I want to give you my eclectic list of recommendations for great books on religion, spiritual practice, and health. In no particular order, just a short list of books that came out or that I discovered this year, 2008, that I believe are worth attention.

The Gnostic Bible, edited by Willis Barnstone and Marvin Meyer (Shambhala)

This is a poetic and literary translation of ancient and medieval Gnostic texts from a wide-ranging geography.  A mystical and experiential perspective of Gnostics sourcing from Pagan, Jewish, Christian, Mandaen, Manichaen, Islamic and Cathar that is as once scholarly and beautiful.  I’ve always loved The Gospel of Thomas; this one extends to others Sethian, Valentian, Syrian, and Hermetic Literature.  It’s also fascinating to see the Gnostic influence on the formation of Christianity.

Founding Faith: Providence, Politics, and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America by Steven Waldman (Random House)

Although in America we officially have separation of Church and State, the founding fathers of our country, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, were generally very religious believers in their own ways.  The Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of this very web journal, Beliefnet.com, Steven Waldman makes a well balanced argument that America is the product of eclectic evangelicals out to not only protect the right to worship in one’s own way, but to establish and protect autonomous political and economic freedom.  It’s nicely researched, forwards a new and clear perspective, and is an entertaining read.

A Short Trip to the Edge: Where Earth Meets Heaven–A Pilgrimage, by Scott Cairns (HarperOne)

A fascinating account of Scott Carins, a poet and professor’s visits to the Holy Mountain of ancient monasteries, Mt. Athos, in Greece.  A kind of spiritual pilgrimage and journal written on a sabbatical, this is a book that illuminates the heart in its honesty and spiritual longing.  Taking into account Cairns’s sometimes-arduous travels by body, it centers on a conquest to discover and practice the Jesus Prayer, guided by the search for a spiritual father to guide him.  I relate to this search very much; I too have visited Mt. Athos and am always searching to find the true Christ in body and mind.

The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, by Michael Pollan (Penguin)

This hugely popular book that all my friends who read have been reading this year, is an amazing and entertaining book.  I thought it would be about what it says it will be about in the title: a history of four meals.  Actually, this book is about the history of predominant foods, especially corn, and about large-scale commercial agriculture and organics.  A real eye-opener, that made me rethink and change some of my eating habits like being mindful of corn and high-fructose corn sweetener, and not trusting “organic” foods as much as their image.

After God, by Mark C. Taylor (Chicago)

This is a deep and intensely scholarly book about religion and values and their continuing centrality in culture.  It comes from a post-modern perspective, which is complex and multifaceted.   Not a bedtime read, rather something to slowly digest, study and ponder.

21 Pounds in 21 Days: The Martha’s Vineyard Diet Detox, by Roni DeLuz and James Hester. (Collins)

There are many “detox” books on the market, but my best friend suggested this one to me.  He said he had tried the program and really loved it, and his wife and several family members also went through it with great results.  More of a cleansing regime, with weight loss a byproduct, this book is clear and easy to digest (pardon the pun).  I tried the program and found it to be really difficult, but I sure felt great after only a weekend, not a full 21-day run.

So there is it, a short list of books I’ve enjoyed this year.  Quite a range of interests, huh?  I’d love to hear about what books you’ve loved this year.  Tell us all in a comment, please.