Looking For God: A Seeker's Guide to Religious and Spiritual Groups of the World

If you've ever had the feeling that you're looking for God in all the wrong places, here's a sourcebook that could help you narrow your search. Seeker and author Steven Sadleir spent 20 years accumulating all the information in this comprehensive guidebook to the world's spiritual teachings. His intentions were altruistic, hoping that seekers could start with wandering these pages rather than roaming the earth for 20 years in order to find their personal path to God. "The moment for self-discovery is at hand, for each page has something to offer you," he promises. "This very act of looking develops your soul's ability to see through your eyes and guide you in your search."

It's hard to imagine a more unbiased view of global spirituality. Religions such as Taoism, Sikhism, Judaism, and Christianity are presented alongside write-ups on channeling, the Baha'i Faith, Alcoholics Anonymous, and the teachings of Ram Das and ancient druids. Although books could be (and have been) written about each of these numerous traditions, Sadleir condenses them into brief chapters, with each one providing a write-up on the history, belief systems, rituals, and holidays. Every chapter also includes a list of recommended readings and Web sites. Sadleir designed this guidebook so that it can be read from cover to cover, gaining a complete overview of the world's spiritual teachings. Or it can be used as a source of practical mysticism where readers simply open to the passages and paths that they feel inexplicably drawn into. --Gail Hudson