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 1942

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Lyric Poem, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger

Tags Historical Fiction, American Literature, Grief / Death, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, History: World

Gary D. Schmidt’s Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (2004), an historical novel for young adults, received the Newbery Honor in 2005. It is based on actual events occurring on Malaga Island, Maine in 1912, when the government of Maine placed the residents of the island in a mental hospital and tore down their homes.Turner Buckminster is the son of a reverend living in Phippsburg, Maine in 1912. Turner has just relocated to Phippsburg from... Read Lizzie Bright And The Buckminster Boy Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Gothic Literature, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Holidays & Occasions, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Race / Racism, Black Lives Matter, History: U.S., Social Justice, American Literature, African American Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2012

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Community

Tags Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality, Self Help, Inspirational


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Religion / Spirituality

Love, Hate and Other Filters is a young adult novel written by Samira Ahmed. Published in 2018, the novel tells the story of Maya Aziz, a 17-year-old Indian American teenager in Batavia, Illinois. The book, Ahmed’s first, was nominated for the 2018 Goodreads Choice Award. It received critical acclaim for its diversity and was popular among teenage readers.Maya is the daughter of Asif and Sofia, Muslim Indians who came to the United States from Hyderabad... Read Love, Hate and Other Filters Summary


Publication year -1

Genre Scripture, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Indian Literature, Mythology, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy

David R. Slavitt’s 2015 translation of the Mahabharata is an abridged, modern English rendition of the ancient Indian epic. Slavitt, an American poet, novelist, and translator, is experienced in translating classical texts for contemporary audiences. His translation seeks to make this foundational work of South Asian literature accessible to modern readers.The Mahabharata is traditionally attributed to the sage Vyasa and was composed between approximately 400 BCE and 400 CE. As one of the longest epic... Read Mahabharata Summary


Publication year 1964

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health

Tags Psychology, Mythology, Relationships, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Psychology, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1946

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Holocaust, Religion / Spirituality, WWII / World War II, Philosophy, Philosophy, Psychology, Psychology, Biography, Self Help

Man’s Search for Meaning (1946) is a memoir and work of nonfiction concerned with psychotherapy. The author, Victor Frankl, was born in 1905 and later became a psychiatrist in Vienna—an occupation that for some time protected him despite the fact that he was Jewish. When he was offered the opportunity to obtain a visa and escape to America, he chose to stay in Nazi-occupied Austria to be near his aging parents. Inevitably, he and his family were... Read Man's Search for Meaning Summary


Publication year 1988

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Mental Health

Tags Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Philosophy, Psychology, Biography, Self Help

Many Lives, Many Masters: The True Story of a Prominent Psychiatrist, His Young Patient, and the Past-Life Therapy That Changed Both Their Lives is a new-age, self-help memoir written by American psychiatrist Dr. Brian L. Weiss. Originally published on July 15, 1988, by Touchstone, the book covers a portion of Weiss’s career in which he conducts therapy sessions with Catherine, a patient with symptoms of fear and anxiety. After putting Catherine under trance with hypnotic... Read Many Lives, Many Masters Summary


Publication year 1999

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Psychology, Philosophy, Sociology, History: World, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Psychology, Fantasy, Self Help, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

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


Publication year 1895

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Class, Society: Economics

Tags Classic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Class, History: European, Poverty, Russian Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy

“Master and Man” is a short story, written in Russian, by Leo Tolstoy in 1895—a period of the author’s life often considered distinct from the early periods of his most famous novels. Having disowned these previous works, the 67-year-old began writing stories on ethical-religious themes. Set in post-reform Russia, when serfdom was abolished and capitalistic forms of work were redefining social life, “Master and Man” is also a commentary on the effects of the new... Read Master and Man Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1630

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Metaphysical

John Donne, one of the most famous English writers of the Jacobean Age, is the central figure of a group of 17th-century poets called the Metaphysical poets. These poets combined complex, unusual metaphors with philosophic and scientific allusions, their poems often focusing on metaphysical quandaries (hence the name “Metaphysical poetry”). Donne wrote “Meditation 17” in 1623 while he was deathly ill, and though it isn’t a poem, the sermon still explores the metaphysical mystery of... Read Meditation 17 Summary


Publication year 180

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Philosophy, Ancient Rome, Philosophy, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Biography, Self Help, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Meditations is a collection of prose philosophical reflections and exercises composed in Koine Greek by Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who lived from 121-180 and ruled from 161-180. Though the precise dating of his compositions is unknown and they are not believed to be presented in chronological order, at least some of the books were written while he was on military campaign in the north of Europe during his reign. Scholars are generally in consensus that... Read Meditations Summary


Publication year 1641

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Philosophy, Age of Enlightenment, Religion / Spirituality, Education, Education, French Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Meditations on First Philosophy is a philosophical treatise by René Descartes. Originally published in Latin in 1641, the text would go on to influence European and global philosophical traditions. In this work, Descartes argues for the existence of God and the immortality of the soul. Two of its major contributions to philosophy are mind/body dualism and the famous phrase “I think, therefore, I am.” The book comprises six meditations wherein Descartes seeks to doubt all... Read Meditations on First Philosophy Summary


Publication year 1989

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Philosophy, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Science / Nature, Philosophy, History: World, Psychology, Biography


Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Asian Literature, Chinese Literature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Asian Literature, History: World, Classical Period, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Mencius is a philosophical text based on the thought and teachings of fourth-century BCE Confucian Chinese philosopher Mencius, or Mengzi. According to the latest scholarship, written in the late fourth century BCE by Mencius’s disciples from notes on what Mencius said, it details conversations he had with various kings, rulers, and officials. These discussions cover a range of topics, from moral and political philosophy to human nature and selfhood. The following guide uses the translation... Read Mencius Summary