Kirkus Star
THE KIRKUS STAR
Awarded to Books of Exceptional Merit

BROWSE BOOK REVIEWS




Religion Book Reviews Available Now (page 5)


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Cover art for THE FUTURE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE IN FIVE PHOTOGRAPHS
NONFICTION
Released: Nov. 1, 2012

"Illuminating homilies of the Jewish people, by the Jewish people and, particularly, for the Jewish people."
Reflecting on his faith, an educator decodes some snapshots from the Jewish family album. Read full book review >
Cover art for JACOB
NONFICTION
Released: Nov. 1, 2012
by Yair Zakovitch, translated by Valerie Zakovitch

"Intensely scholarly at times, but also an engaging analysis of one of the Bible's most complex figures."
A professor takes on the troubling story of Jacob, a deeply flawed man who later earned punishment, redemption and a unique and honored place in Jewish history. Read full book review >
Cover art for MY SISTERS THE SAINTS
NONFICTION
Released: Oct. 30, 2012

"A charming and instructive communion with saintly sisters."
St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Campbell (The New Faithful: Why Young Adults Are Embracing Christian Orthodoxy, 2002) relates a provocative life story centered on her experiences as a woman in the Catholic church. Read full book review >
Cover art for MADAME BLAVATSKY
NONFICTION
Released: Oct. 25, 2012

"Dense and exhaustive, a valiant attempt to capture the essence of a life that defies simple retelling."
A glimpse into the foggy biography of the mother of modern spiritualism. Read full book review >
Cover art for PROOF OF HEAVEN
NONFICTION
Released: Oct. 23, 2012

"Alexander uses his medical credentials to substantiate the belief that his reconstructed memories offer conclusive proof of his current religious beliefs; readers who don't share these beliefs will find his account less convincing."
A remarkable account of miraculous recovery from bacterial meningitis and a transformative "Near-Death Experience." Read full book review >
Cover art for SEVEN THOUSAND WAYS TO LISTEN
NONFICTION
Released: Oct. 9, 2012

"Not for skeptics of spiritualism or New-Age ideas, but Nepo provides thorough methods for reaching deeper into the inner self."
A meditative approach to silencing the world's noise. Read full book review >
Cover art for DOES THIS CHURCH MAKE ME LOOK FAT?
NONFICTION
Released: Oct. 2, 2012

"A welcome second installment for readers who enjoyed Janzen's first memoir. Others may want to turn elsewhere."
Continuing her search for spiritual relevance in everyday life, Janzen (Mennonite in a Little Black Dress, 2009) recounts the travails and joys encountered while finding love, embracing her new beau's religion, and surviving breast cancer. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE BOOK OF JOB
NONFICTION
Released: Oct. 2, 2012

"A current, accessible examination of a difficult and wondrous jewel of world literature."
"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job." So begins one of the most vexing portions of the Hebrew Bible. Rabbi Kushner (Conquering Fear, 2009, etc.), who first considered the enigmatic text in the bestselling When Bad Things Happen to Good People (1981), revisits the powerful story. Read full book review >
Cover art for THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE
NONFICTION
Released: Oct. 1, 2012

"A hefty yet lucid contribution to the history of early Christianity."
Render unto Caesar, quoth the New Testament--even when Caesar is the church that Peter built. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE GOOD POPE
NONFICTION
Released: Sept. 25, 2012

"An upbeat survey of a decent, likable modern leader."
A sincere, adoring look at the life and legacy of the humanist pope who helped modernize the Catholic Church with the convening of Vatican II. Read full book review >
Cover art for CITY OF PROMISES
NONFICTION
Released: Sept. 24, 2012

"Such a large historical project could have easily descended into tedious and dry academia, but instead, all three volumes are briskly paced, well-researched and insightful. Aficionados of urban histories, in particular, will find much to enjoy."
This ambitious three-volume history, overseen by Moore (Judaic Studies and History/Univ. of Michigan; American Jewish Identity Politics, 2008, etc.), provides a lively, much-needed overview of the role that Jews have played in the history and success of the Big Apple, helping to transform it into "a city of promises, some fulfilled, some pending, some beckoning new generations." Read full book review >
Cover art for GOD BELIEVES IN LOVE
NONFICTION
Released: Sept. 18, 2012

"Sober and well-structured, but still preaches to the choir."
Reasoned argument for gay marriage by one of its most famed proponents. Read full book review >