Biography & Autobiography : Religious

Bestselling author Thomas Cahill captures one of the Church’s most beloved popes with “intellectual freshness”. (The Washington Post). Beginning with How the Irish Saved Civilization and continuing most recently with Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea and Mysteries of the Middle Ages, Thomas Cahill’s Hinges of History series has edified a new generation of nonfiction lovers. Now this gifted expositor of history and religion offers a defining portrait of il papa buono—“the good pope” who, within the 2000 years of papal history, changed the Catholic Church dramatically during his brief reign between 1958 and 1963. From his humble Italian peasant roots to his signature accomplishment—the Second Vatican Council, opening the church doors to the contemporary world—this vivid work will captivate Catholics and non-Catholics alike for its insightful look at a complex and unlikely hero. more...

Price: $13.00

An NPR commentator’s story of an unlikely epiphany and the healing power of faith. After years of sleeping around, working as a waitress, and suffering booze-induced blackouts, Heather King. settled into sobriety, marriage, and a financially lucrative but unfulfilling career in a Beverly Hills law firm. As. someone who had reached middle age “never believing in much of anything,” she found herself in the last. place she thought she’d end up: the Catholic church. Redeemed describes the steps of King’s journey—from finding herself holed up on the couch reading. Hermits of the World (and then wondering why she and her husband weren’t having sex) to dealing. with the breast cancer that brought her face-to-face with the Virgin Mary. With the death of her father and. the devastation of divorce, she connects with Jesus Christ: “A guy who hung out with lepers, paralytics, the. possessed: this is someone I can trust.”. This is a profound, fervent, darkly funny tale of an ongoing conversion by a Catholic who, however devout, is. about as far from saintlike as can be imagined. Fans of Lauren Winners’s Girl Meets God and Anne. Lamott’s writings will be drawn to King’s refreshing sense of humor, mesmerizing voice, and piercing. honesty. more...

Price: $24.95

The bestselling author of The Hidden Jesus presents a groundbreaking new portrait of one of Christianity's best-loved saints. Acclaimed biographer Donald Spoto strips away the legends from the life of Francis of Assisi to reveal the true story of a man who has too often been obscured by pious iconography. Drawing on unprecedented access to unexplored archives, plus Francis's own letters, Spoto places Francis within the context of the multifaceted ecclesiastical, political, and social forces of medieval Italy, casting new light on Francis and showing how his emphasis on charity as the heart of the Gospel's message helped him pioneer a new social movement. This nuanced portrait reveals the multifaceted character of a man who can genuinely be said to have changed the course of history. more...

Price: $14.00

Discover a new approach to Scripture with this imaginative way of looking at things that are right in front of us, all while delving deep into biblical truths. There are many ways to learn about the Bible, even if it seems to be totally familiar to us. It is, in fact, full of so many little known, interesting stories like the ones that rivet today's audiences -- full of intrigue and surprising changes of character. more...

Price: $11.99

In Spiritual Genius , journalist Winifred Gallagher, the acclaimed author of Working on Go d, asks Rabbi Lawrence Kushner to define holiness. "Standing in the presence of God," he says. "Everyone has it, but some people seem to have more of a knack for accessing it. more...

Price: $13.95