New in May

from Graham Garner So―after a quiet month in April, I have a lot to tell you about the new titles that have come in since my last letter. School of the Spirit Ministry has produced a great little resource, The Spiritual Care Committee, a bargain at $4.  To go with it, we are also marking down A Lasting Gift, the journal and selected writings of Sandra Cronk, who helped to found the School of the Spirit. Right now you can get it for $7.50 (normally $19.00). Searching for a King: Muslim Nonviolence and the Future of Islam offers a topical and balanced alternate view to much of what we hear about Islam in the mass media, exploring an Islamic conception of nonviolence and its modern champions. Also worth mentioning are two new remaindered books Understanding Islam, a short introduction written by a former Catholic priest who became a Muslim scholar, and The Qur'an: A Biography, which explores the text that is sacred to so many people.
Howard Thurman, the African American pastor and proponent of nonviolence popular among Friends is the subject of a new book in the “40 day” series.  40 Day Journey with Howard Thurman contains short daily readings from his writing, associated biblical passages, and topics for reflection. [Another book in this series, 40 Day Journey with Parker Palmer, is gradually gaining popularity among Friends.]  A new children’s book, Howard Thurman’s Great Hope, is an inspirational story from his early life.
A book that’s getting a lot of attention—we’ve already had to re-order it—is NurtureShock. It reconsiders the theories behind our society’s strategies for nurturing children. What have we gotten wrong about the ways we grow, learn, and live? I haven’t read this book yet—as a father, I’m a little worried about what I may find ou
Drones are a scary weapon unique to our times. Killing people as easily as if they are  in a computer game seems so wrong—and the fact that many of those killed are not even  combatants is even more morally repugnant. British publisher Verso is one of the first to publish an affordable examination of drones and their implications. Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control offers a thorough look at robot warfare and its implications.
Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years is an ambitious study of Christianity, beginning with the origin of the Hebrew scriptures and following the the stories of the three major strands of the Christian faith throughout the world. Author Dairmaid MacCulloch has created a “definitional” work that we recommend for meeting libraries as well as weight lifters in training.
We are now adding to our stock a number of books recommended by the authors of FGC’s about-to-be-published Sparkling Still First Day school curriculum for ages 3–8.  I created a new section on our website for these titles, with more to be added soon.  A few of these books really stood out for me:  Peace by Wendy Halperin is based on the Tao de Ching;  Infinity and Me contemplates mysteries; and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind tells the inspiring story of how a young Tanzanian boy built his own windmill.
Finally, to round off these jottings, from now on I will conclude by mentioning an older book that seems to have been overlooked of late, but which I particularly recommend. Notes from an Exhibition is a British novel about a Quaker family. The mother, an eccentric, difficult, bipolar artist, has died. In preparing a posthumous exhibition of her work, the father and adult children revisit her impact on their lives, piece together her story, and uncover her secrets―another of those great deals at just $5.
 
Cheerio, Graham