uses an eBook version of the Modern Penguin Classics edition of the novel. Plot SummaryGo Tell it on the Mountain is set on the 14th birthday of the protagonist... Read Go Tell It on the Mountain Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: War, Relationships: Siblings, Natural World: Place, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: Asian, History: U.S., Religion / Spirituality, Children's Literature, History: World


Publication year 1965

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community

Tags Anthropology, Education, Education, Anthropology, History: World, Travel Literature, Religion / Spirituality, Biography

Guests of the Sheik is a nonfiction book set in Iraq in the early years of the Cold War. In 1956, Elizabeth Warnock Fernea accompanies her husband, Bob Fernea, on a two-year, anthropological, dissertation research trip. As a new bride who is entirely unfamiliar with the Middle East or its history and culture, Elizabeth lives in the rural tribal settlement of El Nahra among the El Eshadda tribe. Though she is unable to speak Arabic... Read Guests of the Sheik Summary