This year’s Scottish Interfaith Week is all about discovery. Reading is one of the exciting ways we can learn and discover about other faiths and cultures.

Want to find your next read? We asked our followers which books have helped them to discover something new about another faith, belief or culture.

If you would like to recommend a book: Post a photo of the book and why you like it on social media. Tag us on Facebook or Twitter, or use the hashtag #scottishinterfaithweek.

Book recommendations

Hijab, Butch, Blues

Mirella recommends Hijab, Butch, Blues by Lamya H.

“Hijab, Butch, Blues is highly recommendable as a spiritual, theological and yet highly personal exploration of a Queer Muslim journey. The book addresses the intersection of migration in a number of directions, stereotypes, belonging, ethnicity, gender and sexuality.

“So much of the subject is extremely complicated as the protagonist navigates all of these themes, head-on but somehow the author manages to weave it all together in a way which is relatable and inviting without watering down the issues or avoiding the uncomfortable aspects.”

You are Therefore I am

Frances recommends You are Therefore I am by Satish Kumar.

“I love Satish’s description of growing up in rural India. His mother, a devout Jain, who although was illiterate learned profound spiritual lessons from walking in nature.

“Her daily walk in nature was a walking meditation connecting her to the divine. This had a profound affect on Satish’s spiritual journey, first as a Buddhist monk and then as an environment activist and peace pilgrim around the world.”

Human Kind

Jamie recommends Human Kind by Rutger Bregman.

“The phrase ‘this book changed my life’ is very over-used but I think this is probably the closest I have experienced to that.

“I regularly struggle with a feeling of despair about our human-made world. Maybe the focus of my work exacerbates this, but there seems to me to be so much hatred, violence, destruction and wilful-ignorance that I find it a battle to remain optimistic and energised.

“This book went further than anything else to counter that sense.

“It reverses so many bleak stories I’ve heard or been taught about human beings – especially many from my time studying Psychology. The Kitty Genovese story, the Harvard Prison Experiment, even the real story behind the Lord of the Flies are all in reality tales of peoples’ care and compassion towards their fellow humans.

“As the tagline says ‘How would your life and view of the world change if you knew people were good?’”

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

Maureen recommends The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy.

“I love this book – recently received as a gift. I love it because it feels like it contains the spiritual heart of all religions in a light hearted, uplifting and beautifully profound way.”

Sonorous Desert

Nicola recommends Sonorous Desert by Kim Haines-Eitzen.

“A fascinating book that explores how desert sounds taught ancient Christian monks about solitude, silence and how this can impact on our own lives if we allow ourselves to slow down and listen.”

Home in the World

Gareth recommends Home in the World by Amartya Sen.

“I usually have a number of interfaith-related books on the go, but at the moment I’m reading something slightly different: ‘Home in the World’, the stimulating memoir of Amartya Sen, Professor of Economics and Philosophy at Harvard University and a Nobel Prize recipient.

“Amartya Sen’s early education was at Santiniketan, the school established in West Bengal by the great Indian poet and thinker, Rabindranath Tagore.”

Children and young people book recommendations

Our Booklist for Libraries is a list of books for children and young adults exploring the topics of faith and culture.

You can explore this list to find your child’s next read or to create an exciting book display during the festival week.

Download our Booklist for Libraries