Philosophy & Psychology
How We Break: Navigating the Wear and Tear of Living.
By Vincent Deary.
May 2024. 304p. Farrar, $30 (9780374172114); e-book (9780374713225). 155.9042.
Our lives begin when we’re dropped into our corners of the world. We are all fragile and lie on the spectrum of mental illness. We are shaped both by our heredity and the daily events that surround us. This combination determines how we react to major traumas or the piling on of small challenges. Scottishborn psychologist Deary recalls how years of schoolyard bullying and the feeling of always being “on the alert” shaped his later life. He shares stories of a care worker whose years of working with suicidal patients has worn him down, and of a probation officer who started having physical symptoms when her home and work lives became more complicated. Each of us is filled with our own stories and our own narratives, and we struggle to remain whole, to not break. Deary describes these conflicts in great detail and offers questions to help readers evaluate their own inner lives. This challenging text, more theory than self-help, will appeal to readers who enjoy digging into the whys of their thoughts and feelings. —Candace Smith
Life after Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart.
By Brian D. McLaren.
May 2024. 304p. St. Martin’s Essentials, $28 (9781250893277); e-book (9781250893284). 158.1.
Former pastor McLaren opens his book with several possible paths forward as we face the consequences of climate change. All are bad because he doesn’t see any chance for us to redeem ourselves in time to change the drastic outcomes. Energy sources will eventually dry up. Weather will become more extreme. People will turn on each other to fight for survival. So how do we face the future with no overall plan and no hope? McLaren offers the realization that we’re living in important times, and that we have an important mission. Our job is to face reality, save what we can, love who we can, and make our lives matter. Individual actions (moving to electric vehicles, eliminating single-use plastic, eating plant-based diets) can help. But combining with others (voting for pro-environment politicians, cleaning up beaches, supporting each other, spreading love) can help even more. McLaren encourages readers to look to Indigenous civilizations and nature for wisdom and courage. Each chapter ends with a “Dear Reader” portion intended to prompt journaling or group conversations. These are not easy conditions to face, but McLaren’s candor, insights, and guidance will inspire readers to speak out and make positive changes. —Candace Smith
YA: Older teens, who will run our world one day, need this important message. CS.
Religion
Looking Up: A Birder’s Guide to Hope Through Grief.
By Courtney Ellis.
Apr. 2024. 240p. Intervarsity/IVP, paper, $18 (9781514007167). 248.866.
“The world is afire with the goodness of God, if only we would look up.” Pastor, enthusiastic birder, and author Ellis (Present: The Gift of Being All In, Right Where You Are, 2023) writes of one year in her life, beginning with her grandfather’s impending death in Wisconsin, where she’s from, on the heels of the pandemic, and her difficult trip there from her California home amid her busy preparations for Holy Week. Drawing similarities between birding and communing with God, she describes her fascination with birds, which centers her themes of grief, death, ministry, hope, rest, and peace. Taking a sabbatical to rest and mourn, she finds comfort and healing from her beloved birds (and includes birding resources for others moved to take up the practice). She shares educational snippets about birds and pearls of wisdom, sure to be copied down and dog-eared, as she relates her restorative journey, inspiring laughter, tears, and contemplation. Perfect for fans of faith writing by Madeline L’Engle and Anne Lamott, Ellis’s exquisite book resounds with hope and birdsong. —Karen Clements
Social Sciences
Being Muslim Today: Reclaiming the Faith from Orthodoxy and Islamophobia.
By Saqib Iqbal Qureshi.
May 2024. 336p. Rowman & Littlefield, paper, $25 (9781538189320); e-book (9781538189337). 305.6.
Contemporary Muslims are a more-than-diverse group. London School of Economics and Political Science Fellow Qureshi here explores assumptions made about being Muslim and questions of identity that contemporary Muslims often ask one another. The first part of the book explores the scriptures and early history of Islam in an effort to contextualize the teaching and fundamental beliefs of the religion. Qureshi’s discussion is rooted in available historical evidence and takes into account conflicting interpretations. Woven into this narrative are strands on the burden of orthodoxy, but the author’s main focus is on discovering Islam’s essential spirit, laying the groundwork that this essence could serve as a basis for binding all Muslims. The second part focuses on answering questions of Muslim identity, leaning towards broad, inclusive criteria that tolerate differences of opinion and practice. Qureshi explores the idea that it’s impossible to follow Islam while embracing Western culture, suggesting this is a false dichotomy. He also interrogates what Muslims “should” believe and do and ultimately advocates for following one’s conscience. Overall, Qureshi promotes a moderate and inclusive view of contemporary Islam, with the intellectual underpinnings to support it. —Muhammed Hassanali
Briefly Perfectly Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real about the End.
By Alua Arthur.
Apr. 2024. 272p. Mariner, $28.99 (9780063240032). 306.9.
Readers assuming a memoir from a death doula will be somber, sentimental, or sedate will be pleasantly surprised by this upbeat, entertaining, and life-affirming account. Arthur graduated from elite universities and practiced law for over a decade before discovering her true calling. Many people, she finds, are surprised by her appearance (5 feet, 10 inches, born in Ghana, dreads to the middle of her back, lots of piercings and ink) and methods—forthright, direct, and laser focused on the wishes of her clients, though not always on those of their caregivers. Witty, themed chapters explore the influences that led Arthur to her career as a death doula and shaped her training, outlook, and personal growth. Her descriptions of past cases, made up of composite characters in representative scenarios, showcase both her professionalism and her empathetic grace. She shares what she’s learned: every day we live, we’re one day older than we’ve ever been before and one day closer to death. It’s time to love our everevolving selves and make the most of every day. Arthur’s is wise, thoughtful, reassuring counsel. —Kathleen McBroom
Death Row Welcomes You: Visiting Hours in the Shadow of the Execution Chamber.
By Steven Hale.
Apr. 2024. 288p. Melville, $28.99 (9781612199283); e-book (9781612199238). 364.66.
In 2018, journalist Hale attended his first execution in Tennessee as a media representative. The state’s first execution in nine years, it was surrounded by controversial questions about finding suitable drugs. Following this restart, inmates, many of whom spent decades on Death Row, began to see their own dates set, and their passionate supporters faced the prospect of losing men with whom they had built yearslong relationships. Hale joins their ranks, getting to know the men and writing about their lives, which often share similar traumas. Hale is honest about their crimes, never forgetting their victims. He also portrays their supporters, many driven by their Christian faith to remain by
