I have had a lifelong love of books. Books, both fiction and nonfiction, have had a tremendous influence on how I see the world. Below are short descriptions of those nonfiction books that have had the most impact on me. By perusing the short reviews, the reader will easily determine what serious issues I have found most important in my life. It is my hope that those interested in these same topics may be moved to read some of these books for themselves and perhaps be as transformed by them as I have been. The article The Artist's Favorite Science Fiction Novels briefly reviews those science fiction novels that I have found most interesting and compelling.

SCIENCE

THE DEMON-HAUNTED WORLD: SCIENCE AS A CANDLE IN THE DARKNESS by Carl Sagan, (c) 1995 published by Random House Books - This book presents an impassioned case for improving science education and literacy in the United States. The author discusses at length various forms of pseudo-science and demonstrates how a lack of understanding of the scientific method by the general populace threatens the United States' position as global economic and technological superpower. He also draws a clear distinction between those whose religious views accommodate the findings of modern science and those whose religious perspectives lead them to oppose science. I also recommend Carl Sagan's Pale Blue Dot (c) 1994 published by Random House and Timothy Ferris' Coming of Age in the Milky Way (c) 1989 published by Doubleday.

HISTORY

AN HISTORIAN'S APPROACH TO RELIGION by Arnold Toynbee, (c) 1956 published by Oxford University Press - This book was given to me by my grandfather before I entered college. It introduced me to the idea that religions drive the growth and development of civilizations. Much of the book specifically addresses Christianity's path to becoming a world religion and how it interacted with the rise of Western secularism. The author's sympathetic view on religions, while clearly recognizing their failings at particular various stages of their development, set the standard for the religious search which I began as a college student. I went on to read much of the author's writings and found that his cyclical approach to world history meshed well with the Baha'i concept of progressive revelation. I also recommend the two-volume abridgment by D.C. Somervell of Toynbee's most famous work, A Study of History, published by Oxford University Press in 1957.

BUDDHA: by Karen Armstrong, (c) 2001 published by Viking Penguin - This book tells the life of Siddhama Gotama, who became known to history as the Buddha. It also provides a wonderfully consise yet detailed account of the teachings of Buddhism. Karen Armstrong applies the same powers of scholarship to this biography that she used in her "Muhammad: A Biography of the Prophet." As a Baha'i and westerner trying to learn more about the origins of Buddhism, this book was pivotal in my education on the subject.

THE FOURTH TURNING: AN AMERICAN PROPHESY by William Strauss and Neil Howe, (c) 1997 published by Broadway Books - This book offers a prophesy for the next big crisis America would face in the early 21st century and how the various generations of Americans now living would react to it. Some of the material in the book now appears pretty prophetic given the events of 9/11 and the invasion in 2003 of Iraq. In the eyes of the authors, these events are just the beginning of a crisis cycle that could last a decade or two and leave American fundamentally changed in how it sees itself and the world. Unlike other looming catastrophe books that flail the author's views around in despair and then condemn anyone not agreeing with his or her prescription for saving the world, The Fourth Turning offers positive things for us to do to make our country better prepared for the changes we have only begun to face. The things suggested are all about community building and seem a lot like serious spiritual growth to me. The book also reminds us that each generation has special strengths to offer as Americans collectively face the big changes ahead in the near future. For more on the American generations concept, please see the review below of Generations: The History of America's Future, 1584 to 2069.

GENERATIONS: THE HISTORY OF AMERICA'S FUTURE, 1584 TO 2069 by William Strauss and Neil Howe, (c) 1991 published by William Morrow and Company, Inc. - This book presents the concept that generations of Americans have distinct personalities in a similar way that individuals do. A repeating cycle of generation types is described that goes far to explain how American culture has changed over the years. This history of generations of Americans starts with European settlers, proceeds to our modern era, and continues into a suggested future based on past cycles. This book really opened my eyes to how the era in American history one is born in profoundly affects how she or he perceives the prevailing culture and her or his place in it. Other books by the same authors that build on this concept and address in depth specific generations of living Americans are 13th Generation: Abort, Retry, Ignore, Fail?(c) 1993 published by Vintage Books and Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation (c) 2000 published by Vintage Books.

