Non-Fiction Book Reviews

Book Review: The Search for Spirituality

By Sandy Amazeen Mar 31, 2011, 3:04 GMT

Full of vision, hope, and inspiration, this profound and passionate manifesto provides a fascinating overview of the incredibly rich and diverse spiritual landscapes of the world-feeding a deep longing for a life of wholeness and meaning and a society of greater peace and justice. Drawing from a wide variety of faiths and secular traditions, this book looks at cultural diversity and religious pluralism; clarifies the meaning of spirituality in different ...more

King, professor emerita of theology and religious studies at the University of Bristol does an excellent job of presenting spirituality on a global scale. She starts by defining spirituality and how different cultures and languages embrace what appears to be a universal human need. Particularly nice is King’s inclusion of spirituality beyond the organized religions and her distinctions between monastic and daily living practices as they relate to family, community, health and more.  The gender biases on matters of spirituality are interesting although this book is definitely written from a feminine point of view. An exhaustive list of notes, further reference and reading material is provided, enough to keep inquisitive readers busy for years. This is a nicely presented general discussion about a topic that has absorbed humanity for generations and will appeal to anyone with an interest in what could best be described as daily spirituality.