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Skinner House Books
@skinnerhouse.bsky.social
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Skinner House Books is the publishing imprint of the Unitarian Universalist Association, a liberal religious organization with more than 1,000 congregations.
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If you're looking to write more as a spiritual practice in the new year or are finding joy working on a current project, we recommend the following books to inspire and guide your writing: Living Revision, Writing the Sacred Journey, and The Pen and the Bell. Available wherever books are sold.
Three books on a wooden background: Living Revision, Writing the Sacred Journey, and The Pen and the Bell
December 22, 2025 at 1:01 PM
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"We light a candle, take a breath, and reconnect with the flow of a life infinitely larger than our little beating hearts—a life we are part of no matter what, that calls us back, lifts us up, and sustains us."

—An excerpt from Hanukkah from Shine and Shadow by Kathleen McTigue
"There will come a time for most of us when we've got to decide whether we'll light our lamps, even when we're sure there isn't enough oil to keep them burning . . . We light a candle, take a breath, and reconnect with the flow of a life infinitely larger than our little beating hearts—a life we are part of no matter what, that calls us back, lifts us up, and sustains us. Light the lamp, though the oil has run out. Light the lamp, and we'll do what we can." —An excerpt from Hanukkah from Shine and Shadow by Kathleen McTigue
December 21, 2025 at 5:02 PM
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"Every chaplain, theologian, caregiver, and healthcare professional can find profound truth captured on each page of Where Two Worlds Touch. . . . This is a beautiful book and the deepest I have read on the topic." —Dr. Stephen G. Post. Available wherever books are sold.
Where Two Worlds Touch "Every chaplain, theologian, caregiver, and healthcare professional can find profound truth captured on each page of Where Two Worlds Touch." —Dr. Stephen G. Post "Where Two Worlds Touch is a beautiful book and the deepest I have read on the topic." —Dr. Stephen G. Post
December 19, 2025 at 1:01 PM
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There's still time to join the conversation! The Justice and Spirit Goodreads Book Club group read this month is Tend to Your Spirit: Mindful Living with Chronic Illness by Julianne Lepp and Florence Caplow. Find the group on Goodreads: bit.ly/justiceandspiritbookclub
December 18, 2025 at 1:03 PM
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New from Skinner House! A stunning 10th anniversary edition of Where Two Worlds Touch: The Spirit and Science of Alzheimer’s Caregiving, Jade C. Angelica’s beloved memoir and guide for those who love someone with Alzheimer's. Now with a foreword by Dr. Stephen G. Post.
A person holding a copy of Where Two Worlds Touch on their lap.
December 17, 2025 at 1:01 PM
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Forged at the intersection of faith and justice, BLUU Notes: An Anthology of Love, Justice, and Liberation is the first publication from Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU). Available wherever books are sold and through inSpirit: The UU Book and Gift Shop at shopinspirit.org.
The book BLUU Notes covered in snowflakes.
December 16, 2025 at 1:01 PM
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Did you know The Release by award-winning author and writing teacher Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew is available as an audiobook? Get your copy today from Libro.fm, Audible, or any other major audio platforms. And you can often request that your local library purchase a copy too!
The audiobook of The Release: Creativity and Freedom after the Writing Is Done by Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew playing on a cell phone.
December 15, 2025 at 1:01 PM
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When Snow Falls Gently Reminding Me of You

I see your face chasing away the bitter cold.
Hold me close,
rock me in your loving arms
sing lullabies that help me remember.

—Om Prakash
Voices from the Margins
When Snow Falls Gently Reminding Me of You In the late hours when snow falls gently covering the broken ground . . . the world is smooth when snow falls gently. I see your face chasing away the bitter cold. Hold me close, rock me in your loving arms sing lullabies that help me remember. Teach me to turn back to my snow-driven self, dancing in the rapture of my first breath, singing to the sound of music and arts, moving to the poetry of rhythm in motion that fills my heart every time I think of you, my Beloved One. Then I remember: I don’t need to return, I never left. You and I are one dancing in silky smoothness, beating back the cold with the rhythm of our dance steps filling the world with laughter as the cold winds blow and our hearts, like burning embers, become the warmth of the sun carried on the winds. —Om Prakash Voices from the Margins
December 14, 2025 at 5:01 PM
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In Breaking and Blessing, the 2020 volume of the inSpirit Poetry Series, Rev. Sean Parker Dennison imagines letters from angels, draws on the natural world, and reflects on love and calling. Available at shopinspirit.org.
The book Breaking and Blessing on top of some white rose petals that resemble fallen snow.
December 12, 2025 at 1:01 PM
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Where Two Worlds Touch: The Spirit and Science of Alzheimer's Caregiving by Jade C. Angelica is now available as an audiobook! Get your copy today from Libro.fm, Audible, or any other major audio platforms. And you can often request that your local library purchase a copy too!
A cell phone playing the audiobook Where Two Worlds Touch.
December 11, 2025 at 1:03 PM
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Did you know that there's an audiobook service that allows you to support an indie bookstore while listening to great audiobooks? It's called Libro.fm and inSpirit: The UU Book and Gift Shop is a partner bookstore! You can create an account and choose inSpirit as the bookstore you’d like to support.
A cell phone with headphones. On the cell phone is a selection of audiobooks and the Libro.fm logo.
December 10, 2025 at 1:02 PM
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New from Skinner House! A stunning 10th anniversary edition of Where Two Worlds Touch: The Spirit and Science of Alzheimer’s Caregiving, Jade C. Angelica’s beloved memoir and guide for those who love someone with Alzheimer's. Now with a foreword by Dr. Stephen G. Post.
An e-reader showing the cover of the book Where Two Worlds Touch.
December 9, 2025 at 1:02 PM
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Make the holiday season a little easier this year with the inSpirit holiday guide! The wonderful booksellers at inSpirit have highlighted some of their favorite gift ideas in the guide—including great Skinner House titles! We hope these small joys bring some comfort and delight. shopinspirit.org
Holiday Guide graphic with bows and snowflakes.
December 8, 2025 at 1:01 PM
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Tree Lessons