MUHAMMAD: A BIOGRAPHY OF THE PROPHET by Karen Armstrong, (c) 1992 published by Harper Collins - This is an important book about a Person Westerners, Baha'is included, need to know more about. The author has set an example of balanced scholarship and sensitivity that Baha'i scholars would be well served to emulate. In the book, the author not only chronicles the life of the Manifestation of God (Baha'i term for "Prophet") who brought us Islam, but also documents the many false statements promulgated in the West for centuries about Muhammad and Islam. The author courageously explains such difficult subjects for Westerners such as the station of women in Muhammad's day (along with what He did to elevate their status) as well as the concept of jihad (which is revealed to the reader to be much more that just "holy war"). I found the author's insights into Muhammad's politics fascinating and these insights did not quell the great respect I have for this Divine Revelator, but rather increased my astonishment at His social creativity in the hostile environment He found himself in. Finally, the book is written with sensitivity to Muslims and helped me understand some of the special challenges Muslims living in the West have. As a delightful bonus, the book is quite readable for a religious scholar's work.

A SHORT HISTORY OF THE FUTURE by W. Warren Wagar, (c) 1989 published by the University of Chicago Press - This book offers three possible scenarios for the future of the human race based on the branch of scholarship called future studies. The result is a compelling fictional history that reads at times like a textbook and others like a science fiction novel. The three alternate futures are combined into a single narrative that uses succeeding generations of a single fictional family to tie it together. The first future follows modern global capitalism as it spreads to engulf all of humanity in its corporate embrace. The second future describes a united world society similar in some aspects to that advocated by the Baha'i Faith, but without the religious emphasis. The third future presents an even more radical departure from modernity by combining the abandonment of power politics and production-based economy with humanity using stunning advances in molecular biology to remake itself in ways that may seem disturbing to the modern reader. This book is a very thought-provoking read that provides the opportunity to compare three possible futures in a unified future history setting.

LIVING IN COMMUNITY

THE ANVIL OF THE SPIRIT by Morris Taylor, (c) 2001 published by Special Ideas - This book gives a wide variety of suggestions on how to improve Baha'i community life. This material is combined with a fictional story about Baha'is striving to make their local Baha'i community a better place to be. I enjoyed the combined fiction/nonfiction format of the book and found the Baha'i characters created by the author believable. So many interesting and intriguing ideas are presented in this book; every Baha'i community should be able to find some of them suited to their particular needs.

CREATING INTIMACY: IN THE COMMUNITY AND WITH THE SEEKER by Phyllis K. Peterson, (c) 1999 self-published monograph - This publication addresses Baha'i community life from a psychological and mental health perspective. The author presents many wonderful insights; perhaps the most interesting to me is her discussion on the roots of criticism and it misuse. The material given on self-disclosure and awareness of how deeply a person's sense of identity is connected to the belief system he or she follows is also very useful. For more information on this monograph, please contact the author at: skylarkpp@aol.com.

CONSULTATION by John E. Kolstoe, (c) 1985 published by George Ronald - This book is a real treasure trove of not only practical advice on how to master the art of consultation in a Baha'i setting, but also presents a wonderful exploration of differences of temperament. These varying personality attributes often hinder individuals in their efforts to consult on a truly spiritual level and it is refreshing to see a Baha'i author open up this area of human diversity for a frank yet loving consideration. Few books by Baha'i authors have impressed me with their sheer usefulness in many areas of personal interaction as this one has.

FALLING INTO GRACE: THE TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS OF BECOMING A BAHA'I by Justice St. Rain, (c) 1999 published by Special Ideas - Few other books by Baha'i authors have discussed life in the American Baha'i Community with such candor and compassion. The Baha'i Community needs such books as these to see itself as it really is rather than as it wishes it were. A focus of this book that touched me was the advice to new Baha'is struggling to develop their own unique Baha'i identity in a community full of strong-willed and highly opinionated fellow Baha'is. I wonder if there is any American Baha'i community that doesn't share in this spiritual challenge? This book is a very practical guide to navigating the difficulties many of us experience as we work to integrate ourselves into our local Baha'i communities. The insights presented on shame and guilt, especially in the area of obedience to certain Baha'i laws, were very helpful to me in that they gave me an understanding of why a long time Baha'i who is close to me may have left the Baha'i Faith. I got so much out of Falling Into Grace and earnestly hope that it will be read by many, many Baha'is who I have no doubt will be helped by it. I deeply believe that before the Baha'i Community can make a real impact in changing a sorely tried world, it must first see itself as it is and make a start in altering its internal culture into one more fully capable of not only accepting but actively cherishing the vast diversity of the population it hopes to attract into its embrace.

