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 -500
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy
Publication year 1902
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Science / Nature
The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Nature (1902) by William James is a philosophical examination of how religious revelations function in individuals’ lives and minds. This renowned work applies James’s theoretical framework of pragmatism to the study of the functionality of religion. James utilizes radical empiricism to examine both the subjective and objective experiences of religion. James argues that individual experiences, not major religious institutions, form the spiritual shape of the world. He... Read The Varieties of Religious Experience Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Community
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Magical Realism, Education, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Parenting, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1960
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Southern Gothic, Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality, American Literature, Southern Literature, Gothic Literature, Classic Fiction
The Violent Bear It Away is a fiction novel published in 1960 by the American author Flannery O’Connor. Written in O’Connor’s trademark Southern Gothic style, the book chronicles the inner turmoil of a 14-year-old boy from rural Tennessee as he struggles against his destiny of becoming a prophet. It is an expansion of O’Connor’s 1955 short story, “You Can’t Be Any Poorer Than Dead,” which is presented here as the book’s first chapter.This study guide... Read The Violent Bear It Away Summary
Publication year 1848
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Class
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Fireside Poets, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1952
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Self Discovery, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Religion / Spirituality, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Christian literature
C. S. Lewis’s The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a fantasy novel for children originally published in 1952 as the third installment of The Chronicles of Narnia series. However, because recent editions of the series tend to number the books in chronological order of storytelling rather than the original order of publication, it is most often counted as the fifth volume in modern printings. The Chronicles of Narnia includes seven novels: The Lion, the... Read The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Self Help, Sociology, Arts / Culture, Technology, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Magical Realism, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Romance, Fantasy, New Adult, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1905
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Nation
Tags Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, American Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government
Publication year 2009
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community
Tags Anthropology, Science / Nature, Technology, Anthropology, Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Travel Literature, Religion / Spirituality
This study guide refers to the 2009 House of Anansi Press edition of Wade Davis’s The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World. The Wayfinders collects a series of five Massey Lectures that Davis delivered in Canada in 2009. Davis is a Colombian-Canadian anthropologist and ethnobotanist, and the Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society. This position, as well as his long anthropological career, has allowed Davis to spend time with many of the... Read The Wayfinders Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Self Help, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Inspirational, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality, Class, Narrative / Epic Poem, Action / Adventure
The Way of Kings (2010) is the first book in Brandon Sanderson’s ongoing epic fantasy series, The Stormlight Archive. The Way of Kings won Best Novel at the 2011 David Gemmell Legend Awards for fantasy literature and is considered an exemplary and influential entry to the epic fantasy genre. DMG Entertainment purchased the rights to a film adaptation of The Stormlight Archive in 2016, and Arcturus VR released a videogame adaptation of the novel in... Read The Way of Kings Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Regret
Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Philosophy, Jewish Literature, British Literature, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1948
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Lyric Poem, Mythology, Religion / Spirituality, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Anthropology, Anthropology, Philosophy, Philosophy, History: World, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1918
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Animals
Tags Lyric Poem, Religion / Spirituality, Animals, Victorian Period, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1951
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery
Tags Philosophy, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Self Help
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1990
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Gothic Literature