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The holidays are in full swing, and if you’re anything like me you’re still looking for a few (or more than a few) gifts for friends and family. To help in the search, UU World has curated our official Holiday Gift Guide, featuring the latest from inSpirit: the UU Book and Gift Shop!
For those in the greater Boston area, inSpirit is on the first floor of the Unitarian Universalist Association headquarters in the Seaport District and is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The bookstore can also ship online orders to customers in the United States and Canada. Shoppers who want to send orders to other locations should call inSpirit at 800-215-9076, or email bookstore@uua.org. (Choose expedited shipping if you would like to be sure your order will arrive before a specific holiday!)
InSpirit has a wide variety of books, apparel, UU-related merch and more, for all the UUs and folks of any faith who love good books in your life. It’s also a great one-stop shop for titles from Beacon Press and Skinner House Books, the UUA’s two publishing operations. (InSpirit has titles from a wide variety of publishers. In this article, we’re mostly highlighting new releases from Beacon Press and Skinner House.)
All prices are listed on the inSpirit website. Read on for some of our favorite finds!
InSpirit Holiday Gift Guide: Books
The Unicorn Woman by Gayl Jones (Beacon Press, 2024)
For anyone who enjoys excellent prose and immersive, visionary fiction, the latest novel from Gayl Jones is not to be missed. Jones, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, has been praised by the likes of Toni Morrison and James Baldwin. The Unicorn Woman tells the tale of Buddy Ray Guy, a Black veteran who returns to the Jim Crow South after serving in World War II. Jones’ narrative voice is gripping, self-assured, and daringly original. A great gift for fiction lovers.
Social Change Now: A Guide for Reflection and Connection by Deepa Iyer (Skinner House Books, 2024)
When we feel anxious about the state of the world, and the level of social, economic, and environmental injustice we face seems beyond healing, it can be hard to know how to get involved and make positive change. Deepa Iyer’s practical, heartfelt roadmap to engaging in social change is an antidote to helplessness and hopelessness. Drawing on her experience as an activist involved in progressive, multiracial coalitions, Iyer offers guidance on how each of us can contribute to building movements for equality and collective liberation. The text is accessible, encouraging, and even reassuring, as she reminds us that we need not do everything by ourselves. Iyer introduces the social change ecosystem framework, which includes ten roles, including storyteller and disruptor, that all have something vital to contribute.
Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz’s Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States: A Graphic Interpretation, adapted by Paul Peart-Smith (Beacon Press, 2024)
In 2015, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz’s An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States was a widely acclaimed New York Times Bestseller, offering a powerful challenge to myths about U.S. history and centering the experience of the Indigenous people who resisted white settler colonialism. This new release, featuring gorgeous artwork by Paul Peart-Smith, presents the crucial history of Dunbar-Ortiz’s book in vibrant detail, adapting her words to take on new life in illustrated form. For a Q&A with Paul Peart-Smith, and a look at his creative process, check out UU World’s recent story.
Spilling the Light by Julián Jamaica Soto (Skinner House Books, 2024)
This poetry collection, from UU minister Rev. Julián Jamaica Soto, often reads like a collection of prayers: its pages overflow with hope, spiritual warmth, and rallying cries for justice. At a dozen UU services or more, I’ve heard pieces of Spilling the Light shared from the pulpit; it never fails to resonate, inspire, and comfort. A hugely readable and rewarding collection, perfect for UUs and anyone who might appreciate its empowering, spiritually rich message.
Aisha’s Colors by Nadila Adani (Candlewick Press, 2024)
InSpirit has a great selection of children’s books, and Aisha’s Colors (for ages 3–7) is a gem among gems with lush, vibrant artwork you wish you could step into. When Aisha and her parents take the yearly trip from their home in Jakarta to her grandmother’s village in the countryside, she finds herself wishing she could visit more faraway places like her friends. Adani tells a warm, visually splendid story about appreciating family and the simple joys we have all around us.
Religion Is Not Done with You: Or, the Hidden Power of Religion on Race, Maps, Bodies, and Law by Megan Goodwin and Ilyese Morgenstein Fuerst (Beacon Press, 2024)
Goodwin and Fuerst, scholars of religion who also host the podcast Keeping it 101: A Killjoy’s Introduction to Religion, have managed to write a book with fascinating insights for readers on both sides of their argument: those who attend religious services weekly, and those who think religion is headed the way of the dodo.
With humor and academic rigor in equal measure, the authors craft their argument that religion whether we like it or not, for good and for ill is still shaping our world, and they encourage us to broaden our understanding of what religion really is. Religion is not just neatly defined buildings, rituals, and texts, but a complex, messy, ever-changing series of systems that affect our past and present; as the authors put it, “religion is what people do.”
For those seeking to better understand how religion influences our beliefs, schools, laws, and more, as well as advocate for positive change in how religion shapes our lives, this book is a rich and enjoyable read. It should be especially appealing to Unitarian Universalists, and anyone who believes in the promise of progressive religion.
Searching for Solid Ground by Reggie Harris (Skinner House Books, 2024)
This memoir, from beloved folk musician and civil rights advocate Reggie Harris, is an intimate and movingly told story of his spiritual and artistic journeys. Whether by performing around the world for over forty years as half of the folk duo Kim and Reggie Harris, or by using his voice and musical gifts to educate and work for social justice, Harris is a dynamic and uplifting figure. He writes eloquently about the power of music to heal spiritual wounds, dispel hate, and inspire us to greater heights of hope and empathy. Readers with an interest in artistic journeys, music, and social justice—and fans of Reggie Harris, of course—will find a great deal to appreciate here
InSpirit Holiday Gift Guide: Apparel
Chalice Socks
Cozy, colorful, chaliced. Need we say more? Available in three different patterns, from a tastefully understated black to a delightfully overstated rainbow.
White Chalice Baseball Cap
This adjustable, 100 percent cotton baseball cap comes in a beautiful forest green, with a white embroidered chalice. Protect yourself from the sun, hide bad hair days, put it on your dog; the only limit with this hat is your imagination.
Rainbow Chalice T-Shirt
A great way to show off your UU pride and your LGBTQIA+ pride at the same time. Stylish and efficient.
InSpirit Holiday Gift Guide: Housewares and Other Items
Chalice Mug
As a proud owner of this very mug, I vouch for its general excellence. I never feel more Unitarian than when I’m chugging my fourth cup of coffee from this beauty. Ideal for liquids of (almost) all temperatures, colors, and consistencies. Can also hold solids!
Wooden Chalice
This wooden chalice, hand-turned by artist Lydia Golas and perfectly sized to hold a tealight candle, is a gift that will brighten any space! If you attend UU services online and want to feel more connected to the service, or you have a spiritual practice like meditation that could be enriched by a lit chalice, this one will more than fit the bill.
Double Circle Gold-Plated Chalice Pendant
This elegant gold-plated chalice pendant would look lovely on the cord or chain of your preference. Available in two sizes. Sure to garner compliments at your congregation’s coffee hour.
For more from inSpirit, you can always browse their online store for books, apparel, and UU goodies of all types. Happy gifting!