The spiritual art of staying
Amy Pagliarella recommends two memoirs on rootedness and renewal.
More Stories from this Author
Church Camp: Bad Skits, Cry Night, and How White Evangelicalism Betrayed a Generation
"Church Camp" is both the memoir of theologian Cara Meredith and a well-researched assessment of the Christian camping industry. — Amy Pagliarella
Appreciate These Things: Eight Ways of Cultivating Compassion
How can we preserve our tender hearts yet be vulnerable enough to engage with the “other” in this current climate? Amy Pagliarella reviews Jill Duffield's new book.
Disciples of White Jesus
Angela Denker explores the radicalization of young White men in America and the role of right-wing Christianity, while also highlighting those who promote a more compassionate path. — Amy Pagliarella
Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand
Journalist and pastor Jeff Chu reflects on the lessons he learned at Princeton Seminary's Farminary.
Seeing Things
A poignant poetry collection on memory, loss, and healing, "Seeing Things" explores trauma, family, and resilience. Amy Pagliarella offers a review.
Becoming the Pastor’s Wife: How Marriage Replaced Ordination as a Woman’s Path to Ministry
"Becoming the Pastor’s Wife" is a must-read for those who enjoy church history, cultural commentary, or a really good mystery, writes Amy Pagliarella.
Making Time: A New Vision for Crafting a Life Beyond Productivity
Maria Bowler’s "Making Time" offers a fresh, creative approach to time, moving beyond productivity to embrace presence, curiosity, and the joy of making. — Amy Pagliarella
Love’s Braided Dance: Hope in a Time of Crisis
Norman Wirzba offers a theology of hope in “a time of crisis.” Amy Pagliarella reviews Wirzba's latest book.
Seven Ways of Looking at the Transfiguration
Struggling with Transfiguration Sunday? Sarah Hinlicky Wilson offers seven fresh angles on this mysterious event, weaving theology, exegesis, and preaching insight.
Draw Close: A Creative Companion for Lent
"Draw Close" by Stephanie B. Dunn is an engaging Lenten guide blending prayer, reflection, and creative practices for spiritual renewal, writes Amy Pagliarella.
We Will Rest! The Art of Escape
Tricia Hersey calls readers to liberate themselves from "grind culture," Amy Pagliarella writes.
The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World
“What if scarcity is a social construct?” Amy Pagliarella reviews Indigenous botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer's latest book.
The top Outlook book recommendations of 2024
According to our readers, these were the best books of 2024 to purchase.
Every Day for Everyone: 365 Devotions from Genesis to Revelation
"Every Day for Everyone" is the daily devotional I’ll be reading in 2025, writes Amy Pagliarella.
This Beautiful Day: Daily Wisdom from Mister Rogers
Who better to speak to this time and place than everyone’s favorite Presbyterian minister, Mr. Rogers? — Amy Pagliarella
Holiday reading
Whether you’re looking for something to read aloud to a child or want to spend the holidays catching up on some of the year’s best, you’ll want to check out these great books. — Amy Pagliarella
Devotional recommendations for Lent 2025
Whether you value biblical interpretation, social justice, or bodily movement, Outlook Book Review Editor Amy Pagliarella has a Lent devotional recommendation for you.
Circle of Hope: A Reckoning with Love, Power, and Justice in an American Church
"Circle of Hope" is the true story of a church reckoning with love, power and justice, and it’s a wild ride, writes Amy Pagliarella.
Swimming with the Sharks: Leading the Full Spectrum Church in a Red-and-Blue World
America’s political divisiveness might have inspired Haberer to write this book, but "Swimming with the Sharks" will resonate beyond this election season as a reminder that our passions must be rooted in Jesus’ passions.
Resources for grief and loss
Amy Pagliarella suggests the resources for grief pastors, caregivers, and loved ones will want on hand, to reference or offer to others in need.
High Hawk
What are the boundaries of complicity? To whom does the church “confess” its sins? How does it atone for harm inflicted? Author Amy Frykholm explores these questions in her new book of fiction.
Magic Enuff
"The arc of Magic Enuff bends toward hope, however, offering readers a benediction in a slim volume of poetry that reveals deeper truths upon each re-reading." — Amy Pagliarella
How to Hit the Ground Running: A Quick-Start Guide for Congregations With New Leadership
What should a pastor in a new call do first? What’s the best way to engage the staff or structure meetings with the church’s governing body? Neal Mitchell addresses these and similar practical questions in his updated edition of his popular book.
The False White Gospel: Rejecting Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming True Faith and Refounding Democracy
Wallis writes with urgency and passion, and his straightforward and anecdote-packed book is an accessible choice to inspire discussion (and activism) for such a time as this. — Amy Pagliarella