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[[Category:Spirituality and Religion|*]]__NOTOC__ <!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE-->{{Frontpage|author=Frederic Seager|title= Jesus, the Man and the Myth: A Jewish Reading of the New Testament__NOTOC__|rating=4.5|genre= Spirituality and Religion|summary= I was brought up in a family where religion played little or no part. Culturally Irish Catholic on one side and Welsh Methodist on the other, nobody really discussed religion and the adults around me ranged from lapsed to agnostic to atheist. Other than the odd church wedding or baptism or the school nativity play, I didn't think too much about faith or what people did or didn't believe.|isbn=B092BWWG9Y}}{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Peter Blackstock Owen Jones|title=Conversations with Nature|rating=5|genre=Spirituality and Religion|summary= One of the comments made when I was offered this beautiful book for review was that it's not very long. Having read the book twice over, I'm brought back inescapably to the Spanish proverb that Life may be short, but it is broad. In this case I'm brought to the idea that the length of life is not the point; the point is its depth. Peter Owen Jones dives deep.|isbn=1912992418}}{{Frontpage|author=Richard Brook|title=Understanding Human Nature: A User's Guide to Life|rating=4.5|genre=Lifestyle|summary= I am a firm believer that sometimes we choose books, and sometimes books choose us. In my case, this is one of the latter. Not so very long ago, if I had come across this book I'd have skimmed it, found some of it interesting, but it would not have 'hit home' in the way that it does now. I believe it came to me not just because I was likely to give it a favourable review [ ''full disclosure The Secret Symbol: Bookbag's u.s.p. is that people chose their own books rather than getting them randomly, so there is a predisposition towards expecting to like the book, even if it doesn't always turn out that way'' ] – but also because it is a book I needed to read, right now.|isbn=1800461682}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Hill_Atlas|title=The Original Masonic Documents Behind Dan BrownAtlas of Monsters|author=Stuart Hill and Sandra Lawrence|rating=4|genre=Children's Latest BestsellerNon-Fiction|summary=There are monsters and mysterious characters, such as trolls, leprechauns, goblins and minotaurs. They're the stuff of far too many stories to remain mysterious, and every schoolchild should know all about them. There are monsters and mysterious characters, such as Gog and Magog, Scylla and Charybdis, and the bunyip. They are what you find if you take an interest in this kind of thing to the next level; even if you cannot place them all on a map you should have come across them. But there are monsters and mysterious characters, such as the dobhar-chu, the llambigyn y dwr, and the girtablili. To gain any knowledge of them you really need a book that knows its stuff. A book like this one…}}{{Frontpage|isbn=1999731506|title=Spiritual Atheist|author=Nick Seneca Jankel|rating=2|genre=Lifestyle|summary=''Spiritual Atheist'' is a new 'bible' for the spiritual not the religious, according to the tagline. This is a taboo smashing book which solves the problem of modernity and explains how to be a 'spiritual technologist' who can live and love freely in 'spiritual fullness' without relying on a belief in god. Touching on everything from 'brain science' to AI, Jankel offers a 'path to meaning', allowing us to move beyond consumerism towards an ethical life.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=1789015200|title=Be Your Higher Self|author=Samesh Ramjattan|rating=34

|summary=Pop QuizThere are a lot of self-help books about: it's one of the most thriving sections of the average bookshop, but it's not always easy to find the book you need. What links Scott Samesh Ramjattan has addressed this problem in ''Be Your Higher Self'', a book which allows us all to make sense of our place in the Antarcticworld, Jim Davidson, Churchillas most of us only glimpse our true potential and few people ever achieve it. Even with hard work and dedication, obstacles present themselves and Rabbie Burns? it's difficult to understand why or how they can be overcome. Where and when might you come Ramjattan offers us a cropper trying guide to spell Boazthe spirit world, the chakras, but starting with karma and reincarnation as well as information about the age of Aquarius and the B? ego. And what has three stages - unless itIt's thirtya slim book - just 128 pages -three, or even ten by so can it provide us with the York systemanswers we seek?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846683734</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Robert CrumbMahnke_Lore|title=Robert Crumb's Book The World of GenesisLore, Volume 1: All 50 ChaptersMonstrous Creatures|author=Aaron Mahnke

