Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society by In Blueprint, Nicholas A. Christakis introduces the compelling idea that our genes affect not only our bodies and behaviors, but also the ways in which we make societies, ones that are surprisingly similar worldwide. With many vivid examples--including diverse historical and contemporary cultures, communities formed in the wake of shipwrecks, commune dwellers seeking utopia, online groups thrown together by design or involving artificially intelligent bots, and even the tender and complex social arrangements of elephants and dolphins that so resemble our own--Christakis shows that, despite a human history replete with violence, we cannot escape our social blueprint for goodness. In a world of increasing political and economic polarization, it's tempting to ignore the positive role of our evolutionary past. Drawing on advances in social science, evolutionary biology, genetics, neuroscience, and network science, Blueprint shows how and why evolution has placed us on a humane path--and how we are united by our common humanity.
Decoding the Egalitarianism of the Qur'an: Retrieving Lost Voices on Gender by 
The Way of Gratitude: A New Spirituality for Today by Rev. Galen Guengerich, the charismatic, brilliant leader of one of the nation's most prominent Unitarian congregations, All Souls Church, shares with readers his wisdom on how to lead a spiritual life through the practice of gratitude. When Guengerich was in his mid-twenties, he left the Conservative Mennonite Church, the faith of his upbringing. He was scared, but he needed to set out to find the way of life that was right for him. For Guengerich, transcendence is not limited to an experience of God but can be reached through gratitude's ability to take us beyond ourselves and create connection to others and the universe. Through his personal story, poems that resonate with his spiritual message, and guided spiritual practices, including "gratitude goals," this book helps readers discover how the way of gratitude can make them happier and healthier, and provide a new sense of belonging not only to the universe as a whole but also to themselves.