MIRROR OF THE DIVINE: ART IN THE BAHA'I WORLD COMMUNITY by Ludwig Tuman, (c) 1993 published by George Ronald - This is a very challenging book for me. It is a sobering look at how art presently being created by Baha'is may be seen as influenced by Baha'i principles in some ways and yet not fully Baha'i in its identity. As a Baha'i artist myself, I found the ideas presented by the author tough to swallow at times but I also sensed a deep truth struggling to be expressed. Modern Baha'is immersed in non-Baha'i cultures must face that the fact our creations are the product of the present cultures as well as harbingers of more enlightened world culture yet to emerge. We are the steppingstones upon which succeeding generations of Baha'i artists will stand in their endeavors to bring into existence art that ever more purely reflects the Baha'i spirit of a world-embracing culture striving to be born.

SPIRIT MATTERS by Michael Lerner, (c) 2000 published by Walsch Books - This book is by a rabbi who has written extensively about politics, meaning and spirituality. He explains how our modern globalizing society deadens our spirits and generates cynicism and feelings of powerlessness. The book shows how we can counteract these trends by becoming more aware of how much true spirituality matters. The author describes his vision of social change driven by what he terms "emancipatory spirituality," which shares many features with Baha'i perspectives on a number of issues. "Emancipatory spirituality" stresses the need for people of all types of beliefs to work together to help make our world a better place. The author gives concrete examples of how the practice of "emancipatory spirituality" can profoundly effect areas of common concern such as education, healthcare and the practice of law.

ONENESS OF HUMANITY

COMING OF AGE AT THE MILLENNIUM: EMBRACING THE ONENESS OF HUMANKIND by Nathan Rutstein, (c) 2000 published by Starr Commonwealth - This book presents the concept of the oneness of humanity and addresses the sociological, psychological, spiritual, and scientific aspects that contribute to this topic. The book honestly and openly deals with those distorted assumptions most of us have about the issue of the unity of the human race. It challenges with equal vigor the religious and secular forces that currently are trying to keep humankind divided. The major things I got from reading this book were (1) a deeper understanding of the historical, sociological, and religious roots of racism in the United States, (2) information on the many scientific discoveries debunking the fallacious concept of separate races of human beings, and (3) an appreciation of why it is so important to fully embrace the concept of the oneness of humanity in ways that move beyond mere tolerance of cultural differences.

RACISM: UNRAVELING THE FEAR by Nathan Rutstein (c) 1997 published by The Global Classroom - This is the most honest and upfront book on racism I have ever read. The author, already a deepened veteran in the field of race unity, has pulled no punches in this hard-hitting presentation of racism's true scope in American society. The destructive power of racism on not only the victims but also the perpetrators, is powerfully expressed. A certain kind of courage is needed when reading this book: a willingness to look upon this horrid scar on the face of the American identity and see that scar on our own faces. Only by accepting the existence of this wound upon all of us who would label ourselves Americans can we begin to move forward to true healing. The author ends this heart-wrenching missive with not just words of hope but actual examples of Americans struggling to do their part in the battle to eradicate racism from our Nation's psyche.

PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY

ASKING QUESTIONS: A CHALLENGE TO FUNDAMENTALISM by Bahiyyih Nakhjavani, (c) 1990 published by George Ronald - This book explores Fundamentalism not as a religious movement of any particular religion but as a habit of thought. By this definition, adherents of any belief system, including Baha'is, can exhibit fundamentalist tendencies in the way they perceive reality. The author gives examples from Baha'i history that help explicate this delicate issue from an open, yet definitely Baha'i perspective. I personally recommend this book to any Baha'i struggling to understand the ways rigidity of thought can affect any of us. A book addressing this issue from a Christian perspective that I recommend is Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism: A Bishop Rethinks the Meaning of Scripture by John Shelby Spong (c) 1991 published by Harper Collins.