|genre=Graphic NovelsSpirituality and Religion|summary=In Every country, every town, every village has a folktale – a story passed down through generations that often focuses on the beginning was dark and unexplained. No matter how the picturemodern world moves on, there's a still a part of everyone that is vulnerable to a good tale. Just think From ghosts to werewolves, by way of wendigos and elves, author Aaron Mahnke delivers the reader legends from all over the countless religious imagesworld, whilst examining how they've become part of our collective imaginations, both inside still striking fear into the hearts of many of us today.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Saxena_Jaya|title=Basic Witches|author=J Saxena and J Zimmerman|rating=4|genre=Spirituality and Religion|summary=Before I started this book I was expecting to be thrown into the world of magic and outside religious establishmentswould know how to levitate by the end of the first chapter. Unsurprisingly, I was wrong. However, what I was met by was a book that explores the origins of witchcraft, designed teaches you how to dress and act like a witch and contains spells ranging from accepting compliments to convey conjuring up a relaxing Netflix binge.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Wright_Universe|title=The Universe and Life but Not Everything|author=Anthony Christian Wright|rating=3.5|genre=Spirituality and Religion|summary=I often wonder - usually after a moment of shaking my fist at the message news on TV - what my manifesto for life and society would look like were I to those write it down. I have all sorts of thoughts about these things, from the metaphysics of who could not read. Art we are and religion have always been linkedwhere we come from, which is probably one right down to detailed critiques of the main reasons quite insignificant government policies. I stayed 've never done such an atheist exercise - mostly because I hated art at schoollack the time, the patience and drawing the diligence required. It seems like an enormous task.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=1850788332|title=Rosie: Note to Self |author=Claire Connor and G P Taylor|rating=3.5|genre=General Fiction|summary=In the first of a man five book deal Claire Connor, writing in partnership with GP Taylor, brings us a modern romance based loosely on the story of Ruth from the Bible. This is total chick-lit, and from the first few pages I thought it was just going to be a donkeyvery light, something funny romance story. However, the story quickly takes a depressing turn and the rest of the book is as much an exploration of grief as it is a romance novel.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Santiago_Returning|title=Returning Home|author=Stephan Santiago|rating=3.5|genre=Spirituality and Religion|summary=[[:Category:Stephan Santiago|Stephan Santiago]] has experienced life in a way beyond my skills, was not that's led him to believe we're all on a soul journey back home – that place we inhabited before we were born. This book is a task I appreciatedguide as to how we can optimise this journey for ourselves, hence my dislike those around us and our children.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Wilbourne_Shepherd|title=Shepherd of both subjects.Another Flock|author=David Wilbourne|rating=5|amazonukgenre=<amazonuk>0224078097</amazonuk>Spirituality and Religion|summary=[[:Category:David Wilbourne|David Wilbourne's]] CV looks like a career path for people who are hard-of-humoured. Banker, teacher of Ancient Greek, vicar, bishop…none of these are jobs normally connected in our minds with a jovial twinkle. Yet in David's case, we'd be totally wrong to assume. The current Bishop of Llandaff takes us by the hand to show us episodes from his life as vicar of the character-packed Yorkshire parish of Helmsley proving that tears of sorrow are equally shared with tears of laughter.

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Alexandra BrucePigliucci_How|title=2012: Science or SuperstitionHow to be a Stoic|author=Massimo Pigliucci

|genre=Popular ScienceSpirituality and Religion|summary=The fuss ''Stoicism is about 2012 has not started just recently. The first book developing the tools to feature deal as effectively as humanly possible with the story was from a Yale professorensuing conflicts, does not demand perfection, in 1966and does not provide specific answers. We've also had prog rock bands named after Popol Vuh' For many readers, the Maya creation myth. But as the crunch date living in an age of December 21st, 2012 - rules to make us happy and the winter solstice that year - nearsinevitable failure to stick to them, it's becoming a very big story indeedthis is an intensely reassuring sentence. Even though it sounds absurd - the end of a 5Pigliucci certainly makes Stoicism an appealing philosophy,125-year long cycle of the Maya calendarone which can sit alongside religious faith but doesn't have to, one which started on August 13thdoesn't demand Aristotelian heights of intelligence, 3114BCE - beauty or was judged riches in order to start thentruly succeed in life, when they came across this concept a couple of thousand years into that periodand one which recognises life's messy difficulties. Surely they couldn't predict the future from their 'primitive' state with such accuracy?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1934708283</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Mitch Albom Pearce_Biblical|title=Have a Little FaithA Biblical Theology Behind Music, Praise, and Worship|author=Dr Mark Pearce

