October Publication

Busy Christians everywhere will appreciate Wisdom from a Pastor's Heart, Douglas Connelly's compilation of clergy members' thoughts on topics such as family, baptism, money, grace, suffering, fear, failure and temptation. For the quotes, Connelly combed through 75 years of The Minister's Manual, a sourcebook of reflections by clergy and for clergy. The result is what he calls "a pastor in your pocket," a useful little book that offers spiritual wisdom in bite-sized morsels. (Jossey-Bass, $18.95 248p ISBN 0-7879-5651-1)

September Publication

Wilderness Press, which specializes in outdoor books and maps for backpackers and hikers, makes a foray into the world of eco-spirituality with The Meditations of John Muir: Nature's Temple, edited by Chris Highland. Here, Muir muses on discovering God in nature, describing one particularly sylvan park as "full of God's thoughts." Highland has juxtaposed long quotes from Muir's journals with short reflections drawn from sacred texts the world over. With its small size and attractive format, this book makes the perfect addition to every naturalist's knapsack. (Wilderness Press, $11.95 168p ISBN 0-89997-285-3)

Dogma & Dharma

While scores of books have expounded upon the spiritual qualities of man's best friend (why do so many writers think that they are the first to come up with the not-so-profound thought that "dog" is "God" spelled backwards?), Zen Dog is unusual in exploring the topic from a Buddhist perspective. The canine stars of this gift book are pictured in black-and-white photographs by Toni Tucker; the portraits are imaginatively paired with quotes from Buddhist, Taoist and other sources. Compiler Judith Atler calls dogs "furry, slobbering, barking, begging, shedding little Zen masters" who almost perfectly embody Buddha nature. While some serious Buddhists may dismiss the book as pure fluff, perhaps it will inspire others to appreciate the nirvanic qualities of the perfect Frisbee catch. (Clarkson Potter, $17 108p ISBN 0-609-60879-7; Sept.)

Jewish Prayer

To Pray As a Jew, Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin's companion to his classic work To Be a Jew, will be reissued in September by Basic Books. The book functions as an accessible guide to the prayer book and the synagogue service, covering every detail of Jewish prayer and ritual. Donin answers such specific questions as: What religious objects are kissed before use? What are the 18 blessings of the Shemoneh Esrei? What are the roles of the gabbaim during the service? This definitive guide to the siddur, published just in time for the High Holy Days, will be deeply appreciated by a new generation of readers. (Basic Books, $30 416p ISBN 0-465-08629-4; Sept. 15) Jewish prayer isn't just for Jews anymore, says psychologist Leonard Felder in Seven Prayers That Can Change Your Life: How to Use Jewish Spiritual Wisdom to Enhance Your Health, Relationships, and Daily Effectiveness. Felder draws on classic Jewish prayers to help Jews and non-Jews who are struggling with their relationships or have too much stress in their lives. The concept of not needing to reinvent the prayer wheel is a good one, though some readers will question Felder's Hebrew-to-English translations (for melekh ha-olam, for example, he eschews the traditional "Ruler of the Universe" in favor of the more antiseptic "Pulsing Source of all that exists in the world"). (Andrews McNeel, $12.95 160p ISBN 0-7407-1895-9; Aug.)