Designed to Feel by Peter Burchardt
Bestseller by Peter Burchardt
Designed to Feel
Why Evolution Built Your Emotions, and How to Make Them Work for You
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Best Religion & Spirituality Books

Religious and spiritual literature encompasses the foundational texts of human civilisation — the Bible, the Quran, the Bhagavad Gita, the Dhammapada, the Tao Te Ching — and the enormous body of commentary, theology, mysticism, and personal testimony that has grown around them. At its best, religious writing addresses the deepest questions of human experience: Why is there suffering? What do we owe each other? How should we live in the face of death? Writers like Thomas Merton, C.S. Lewis, Karen Armstrong, and Pema Chödrön have made these questions accessible to readers with no formal religious tradition, offering a literature of contemplation in a distracted age.

50 titles ranked · Scored across 40+ editorial sources
#1
Cover of Life of Pi
literary-fiction

Life of Pi

Yann Martel· 2002
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score77/100
#2
Cover of Siddhartha
literary-fiction

Siddhartha

Hermann Hesse· 1922
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score68/100
#3
Cover of Lord of Light
science-fiction

Lord of Light

Roger Zelazny· 1968
★Hugo Award
Editorial Score55/100
#4
A Christmas Carol
literary-fiction

A Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens· 1843
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#5
The Scarlet Letter
literary-fiction

The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne· 1800
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#6
The Art of War
literary-fiction

The Art of War

孙武 (Sun Tzu)· 1900
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#7
La Divina Commedia
literary-fiction

La Divina Commedia

Dante Alighieri· 1472
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#8
Анна Каренина
literary-fiction

Анна Каренина

Лев Толстой· 1876
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#9
The Man Who Was Thursday
literary-fiction

The Man Who Was Thursday

Gilbert Keith Chesterton· 1908
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#10
πολιτεία
literary-fiction

πολιτεία

Plato· 1554
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#11
The Pilgrim's Progress
literary-fiction

The Pilgrim's Progress

John Bunyan· 1678
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#12
Flatland
literary-fiction

Flatland

Edwin Abbott Abbott· 1884
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#13
Cover of Confessions
literary-fiction

Confessions

Augustine of Hippo· 1482
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#14
Tao te Ching
literary-fiction

Tao te Ching

老子· 1842
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score50/100
#15
De la démocratie en Amérique
literary-fiction

De la démocratie en Amérique

Alexis de Tocqueville· 1835
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#16
The Golden Bough
literary-fiction

The Golden Bough

James George Frazer· 1890
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score50/100
#17
Cover of Cat's Cradle
literary-fiction

Cat's Cradle

Kurt Vonnegut· 1963
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score50/100
#18
The Book of the Dead
literary-fiction

The Book of the Dead

E. A. Wallis Budge· 1894
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score50/100
#19
Cover of Roots
literary-fiction

Roots

Alex Haley· 1861
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score50/100
#20
Cover of Nicolae
science-fiction

Nicolae

Tim F. LaHaye· 1997
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score50/100
#21
The Rosemary Tree
fantasy

The Rosemary Tree

Elizabeth Goudge· 1956
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score50/100
#22
Lives of the saints
biography-memoir

Lives of the saints

Alban Butler· 1894
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#23
Cover of The Power and the Glory
literary-fiction

The Power and the Glory

Graham Greene· 1940
TIME 100 Best Novels
Editorial Score47/100
#24
Cover of Pilgrim's Progress
religion-spirituality

Pilgrim's Progress

John Bunyan· 1678
Guardian 100 Best Novels
Editorial Score47/100
#25
The crook in the lot, or, The sovereignty and wisdom of God displayed in the afflictions of men
religion-spirituality

The crook in the lot, or, The sovereignty and wisdom of God displayed in the afflictions of men

Thomas Boston· 1770
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#26
The dairyman's daughter
religion-spirituality

The dairyman's daughter

Legh Richmond· 1800
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#27
The Babylonian Expedition of the University of Pennsylvania. Series A: Cuneiform texts
religion-spirituality

The Babylonian Expedition of the University of Pennsylvania. Series A: Cuneiform texts

Hermann Vollrat Hilprecht· 1893
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#28
Traité d'histoire des religions
religion-spirituality

Traité d'histoire des religions

Mircea Eliade· 1900
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#29
Dictionary of sects, heresies, ecclesiastical parties, and schools of religious thought
religion-spirituality

Dictionary of sects, heresies, ecclesiastical parties, and schools of religious thought

John Henry Blunt· 1874
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#30
Alberuni's India
religion-spirituality

Alberuni's India

Muhammad Ibn Ahmad, Abu al-Raihan al-Biruni.· 1888
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#31
Moeurs, institutions et cérémonies des peuples de l'Inde
religion-spirituality

Moeurs, institutions et cérémonies des peuples de l'Inde

J. A. Dubois· 1897
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#32
India's past
religion-spirituality

India's past

Arthur Anthony Macdonell· 1927
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#33
Du refus à l'invocation
religion-spirituality

Du refus à l'invocation

Gabriel Marcel· 1940
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#34
From Adam's peak to Elephanta
religion-spirituality

From Adam's peak to Elephanta

Edward Carpenter· 1892
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#35
Nouvelles études d'histoire religieuse.
religion-spirituality

Nouvelles études d'histoire religieuse.