GOD, CHANCE & NECESSITY by Keith Ward, (c) 1996 published by Oneworld Publications - This book addresses in depth the perception by modern materialist philosophers and scientists that science and religious belief are incompatible. While the author questions the materialist viewpoint, suggesting some possible fallacies and weaknesses in that line of thinking, he remains quite respectful, even sympathetic of those he challenges. As a thoughtful critique of scientific atheism, the book also attempts to show that modern scientific knowledge need not undermine a belief in God. As a Baha'i deeply interested in the reconciliation of true science and true religion, this book is very important to me. The answers it proposes to my own philosophical questions and concerns on this issue surpass those offered in the similar works I have read by Baha'i scholars. I also recommend the author's related book, Defending the Soul, (c) 1992 published by Oneworld Publications.

I BEHELD A MAIDEN: THE BAHA'I FAITH AND THE LIFE OF THE SPIRIT by Terry Culhane, (c) 2001 published by Kalimat Press - This book presents perspectives on the Baha'i teachings that encourage the reader to examine his or her own assumptions about them. The author focuses on those topics often on the mind of people from liberal backgrounds: embracing the feminine in Divinity, how the internal governing institutions of the Baha'is may influence and interact with modern secular governing institutions, disentangling religious rituals from orthodoxy, and integrating insights on reality provided by the Baha'i Faith with certain aspects of modern philosophy. As a person from a liberal background, I found this especially fascinating; in part because the author came to different conclusions about how the Baha'i Faith may function with secular modernity than those presented by many modern Baha'i authors and scholars.

KITAB-I-IQAN (THE BOOK OF CERTITUDE) by Baha'u'llah and translated by Shoghi Effendi, (c) 1931 published by the Baha'i Publishing Trust of the United States - This is perhaps one of the most influential books I have read in my life. It explains the Baha'i concept of progressive revelation and why religious leaders tend not to accept Prophets and religions coming after the advent of the ones they represent. Although originally written to an Islamic audience, the book contains much material on Christianity and should be interesting to Christians as well. This book is considered one of the preeminent books of the Baha'i Faith and was the one that led me to see Baha'u'llah as the Prophet for the modern era.

PSYCHOLOGY

IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT: HOW HEALING RELATIONSHIPS CHANGE YOUR BRAIN & CAN HELP YOU OVERCOME A PAINFUL PAST by Patricia Romano McGraw, (c) 2004 published by Baha'i Publishing - This book address personal growth issues from the perspective of a psychotherapist and practicing Baha'i with many years exeperience treating patients dealing with very diffuclt past. The author explains now only useful psychological principles, but also presents information about how our brain chemistry plays a key role in how we experience reality around us. Tools are described which can aid the reader is building healing relationships. The author followed this book with SEEKING THE WISDOM OF THE HEART: REFLECTIONS ON SEVEN STAGES OF SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT, (c) 2007 publisished by Baha'i Publishing. - The second book builds upon the material presented in the first while adding the dimension of searching for our true, spiritual selves. It suggests that the way we approach our relationship with God can be the key to creating a truly loving and compassionate relationship with ourself. The author presents much of the book in the form of a journal documenting her personal growth but also includes questions for the reader to ponder and meditation exercises to practice. I see these two books by Patricia Romano McGraw as valid alternates as well as complementary additions to the various books on the subject of personal growth described in the entries below by Buddhist authors Tara Brach, Pema Chodron, and Thubten Chodron and Christian authors M. Scott Peck and Rick Warren.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND ME: CHARACTER AND TEMPERAMENT TYPES by David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates, (c) 1978 published by Prometheus Book Company - This book presents the concept of personality types and explicates at length about the four main categories of human temperament. The four primary personality types and their various subtypes are explored at some length. Special attention is given to how different personalities relate in the various roles of children, spouses, and leaders. Temperament diversity is shown to profoundly effect how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. Religious groups striving to incorporate a wide diversity into their membership, such as the Baha'i communities, would be well served to learn how to appropriately address and fully appreciate this aspect of human variety. An updated version of this book by David Keirsey, called Please Understand Me II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence, was published in 1998 by Prometheus Nemesis Books.

