100 books like Unveiled

The author held me spellbound as she skilfully unpacked the remarkable story of Louis Zamperini, who survived a plane crash at sea only to be taken prisoner by the Japanese.

Zamperini’s life leapt from the page and swept me along a chilling pathway that bore witness to his physical and inner strength. Hillenbrand held me riveted to the last page of this remarkable true story.

I love the late Eddie Jaku’s life-changing commitment to literally "survive." He turned 100 in 2020 and had remained silent for many years about the cruelty of his internment in Buchenwald and Auschwitz.

Initially, the title sat uneasily with me. How could a man describe himself that way after the terror and shocking treatment he endured–but then a miracle. I was blown away when he uncovered the secret of his survival which is only surpassed by the miracle of his decision to "make life beautiful."

I loved this book because of the insight the author gives to his strategy of survival–kidnapped, imprisoned, and tortured for over four years in the hands of Shi’ite militia.

Beautifully written, Keenan’s artistry thrilled me with its almost spiritual air and testimony to rare human resilience and its transformative power.

One of my favourite books of all time is the moving story of forgiveness by Palestinian cleric, Elias Chacour, Archbishop Emeritus of the Melkite church in Haifa.

I marvelled and wondered how Elias and his family chose to be non-violent and committed to promoting peace when Israelis seized their land in the 1948 war. Elias’ journey, for me, was heart-wrenching and gripping.

The integrity of his story is confirmed by my visits to Ibillin in northern Israel where I’ve spent time hearing more of his story and  experiencing the fruit of his influence in the school and Peace Centre he has established.

I don’t think there is enough representation in children’s books for different religions and cultures. This book celebrates the hijab and its cultural significance and is an inspiring story of love and acceptance. I’ve not seen many other books like this one, so it’s important to champion books that showcase underrepresented groups. The illustrations are fantastic and accentuate the story, and the color blue serves as a beautiful theme that runs throughout the book. My favorite color is blue as well, so perhaps that is also why I have a soft spot for this book.

The religious history of America has long overlooked the unique spiritual life of Black Americans. Dr. Stephen Finley has been at the forefront of a new generation of researchers and historians chronicling the incredibly rich history of Black New Religious Movements in the United States and how they’ve influenced both popular Black culture and all-American culture. In and Out of This World peels back closely guarded beliefs and practices and gives readers the context to understand them not as fringe lunacy but a logical endpoint to a diverse and robust cosmology. Dr. Finley does what the best historians do—makes us care about people while giving us the information to understand their ideas and beliefs.

This is a warm, family story about the moon. Yasmeen watches every night as the crescent moon gradually grows and the family takes part in the celebration of Ramadam. When the moon has reached its full size it starts to shrink, until finally, Yasmeen can no longer pick it out in the dark sky. We share Yasmeen’s excitement as the moon waxes and wanes, before becomes a sliver in the sky and the night of the moon has arrived. Eid!! Yasmeen and her family celebrate with relatives, friends, and neighbors, sharing traditional food and exchanging gifts. Ramadan takes place after the sun has gone down and the pictures are in deep blues and greens. When Eid arrives the pictures are in vibrant reds and oranges, and are filled with people celebrating. This is a family story as well as containing information about a Muslim celebration. I would strongly recommend it… show more.

Translated from French, this beautiful 101-page narrative reads like a poetic meditation. Our character once lived a deeply rural life in North Africa, a cultural and linguistic outsider. Now, as a refugee plunged into a new world of identities, she has been informed that she is Muslim. But what does it mean, this word, across languages and cultures? Deep questions about the interlacing of culture, religion, and geopolitics are posed here with startling urgency in a style that evokes not only the machinations of the state, but the deeply interior world in which we define ourselves to ourselves.

As a bomber guy to the core, I approached this book with a silent groan—ugh, another Tom Cruise tale. Was I ever wrong! ‘Forty-Second Boyd’ (maximum time it took him to defeat all challengers) was not only a great fighter pilot, his combat tactic discoveries changed the way every air force in the world flies and fights today. Many consider him the father of the legendary F-15 and F-16 fighters.

Coram’s knowledge and writing style are superb. Boyd was a complicated man; absolutely brilliant with insight and slide rule, a poor father and worse husband—loud, abrasive, and profane. He rarely met a general he couldn’t offend. Despite these drawbacks, Coram skillfully shows how Boyd somehow overcame all professional obstacles, though in the end at great personal cost.

I write about Islamophobia in the US but often wonder how it manifests in other countries. I now know where to go for answers.

This book examines Muslim racialization in four countries – the US, the UK, India, and China. It takes readers through the history of Islamophobia in each country, examining the role of media in stereotyping and Othering Muslims. Importantly, the book also explains how anti-Muslim racism has figured in recent ethnonationalist movements and counterterrorism policies.