|summary=One Music used in religions and worship itself goes back to the beginning of humankind. In this book musician and theological academic [[:Category:Dr Mark Pearce|Dr Mark Pearce]] explores its Biblical history in a Christian context as well as providing tips and suggestions for those involved in worship in the present day.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Iles_Thoughts|title=The Thoughts and Inner Journey of Dr. John Dee|author=Clair Iles|rating=3.5|genre=Spirituality and Religion|summary=[[:Category:Clair Iles|Clair Iles]] is, Mitch Albomin her own words, a normal person who was educated at a normal comprehensive school. However, she's eighty-two year old rabbi asks him to write his eulogya normal person who hears dead people. Thinking that he must be close to death Albom reluctantly agreesYes, but decides Clair is a spiritualist with ability to meet with 'hear from those who have passed on. In the Reb' to try to get to know him better as a man firstpast they had generally been relatives or everyday folk. What Imagine, then develops is an eight year friendship as Albom continues to regularly meet with the Reb, who her surprise when she felt she was obviously stronger than he looked, discussing life and religion and death and lovehearing from Elizabethan court polymath John Dee. At the same Over a period of time Mitch becomes involved with a pastor she could feel his dictated thoughts and ideas in Detroit called Henry, a reformed drug dealer, who her mind and this book of the channelled words is the result.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Woodcock_Becoming|title=Becoming Reverend: A diary|author=Matt Woodcock|rating=4.5|genre=Spirituality and Religion|summary=[[:Category:Matt Woodcock|Matt Woodcock]] is preaching from an old, run-down church with no powerenjoying life: successful journalist, no heat happily married and a hole in its roofnew dream home bought and heavily mortgaged. Albom relates The only cloud on the horizon is their struggle to have children but they have faith in the RebIVF treatment as it's early days yet. Then comes the funny turn Matt has on the way to a story, and thoughts on life, against one day. This takes him by surprise but the back drop resulting clergy collar comes as a total shock. He's a normal bloke who always thought of himself as more pint than piety believing in a God who's happy for him to remain in the struggling Henry, querying issues like forgiveness, doubt and faithpews.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847442919</amazonuk> Errrrm… whoops!

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Tamim Ansary Chaplin_Stone|title=Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World Through Islamic EyesThe Stone Cradle|author=Patrice Chaplin

|genre=HistorySpirituality and Religion|summary=I enjoyed history at school and whilst we didn't always work our way through it chronologically I came, over time, to have 'The Stone Cradle'' is a working knowledge of remarkable book from the ancient Egyptiansauthor Patrice Chaplin. It is a biography, Greeks and Romans. I knew about the rise third in a series set in the Catalonian city of Christianity Girona. It is also an enduring love story and spoke knowledgeably about medieval Englanda journey into mystery and spirituality. The city has drawn artists, the Renaissance writers and philosophers for centuries. Rich in Kabbalistic thought through Azriel, the Reformation but was perhaps less taken by most famous student of Isaac the Industrial Revolution Blind, it has always been a home for mysticism and all that followedsecrets. I was au fait with The magnetism and resonance of the east but city has had a hold on Patrice Chaplin since she first visited it was mainly from in the perspective fifties. The series of exploration – or even exploitationbooks detail her journey and her encounters with the esoteric society that have protected its mysteries since ancient times. It was an education based on 'The Stone Cradle' also gives a new life and direction to the virtues mysteries of Rennes le Chateau, the solidsmall French village, white, English, Christian middle classes made famous by the Da Vinci Code and the Holy Blood and it completely ignored histories from The Holy Grail. Linking the two places through sacred geometry to the perspective mountain of other religionsCanigou.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1586486063</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Trevor Hamilton Vonnegut_Sun|title=Immortal Longings: F.W.H. Myers Sun Moon Star|author=Kurt Vonnegut and the Victorian Search for Life After DeathIvan Chermayeff|rating=4.5|genre=Biography Spirituality and Religion|summary=Born in 1843, Frederic Myers began In his career as a classical lecturer at Cambridge Universityown delightfully imaginative way, but disliked teaching Kurt Vonnegut tells the story of the birth of Christ in this unique and soon gave it up in favour long out of print children's book. Told from the perspective of writing poetry and essays the new born infant in literature. Although his social circle included men such as Gladstonefirst hours of birth, Ruskin, Tennyson, Browning and Prince Leopold, the most intellectual of Queen Victoriathis charming little story feels different to other children's sons, his Christmas books (which are not so well remembered today) might have been his sole claim whilst at the same time goes back to fame, had it not been for his passionate curiosity about the meaning of human life. If it had a purpose, he was convinced, it could only be discovered through basics in exploring the study true nature of human experiencesChristmas.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1845401239</amazonuk>