“Paradise Lust is a pleasure. Wilensky-Lanford tackles her subject with an appealing mix of serious research and tongue-in-cheek humor. Neither too academic nor too whimsical, the storytelling in Paradise Lust is often irresistible.” —The New York Times Book Review

“A gloriously researched, pluckily written historical and anecdotal assay of humankind’s age-old quixotic quest for the exact location of the Biblical garden.” —Elle 

“Absorbing . . . in writing Paradise Lust, Ms. Wilensky-Lanford faced the unenviable task of translating intellectual history into popular history. . . . But her interest in her subject is deep, her narrative is expertly layered, and her interpretations of the seekers’ motives are more than convincing.” —The Wall Street Journal 

“If you seriously want to know what the Bible says but don’t have the time or the courage to master Biblical Hebrew or Koine Greek, then Sarah Ruden is the best guide you are likely to find: friendly, informal, yet with a scholarly grasp of just how unrealizable perfect translation is.”—J. M. Coetzee, author of The Childhood of Jesus

“Ruden’s work emphasizes the complexity inherent in translation; she lingers on some of the most challenging concepts and explicates the historical and linguistic context for her work, debunking both myths and poor prior interpretations. The book is not only a scholarly analysis, though, but a paean to the rhythm and poetry of the text. Ruden also diverges from standard academic tone, weaving her own personal stories together with her intellectual task; all this makes the reader feel as if they are spending time with a fun—and very smart—friend. This combination of casual ease and serious scholarship allows Ruden to bring fresh insights into even the most familiar stories and will make the book a true pleasure for anyone with an interest in translation or the Bible.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Theodore Vial’s groundbreaking text on religion, race, and modernity is the most insightfully thought-out, clearly written, and invitingly compelling of all the recent publications on this subject. Clarity of argument represents clarity of thinking. And his, indeed, is a new voice in the field. He proves to us what we’ve all missed: the post-Kantian context and the decisiveness of language in how the West wedded race and religion.”-Dwight N. Hopkins, author of Being Human: Race, Culture, and Religion

“Modern Religion, Modern Race is a smart, nuanced, and accessible study of the birth of the twin concepts of ‘religion’ and ‘race’ in the modern world. With historical sensitivity and philosophical acumen, Theodore Vial traces the simultaneous development of these two concepts and brings his analysis to bear upon the contemporary, and often violent, ways in which these ideas continue to shape our world. Readers have much to gain from this thoughtful study.”-Leora Batnitzky, author of How Judaism Became a Religion: An Introduction to Modern Jewish Thought

“In this follow up to The New Abolition, Gary Dorrien proves that a sequel can be on par with or even better than the original. Anyone seeking to understand Black religious thought in the era of Black Lives Matter would do well to start here.”—Andre E. Johnson, University of Memphis

“Monumental and meticulous, this is a fascinating work of intellectual history. Dorrien’s great contribution is to name and to illuminate a tradition— the Black social gospel—that had no name.”—William D. Hart, Macalester College

“This must-read book masterfully tells the stories of African American Christian leaders struggling for racial justice and social democracy in the twentieth century. A powerful inspiration for religious activists today.”—Vincent Lloyd, Villanova University

“Jim Atwood continues to challenge our nation’s obsession with guns and violence. His critiques offer an opportunity for all of us to reclaim God as an agent of love rather than fear, power, and domination. This book is a must-read for theologians, pastors, activists, seminarians, congregations, and community and lay leaders.”—J. Herbert Nelson II, Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (USA)

“Looking through the lens of faith, Atwood shines a klieg light on the shadows and myths surrounding the meanings of guns in our society. Have your highlighter at the ready! Atwood provides shocking data and provocative detail that is scrupulously documented.”—Katie Day, Charles A. Schieren Professsor of Church and Society, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia

“Atwood slings out the facts like a modern-day David, slaying the gun lobby’s twisted logic one chapter at a time. He gives the reader everything needed to understand the debate about guns in America and wraps it all up in a moral, ethical, and religious framework that will take the wind out of any gun rights zealot.”—Joshua Horwitz, Executive Director, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence