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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|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}}{{Frontpage|author=Peter 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 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 Atlas of Monsters|author=Stuart Hill and Sandra Lawrence|rating=4|genre=Children's Non-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…__NOTOC__}}{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1999731506|title=Spiritual Atheist|author=Alexandra BruceNick 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=2012Be Your Higher Self|author=Samesh Ramjattan|rating=4|genre=Spirituality and Religion|summary=There are a lot of self-help books about: Science it's one of the most thriving sections of the average bookshop, but it's not always easy to find the book you need. 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 world, as most of us only glimpse our true potential and few people ever achieve it. Even with hard work and dedication, obstacles present themselves and it's difficult to understand why or Superstitionhow they can be overcome. Ramjattan offers us a guide to the spirit world, the chakras, karma and reincarnation as well as information about the age of Aquarius and the ego. It's a slim book - just 128 pages - so can it provide us with the answers we seek?}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Mahnke_Lore|title=The World of Lore, Volume 1: Monstrous Creatures|author=Aaron Mahnke|rating=4.5|genre=Spirituality and Religion|summary=Every country, every town, every village has a folktale – a story passed down through generations that often focuses on the dark and unexplained. No matter how the modern world moves on, there's a still a part of everyone that is vulnerable to a good tale. From ghosts to werewolves, by way of wendigos and elves, author Aaron Mahnke delivers the reader legends from all over the world, whilst examining how they've become part of our collective imaginations, 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 would 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, teaches you how to dress and act like a witch and contains spells ranging from accepting compliments to conjuring up a relaxing Netflix binge.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Wright_Universe|title=The Universe and Life but Not Everything|author=Anthony Christian Wright

|genre=Popular ScienceSpirituality and Religion|summary=The fuss about 2012 has not started just recently. The first book to feature the story was from I often wonder - usually after a Yale professor, in 1966. We've also had prog rock bands named after Popol Vuh, the Maya creation myth. But as the crunch date moment of December 21st, 2012 - shaking my fist at the winter solstice that year news on TV - nears, what my manifesto for life and society would look like were I to write it's becoming a very big story indeeddown. Even though it sounds absurd - the end I have all sorts of a 5thoughts about these things,125-year long cycle from the metaphysics of the Maya calendarwho we are and where we come from, which started on August 13th, 3114BCE - or was judged right down to start then, when they came across this concept a couple detailed critiques of thousand years into that periodquite insignificant government policies. Surely they couldnI't predict ve never done such an exercise - mostly because I lack the time, the future from their 'primitive' state with such accuracy?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1934708283</amazonuk>patience and 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 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 very light, 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 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 guide as to how we can optimise this journey for ourselves, those around us and our children.}}{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Wilbourne_Shepherd|title=Shepherd of Another Flock|author=Mitch Albom David Wilbourne|rating=5|genre=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.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Pigliucci_How|title=Have How to be a Little FaithStoic|author=Massimo Pigliucci|rating=3.5|genre=Spirituality and Religion|summary=''Stoicism is about developing the tools to deal as effectively as humanly possible with the ensuing conflicts, does not demand perfection, and does not provide specific answers.'' For many readers, living in an age of rules to make us happy and the inevitable failure to stick to them, this is an intensely reassuring sentence. Pigliucci certainly makes Stoicism an appealing philosophy, one which can sit alongside religious faith but doesn't have to, one which doesn't demand Aristotelian heights of intelligence, beauty or riches in order to truly succeed in life, and one which recognises life's messy difficulties.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Pearce_Biblical|title=A 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, in her own words, Mitch Albom's eighty-two year old rabbi asks him to write his eulogya normal person who was educated at a normal comprehensive school. Thinking that he must be close to death Albom reluctantly agreesHowever, but decides to meet with she'the Reb' to try to get to know him better as s a man firstnormal person who hears dead people. What then develops Yes, Clair is an eight year friendship as Albom continues a spiritualist with ability to regularly meet with the Reb, hear from those who was obviously stronger than he looked, discussing life and religion and death and lovehave passed on. At In the same time Mitch becomes involved with a pastor in Detroit called Henrypast they had generally been relatives or everyday folk. Imagine, a reformed drug dealerthen, who is preaching her surprise when she felt she was hearing from an old, run-down church with no power, no heat Elizabethan court polymath John Dee. Over a period of time she could feel his dictated thoughts and a hole ideas in its roof. Albom relates the Reb's story, her mind and thoughts on life, against this book of the back drop of channelled words is the struggling Henry, querying issues like forgiveness, doubt and faithresult.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847442919</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Tamim Ansary Woodcock_Becoming|title=Destiny DisruptedBecoming Reverend: A History diary|author=Matt Woodcock|rating=4.5|genre=Spirituality and Religion|summary=[[:Category:Matt Woodcock|Matt Woodcock]] is enjoying life: successful journalist, happily married and a new dream home bought and heavily mortgaged. The only cloud on the horizon is their struggle to have children but they have faith in the IVF treatment as it's early days yet. Then comes the funny turn Matt has on the way to a story one day. This takes him by surprise but the 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 World Through Islamic Eyespews. Errrrm… whoops!}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Chaplin_Stone|title=The 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>