Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion

This thread is for dropping ideas, questions, resources, comments, and discussion about Task 20: Read a Book About Religion (Fiction or Nonfiction).

A few resources to get you started:

http://bookriot.com/2015/11/06/oy-gev...

http://bookriot.com/2013/01/17/genre-...

http://bookriot.com/2015/06/08/25-bes...

http://bookriot.com/2012/02/15/genre-...

I am slotting The Screwtape Letters here.

I am either reading The Name of the Rose or The Library at Mount Char, which would also cover task 1 - read a horror book. The NYPL link on the BookRiot Read Harder challenge had this book listed in this section.

I'll read No god but God by Reza Aslan for this.

I am going to read because it's been too long already since I read the first two in the trilogy. Ended up reading instead.

I'm going to read Faith Versus Fact: Why Science and Religion Are Incompatible by Jerry A. Coyne. It would count in science, too.

wondering if Rushdie's latest novel would qualify... I feel like it's not about religion per se, but I'm fairly certain there are religious themes, probably?

otherwise I'll read "oranges are not the only fruit" by Jeanette Winterson - it's also being read by a local queer women's book club that just got started, so might as well use it for this challenge too.

Bea wrote: "I am slotting The Screwtape Letters here."

Ooh, that's an excellent choice! I really enjoyed it.

If you haven't read The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs, you definitely should. That book is hilarious and really informative. It's basically about a guy who spent one year trying to follow the rules of the Bible to the letter (like Old Testament weird rules, etc.). I laughed a lot.

http://www.amazon.com/Year-Living-Bib...

Maybe Siddartha - I loved Steppenwolf when I was 17/18.

Going with Encountering Truth: Meeting God in the Everyday by Pope Francis.

I will try to finish M.A.S. Abdul Haleem's translation of The Qur'an or read Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why .

I'm opting for D.C. Lau's translation of the Tao Te Ching. I figure that counts, right?

Bea wrote: "I am slotting The Screwtape Letters here."

I think I'll do this as well; seems rather interesting!

I'm leaning towards either Uncovered: How I Left Hasidic Life and Finally Came Home or The Butterfly Mosque: A Young American Woman's Journey to Love and Islam for this task. Bonus for me with the first is that I already have it checked out of the library, but it isn't due until January 6 or so.

I've chose The Children Act by Ian McEwan for this one.

I'm reading "Under the Banner of Heaven" by Jon Krakauer for this category.

Bryony wrote: "I've chose The Children Act by Ian McEwan for this one."

Yes McEwan is another favourite of mine, I had not thought about this book for this task but I think it is perfect - thanks

Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life is my first choice so far. I have it and haven't read it yet.

The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever

I'm reading "The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror" by Bertrand Lewis for this one.

I'm interested in reading Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation for this task. I know it mostly deals with science but also gets into the argument of creationism vs. evolution - there's some religion in there too... Thoughts?

I am probably going to read A.D. 30 for this task.

I'm hoping to read nine parts of desire, the hidden world of Islamic women by Geraldine brooks

I'm trying for two from my TBR mountain for this category :Going Clear (Scientology); The God Delusion

Can anyone identify this nonfiction book?

I think the book takes place in the Middle Ages (?) and describes a journey taken by Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land to convert Muslims, but then end up learning and appreciating the Islam culture instead.

SibylM wrote: "I'm leaning towards either Uncovered: How I Left Hasidic Life and Finally Came Home or The Butterfly Mosque: A Young American Woman's Journey to Love and Islam for th..."

I have never heard of the Butterfly Mosque, but I plan to look it up. I will be reading Islamic Etiquette because I was given this in a stack of books for Christmas from a local Imam.

Probably will be reading The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible. Its been on my to-read list forever.

I will probably read Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology.

I'm thinking about reading The Red Tent, to check off this category and the historical fiction one. Has anyone else read it? Or interested in reading it?

Does The Reluctant Fundamentalist can be considered for this challenge?

Desiree wrote: "I'm thinking about reading The Red Tent, to check off this category and the historical fiction one. Has anyone else read it? Or interested in reading it?"

I read it years ago and absolutely loved it. I wonder how I would react to it now.

Desiree wrote: "I'm thinking about reading The Red Tent, to check off this category and the historical fiction one. Has anyone else read it? Or interested in reading it?"

It's very good, the woman's side of the Old Testament world

Caro wrote: "Does The Reluctant Fundamentalist can be considered for this challenge?"

I didn't think there was a lot about religion in the book. While it might not fit with the religious theme, it does fit under the political book category.

Bea wrote: "I am slotting The Screwtape Letters here."


That was my first thought! I'm also considering The Power of Myth.

If I could have renewed the book, I would have chosen Under the Udala Trees for this category. It's overdue, so I had to read it for 2015. At any rate, it has a lot to say about the subject.

Martha wrote: "Caro wrote: "Does The Reluctant Fundamentalist can be considered for this challenge?"

I didn't think there was a lot about religion in the book. While it might not fit with the religi..."

Thanks a lot Martha!

I had never read this book and sound very interesting so I was wondering if I would it be able to include it here.

Kate wrote: "I'm also considering The Power of Myth."

I can recommend the audiobook: it's in the form of dialogues/interviews between JC and BM. :)

I just finished a book called The Hired Girl. It's YA that just came out this fall by Laura Any Schlitz I think is her name. Sorry the goodreads app on Android doesn't let you link books in the groups. Anyways it's about a Catholic teenaged girl who runs away and ends up working for a Jewish family in Baltimore. There is a lot of discussion about learning to accept that not everyone believes your religion is the true route to God so I would think that book would qualify for this challenge. I really enjoyed it.

Dom wrote: "Kate wrote: "I'm also considering The Power of Myth."

I can recommend the audiobook: it's in the form of dialogues/interviews between JC and BM. :)"

Oh, great! Thanks. I'm definitely a majority audiobook person these days.

I'm planning to read The Conference of the Birds by the Sufi mystic Farid ud-Din Attar.

The God Delusion has been on my TBR list for a long while, so that's what I'll be reading.

Christie wrote: "Probably will be reading The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible. Its been on my to-read list forever."

Love this book! Surprisingly moving, though I'm not a person of faith.

I highly recommend _Disobedience_ by Naomi Alderman.

What about The Poisonwood Bible? I'd like to read this if it fits in this category. from the description it sounds like it would.

Kristi wrote: "What about The Poisonwood Bible? I'd like to read this if it fits in this category. from the description it sounds like it would."

I think it absolutely would fit this category.

For this topic, I'm planning to read Uncovered: How I Left Hasidic Life and Finally Came Home

Kelli wrote: "Kristi wrote: "What about The Poisonwood Bible? I'd like to read this if it fits in this category. from the description it sounds like it would."

I think it absolutely would fit this c..."

Great! It's on my list!

I also came across these two that would be great for this task:

The 19th Wife
Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith

if anyone is looking for ideas

Your God Is Too Small: 50 Essays On Life, Love & Liberty Without Religion by Atheist Republic was my choice here... Freebie on Kindle. So many freebies... Would count as a collection of essays too, I guess, but I'm reading something else for that.