PRACTICING PEACE IN TIMES OF WAR by Pema Chodron, (c) 2006 published by Shambala - This short book presents the essence of Western Buddhism techniques for dealing with personal growth issues. It shares much in common with the book "Radican Acceptance" below but it is much more direct and to the point. It takes a head on approach to dealing with one's own anger. An effective reading of this book demands courage on the reader's part, a willingness to see yourself for who you really are rather than who you wished you were. The application of such self-honesty is rewarded by an increased ability to control your own thoughts and emotions to become a calmer, more content person.

RADICAL ACCEPTANCE: EMBRACING YOUR LIFE WITH THE HEART OF A BUDDHA by Tara Brach (c) 2003 published by Bantam Books - This is one of the best self-help books I have ever read. While approaching personal growth issues from a Western Buddhism perspective, it offers much to anyone willing to look at themselves and their life situation in an honest, calm, and compassionate way. One of the most powerful concepts in this book is that of recognizing that how you interpret what happens to you, the life story that you write for yourself, deeply affects how you feel about yourself, others, and life in general. This book discusses a number of tools of personal enlightenment / spiritual growth: being completely honest with oneself, seeing that your reality is much more than the stories you tell yourself, and developing increased compassion for oneself and others. The author draws upon her many years of experience as a psychotherapist and practicing Buddhist and presents her thoughts in a gentle, loving way that can soothe even the most sensitive and wounded of human hearts and souls. Other books in a similar vein but with a more direct tone are When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times (c) 1997 and Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living (c) 1994, both by Pema Chodron and published by Shambaha. I found these pithy books to be even more useful in dealing with certain issues than Radical Acceptance. The more strident The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle (c) 1999 published by Namaste Publishing was helpful as an introduction to Western Buddhism based personal growth. For those preferring a Christian approach, I suggest God's Answers to Life's Difficult Questions by Rick Warren (c) 2006 published by Zondervan.

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED: A NEW PSYCHOLOGY OF LOVE, TRADITIONAL VALUES AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH by M. Scott Peck MD, (c) 1978 published by Simon & Schuster, Inc. - This book demonstrates how spiritual growth and psychological growth are intertwined and indeed at times one and the same. The author focuses on four aspects of this interplay: discipline, love, growth in one's religious avocation, and grace. Cases studies from the author's practice as a professional psychiatrist are combined with essays on various elements relating to the four main topics. This author went on to write many other books on other aspects of spiritual growth and psychological growth such as the nature of evil, community building, and governance.

SELF-MADE MAN: ONE WOMAN'S YEAR DISGUISED AS A MAN by Norah Vincent, (c) 2006 published by Penguin Books - This is one of the most honest and insightful books about the male condition I have ever read. The author's own perceptions and opinions about men are strongly challenged by her experiences disguised as a man. She shares with the reader in a very personal and compelling way how her perspectives about the reality of men's lives change over time. Her self honesty is almost brutal but also inspiring. Any reader is bound to find that this book will challenge their own assumptions on the topic. Those courageous enough to really hear what the author has to say will also find it liberating.

UNDERSTANDING RELIGIOUS CONVERSION by Lewis R. Rambo, (c) 1993 published by Yale University Press - This book explores the very complex and multifaceted process of conversion by relating and incorporating the findings of numerous scholars interested in this topic. Scholarly perspectives from a variety of disciplines, including anthropology, psychology, sociology, and theology are included. The author integrates these various perspectives into a suggested model of religious conversion that stresses process rather than single dramatic events. Studies on conversion to a variety of Christian denominations, as well as a number of other religions, are described. Particularly useful to me was the material dealing with conversion to conservative religious groups. The author's open-mindedness to the variety of conversion experiences and processes was also appreciated.

WORKING WITH ANGER by Thubten Chodron, (c) 2001 published by Snow Lion - This book provides techniques from Western Buddhism to deal with anger in many of its forms. The author's tone in the book is more direct than that of Tara Brach, but gentler than that of Pema Chodron.