Ernest Renan· 1884
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#36
A study in Milton's Christian doctrine
religion-spirituality

A study in Milton's Christian doctrine

Arthur Sewell· 1939
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#37
K'ungtse und der konfuzianismus
religion-spirituality

K'ungtse und der konfuzianismus

Richard Wilhelm· 1928
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#38
Religions d'Autorite.
religion-spirituality

Religions d'Autorite.

Auguste Sabatier· 1904
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#39
Colloquia
religion-spirituality

Colloquia

Desiderius Erasmus· 1519
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#40
Heavenly footman
religion-spirituality

Heavenly footman

John Bunyan· 1698
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#41
Theologiae cursus completus ex tractatibus omnium perferctissimis ubique habitis, et a magna parte episcoporum necnon theologorum Europæe catholicae, universim ad hoc interrogatorum, designatis, unicè conflatus
religion-spirituality

Theologiae cursus completus ex tractatibus omnium perferctissimis ubique habitis, et a magna parte episcoporum necnon theologorum Europæe catholicae, universim ad hoc interrogatorum, designatis, unicè conflatus

J.-P Migne· 1837
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#42
Summa contra gentiles
religion-spirituality

Summa contra gentiles

Thomas Aquinas· 1475
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#43
Saint Paul
religion-spirituality

Saint Paul

Ferdinand Prat· 1909
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#44
Ecclesiastical polity
religion-spirituality

Ecclesiastical polity

Richard Hooker· 1597
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#45
Bertrami presbyteri De corpore et sanguine Domini liber, ad carolum magnum imperatore, ante DCC annos aeditus
religion-spirituality

Bertrami presbyteri De corpore et sanguine Domini liber, ad carolum magnum imperatore, ante DCC annos aeditus

Ratramnus monk of Corbie· 1541
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#46
Schriften zur Theologie
religion-spirituality

Schriften zur Theologie

Karl Rahner· 1900
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#47
Meister Eckhart
religion-spirituality

Meister Eckhart

Meister Eckhart· 1914
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#48
D. Martin Luthers Werke
religion-spirituality

D. Martin Luthers Werke

Martin Luther· 1883
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#49
Cur Deus homo
religion-spirituality

Cur Deus homo

Anselm of Canterbury· 1474
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#50
The pilgrim's regress
religion-spirituality

The pilgrim's regress

C. S. Lewis· 1933
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
Happy Employees
The Management Companion
Happy Employees
What Evolution Tells You About Leading People
Lead with human nature, and your team won’t just perform — they’ll thrive.
Get It on Amazon →Paperback & Kindle

By Country

🇺🇳International6970🇺🇸United States114🇬🇧United Kingdom66🇩🇪Germany42🇯🇵Japan25🇮🇪Ireland18🇵🇱Poland16🌍India13🇮🇹Italy4🌍Argentina2🇩🇰Denmark2🇱🇧Lebanon2🇨🇦Canada1🇧🇷Brazil1🇫🇷France1🇬🇷Greece1🇿🇦South Africa1🇵🇰Pakistan1🇲🇽Mexico1

Key Authors

Yann MartelHermann HesseRoger ZelaznyCharles DickensDante AlighieriJohn BunyanKurt VonnegutGraham GreeneC.S. LewisJohn Milton

Religion & Spirituality Books — FAQ

What are the best religion & spirituality books of all time?

The top-ranked religion & spirituality books include Life of Pi, Siddhartha, Lord of Light — all with high editorial consensus scores across major literary prizes and critic lists.

How are religion & spirituality books ranked on 50 Best Books?

Rankings are based on aggregate editorial scores drawn from Nobel Prizes, Booker Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, and 40+ other critical sources. Each mention is weighted by prestige, recency, and scope.

Which countries produce the most acclaimed religion & spirituality books?

International, United States, United Kingdom lead our rankings in religion & spirituality, producing the most internationally recognised titles in the genre.

Who are the most acclaimed religion & spirituality authors?

Key authors in religion & spirituality include Yann Martel, Hermann Hesse, Roger Zelazny, whose works consistently appear across major prize lists and critic selections.

Are there religion & spirituality books for beginners?

Yes — our rankings include books at every level. Look for titles with broad critical acclaim and accessible descriptions. Start with books scoring 70+ on our editorial scale.