Abraham: The first Jew by Anthony Julius (Yale, £16.99 (£15.29); 978-0-300-26680-1).

“The story of Abraham, the first Jew, portrayed as two lives lived by one person, paralleling the contradictions in Judaism throughout its history In this new biography of Abraham, Judaism’s foundational figure, Anthony Julius offers an account of the origins of a fundamental struggle within Judaism between skepticism and faith, critique and affirmation, thinking for oneself and thinking under the direction of another.”

Light on Darkness: The untold story of the liturgy by Cosima Clara Gillhammer (Reaktion Books, £15.99 (£14.39); 978-1-83639-043-5).

“Light on Darkness: The Untold Story of the Liturgy offers a captivating journey through the history of religious rituals in Western Europe, showcasing the profound impact of Christian liturgy on art, literature, music and architecture. Through ten evocative stories, it explores medieval rituals and their cultural influence up to the present day, providing fresh insights into the enduring legacy of the liturgy as an expression of human emotion and religious experience.”

The Catholic Reformation: A very short introduction by James E. Kelly (OUP, £9.99 (£8.99); 978-0-19-286231-0).

“The Catholic Reformation: A Very Short Introduction traces the Catholic Reformation from its beginnings in the first half of the sixteenth century, through the years of unrest in Europe, to its global expansion in the Americas, Asia, and Africa, and its continued influence and legacy into the twentieth century. As well as spiritual and religious matters, and how they entwined with the political, James E. Kelly covers the full gamut of experience of what is also known as the Counter-Reformation, particularly its deliberately sensory approach in terms of art, architecture, and music.”


Selected by Frank Nugent, of the Church House Bookshop, which operates the Church Times Bookshop.