Moral Life

In 1803, Thomas Jefferson copied from the four gospels such passages as he believed would best present the ethical teaching of Jesus, and arranged them according to time and subject. Accordingly, all references to miracles or events related to the supernatural were removed, and the text restructured to form a treatise on morality comparable to the Dhammapada or the Analects of Confucius.

What Socrates’s greatest failure reveals about an ancient question: Can we teach our leaders to be better people? Is good character something that can be taught? In 430 BCE, Socrates set out to teach the vain, power-seeking Athenian statesman Alcibiades how to be a good person—and failed...

In this rich and illuminating book, the Pulitzer Prize-winning, bestselling author Robert Coles creates a portrait of moral leadership--what it is, and how it is achieved--through stories of people who have led and inspired him: Robert Kennedy, Dorothy Day, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Erik Erikson, a...

From the author of Make Your Bed, The Hero Code and The Wisdom of the Bullfrog, comes an uplifting selection of speeches, letters, toasts and poems that capture the essence of who we are as Americans. Admiral McRaven's name has become synonymous with indelible advice for changing your life...

In this “vivid and companionable memoir of a remarkable life” (The New Yorker), an outspoken, Christian reproductive justice advocate and abortion provider reveals his personal and professional journeys in an effort to seize the moral high ground on the question of choice and reproductive...

An extraordinary account of how the Christian Revolution forged the Western imagination, from the author of Rubicon. “A galloping tour of Christianity’s influence across the last 2,000 years.” —New York Times Crucifixion, the Romans believed, was the worst fate imaginable, a punishment...

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Everybody tells you to live for a cause larger than yourself, but how exactly do you do it? The author of The Road to Character explores what it takes to lead a meaningful life in a self-centered world. “Deeply moving, frequently eloquent and extraordinarily...

The Moral Compass is the inspiring and instructive companion volume to William J. Bennett's bestselling work, The Book of Virtues, offering many more examples of good and bad, right and wrong, in great works from literature and in exemplary stories from history. Organized by the stages along...

Thomas Mann Explained: Modernism, Moral Conflict, The Magic Mountain, Death in Venice, German Identity, Intellectual Crisis, and the Human Struggle Between Spirit and Life Step into the profound and intellectually rich world of Thomas Mann, one of the most influential literary voices of the twentieth century. This book offers a deep exploration of Mann’s life, major works, and enduring ideas, revealing how his writing captures the tension between tradition and modernity, reason and passion, individuality and society. From the decline of bourgeois culture to the psychological complexities ...

Wild elephants walking along a trail stop and spontaneously try to protect and assist a weak and dying fellow elephant. Laboratory rats, finding other rats caged nearby in distressing circumstances, proceed to rescue them. A chimpanzee in a zoo loses his own life trying to save an unrelated infant who has fallen into a watery moat.

A twisty, gripping novel that wraps around a deeply moving love story, from an electric new voice in upmarket women’s fiction. SHE THOUGHT IT WAS FATE. I KNEW IT WASN'T.... Honor seems to have everything: she adores her bright and beautiful daughter, Chloe, and her charming, handsome husband...

🌟 18 Heartwarming Christian Stories for Children (Ages 5 – 12) The perfect GIFT for the holidays, to nurture kindness, courage, and faith in God. 18 Christian Stories for Kids is a beautifully written story collection that helps children discover the joy of faith, compassion, and trust in God through everyday adventures and simple, meaningful lessons. 🕊️ What’s Inside This inspiring book is divided into two parts, carefully designed for children at different stages of faith and understanding: ✨ Part 1 – Stories for Little Hearts (Ages 5–8) Nine short, gentle stories ...

The Gita is one of the most thorough and understandable presentations of the Perennial Philosophy ever written. Thus, it has lasting importance for all people, not only Indians. The Bhagavad-Gita is perhaps the Perennial Philosophy's greatest systematic spiritual expression. This book briefly introduces the reader to the theological, philosophical, and spiritual significance of the Gita, as it analyzes and explores its core teachings, and the mystical eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead incarnate in His original form as Lord Krishna.

In What It Means to Be Moral: Why Religion Is Not Necessary for Living an Ethical Life, Phil Zuckerman argues that morality does not come from God. Rather, it comes from us: our brains, our evolutionary past, our ongoing cultural development, our social experiences, and our ability to reason, reflect, and be sensitive to the suffering of others.  

Where do you get your values and sensibilities from? If you grew up in a Western democracy, the answer is probably liberalism. Conservatives are right about one thing: liberalism is the ideology of our times, as omnipresent as religion once was. Yet, as Alexandre Lefebvre argues in Liberalism as a Way of Life, many of us are liberal without fully realizing it—or grasping what it means.

Discover the timeless philosophy that places character at the heart of moral life. Virtue Ethics Explained: Understanding Moral Character, Human Flourishing, and the Path to a Good Life is a clear, engaging guide to one of the oldest and most inspiring approaches to ethics. Drawing on the insights of Aristotle and other great thinkers, this book shows how virtues like courage, justice, honesty, and compassion can shape not only your decisions but your entire way of living. Whether you are new to moral philosophy or seeking to deepen your understanding, this comprehensive exploration will ...

What if the greatest danger facing today’s believers isn’t persecution, but compromise? In a world where moral lines are blurred, truth is traded for convenience, and faith is watered down by cultural pressure, the question is no longer whether Christians can survive—but whether they can stand with integrity. Every day, you are confronted with choices that test your convictions: decisions about relationships, money, politics, sexuality, work, technology, and faith itself. The temptation to bend the truth or blend in with the crowd feels overwhelming. Many have already surrendered ...

Two Philosophers Ask and Answer the Big Questions About the Search for Faith and Happiness For seekers of all stripes, philosophy is timeless self-care. Notre Dame philosophy professors Meghan Sullivan and Paul Blaschko have reinvigorated this tradition in their wildly popular and influential...

Frances Perkins is no longer a household name, yet she was one of the most influential women of the 20th century. Based on extensive archival materials, new documents, and exclusive access to Perkins' family members and friends, this biography is the first complete portrait of a devoted public servant with a passionate personal life, a mother who changed the landscape of American business and society.

Find lasting happiness, inner peace, and enlightenment through the Dalai Lama’s timeless teachings on mindfulness, compassion, and the Buddhist path to wisdom. As human beings, we all seek happiness and a sense of meaning in our lives. In How to Practice, His Holiness the Dalai...