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 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

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

New Moon, a young-adult fantasy romance by Stephenie Meyer, continues the adventure begun in the bestselling novel Twilight about a teenage girl, Bella Swan, who falls in love with vampire Edward Cullen. When Edward leaves her, she struggles with grief and begins spending time with a boy, Jacob Black, who is a vampire-hating werewolf. Published in 2006, New Moon became a number-one New York Times bestseller and received plaudits for its character development and exploration... Read New Moon Summary


Publication year 1789

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Animals

Tags Romanticism / Romantic Period, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Arts / Culture


Publication year 1983

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, History: U.S., Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Religion / Spirituality, American Literature, Anthropology, Anthropology, History: World, Arts / Culture


Publication year 1978

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

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


Publication year 1994

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & Government, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Sociology, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World, Travel Literature


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction

Nine Perfect Strangers is a 2018 novel by Liane Moriarty. Set in Sydney, Australia, the novel follows a group of strangers who gather at a wellness retreat to receive treatment from a mysterious health guru. The novel was adapted for a 2021 television series starring Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, and Michael Shannon.Other works by this author include Apples Never Fall, What Alice Forgot, and Here One Moment.This guide uses an eBook copy of the text... Read Nine Perfect Strangers Summary


Publication year 1517

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Christian literature, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship

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

Ninth House is a 2019 contemporary occult fantasy novel by American writer Leigh Bardugo. Inspired by the author’s undergraduate experiences at Yale University, Ninth House is part of the Alex Stern series with the next book planned for release in 2021. The novel is also popular on BookTok, a community of readers and book content creators on TikTok. The story is set in a macabre version of the real world and focuses on the occult... Read Ninth House Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Society: Community

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


Publication year 2009

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags History: African , Politics / Government, Social Justice, Race / Racism, African Literature, Biography, History: World, Religion / Spirituality

Originally published in 1999, No Future Without Forgiveness is the memoir of Desmond Mpilo Tutu. Tutu won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1984 for his efforts to end apartheid in South Africa. He served as Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Cape Town and later chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which President Mandela established to help address the atrocities of apartheid.Although Tutu’s memoir focuses on his work with the TRC between 1995... Read No Future Without Forgiveness Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Book, Nonfiction

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

Tags Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Philosophy


Publication year 1624

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, History: European, Relationships, British Literature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Norse Mythology is a 2017 collection of short stories by British author Neil Gaiman. The stories are retellings of tales from ancient Norse mythology, presented mostly in retrospect by an unnamed narrator. Through frequent addresses to the audience, the narration evokes the oral tradition of storytelling.In the beginning, there was nothing but darkness and fire until the creation of the nine worlds. Odin and his brothers create other beings; Odin, the all-father breathes life into... Read Norse Mythology Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

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


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age

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


Publication year 1984

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Magical Realism, Religion / Spirituality, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Canadian Literature, Classic Fiction

Not Wanted on the Voyage is a 1984 novel set prior to and during the event known as “the Flood”. However, the setting is not in accordance with the traditional Judeo-Christian telling. Instead, it is heavily steeped in magical realism, including unconventional interpretations of mythical creatures, oblique references to alchemy and arcane magic, and a plethora of conflicting anachronisms that lead the reader to frequently revise their understanding of the world. However unusual the world... Read Not Wanted on the Voyage Summary


Publication year 1987

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Drama / Tragedy, Biography


Publication year 2002

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

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

“October in the Chair” by Neil Gaiman is a supernatural short story published in his 2006 collection Fragile Things. The story won the 2003 Locus Award for Best Short Story, and the collection won the 2007 Locus Award for Best Collection. Along with earning these awards, Gaiman is a widely read, critically acclaimed author of comics, short stories, novels, and screenplays, mostly in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres. Other works by this author... Read October in the Chair Summary


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love

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

Odd Thomas (2003) is a paranormal thriller novel by Dean Koontz. The novel centers on the titular Odd Thomas, a 20-year-old short-order cook who can see the dead, who lead him to their killers. When he begins seeing the dark spirits that he calls bodachs around his town, Pico Mundo, he knows trouble is coming and decides to stop it. The story is told in first-person perspective from Odd’s point of view and is written... Read Odd Thomas Summary


Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Ancient Greece, Classic Fiction, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy

Sophocles’s play Oedipus Rex, first performed in the early-to-mid 400s BCE, is one of the most famous and influential tragedies left to us from the ancient Greek tradition. Based on the myth of Oedipus, whose cursed fate was to marry his mother and kill his father, the play explores themes of destiny, free will, and literal and metaphoric vision and blindness. This guide uses the 1984 Penguin edition of The Three Theban Plays, translated by... Read Oedipus Rex Summary