Reaching out
gathering powers
lightning and fire
trickle and storm
breath and resistance
firm, solid shifts
no separation
between
earth and sky.

—Rev. Sean Parker Dennison
Breaking and Blessing: Meditations
Tree Lessons Suspended between the breath of God and the cool dark Earth body, roots and rings no separation, between time and space. Reaching out gathering powers lightning and fire trickle and storm breath and resistance firm, solid shifts no separation between earth and sky. Connecting to infinite networks stars and saplings suckling on bodies of old ones fallen sustenance and decay no separation between life and death. —Rev. Sean Parker Dennison Breaking and Blessing: Meditations
December 7, 2025 at 5:01 PM
skinnerhouse.bsky.social
New from Skinner House! A stunning 10th anniversary edition of Where Two Worlds Touch: The Spirit and Science of Alzheimer’s Caregiving, Jade C. Angelica’s beloved memoir and guide for those who love someone with Alzheimer's. Now with a foreword by Dr. Stephen G. Post.
A photo of a person holding a copy of Where Two Worlds Touch.
December 7, 2025 at 2:20 PM
skinnerhouse.bsky.social
The Justice and Spirit Goodreads Book Club group read this month is Tend to Your Spirit: Mindful Living with Chronic Illness by Julianne Lepp and Florence Caplow. You can join the conversation on Goodreads: bit.ly/justiceandspiritbookclub.
The book Tend to Your Spirit on top of green moss.
December 5, 2025 at 6:45 PM
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New from Skinner House! A stunning 10th anniversary edition of Where Two Worlds Touch: The Spirit and Science of Alzheimer’s Caregiving, Jade C. Angelica’s beloved memoir and guide for those who love someone with Alzheimer's. Now with a foreword by Dr. Stephen G. Post.
A graphic with the cover of Where Two Worlds Touch next to some Gingko leaves and the words "New from Skinner House"
December 3, 2025 at 1:01 PM
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The release is the stage when writers share the soul of their project—its gift. Award-winning author and teacher Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew shares how to thrive and best serve your work once the writing is done. Available wherever books are sold!
A copy of the release on top of a desk with some journals and a pencil. Also on the desk is a glass of water and a small vase of flowers.
December 2, 2025 at 1:01 PM
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Make the holiday season easier this year with the inSpirit holiday guide! We hope these small joys bring some comfort and delight in these hard times. Free standard shipping on orders of $50 or more within the United States is available through December 7th. shopinspirit.org
An image with a bow and snowflakes that says Shop Our Holiday Guide.
December 1, 2025 at 1:00 PM
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Less Here Now

Less light today than yesterday.
Less sun for growing things.
Less time for demanding doing.

—Rev. Sean Parker Dennison
Breaking and Blessing
Less Here Now Less light today than yesterday. Less sun for growing things. Less time for demanding doing. Less gleam and shine and sheen and dazzle. I did not know how much I needed this diminishment. Here is the last green-pink tomato turning. Here is the rough undercoat thickening. Here is the urge to dig in for hibernation. Here is the slow return to the fire. I did not know the importance of this respite, this repose. Now the smell of decay and transformation. Now the fruiting and the harvest. Now the letting go, the fiery spin into the wind. Now the sigh of completion. I did not know death could be so beautiful. I did not understand the relief of letting go. —Rev. Sean Parker Dennison Breaking and Blessing
November 30, 2025 at 3:24 PM
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If as you reflect on the end of the year and the beginning of another, you begin to think about writing your life's stories, we recommend Writing the Sacred Journey: The Art and Practice of Spiritual Memoir by award-winning author and writing teacher Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew.
Two copies of Writing the Sacred Journey on a wooden background
November 28, 2025 at 1:02 PM
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Finding Thanksgiving

Spirit of Life, God of Love, let me write a
thanksgiving on my heart.

—Stephen Shick
Be the Change
Finding Thanksgiving Spirit of Life, God of Love, let me write a thanksgiving on my heart. In clean lines I will inscribe what pleases me: a warm autumn day, a quickly spreading smile on a child's face, the still-warm touch of an aging loved one. Then I will write the names of all who have been with me at moments of great discernment. Let gratitude pour from my soul as I recall their gifts of time, patience, and unconditional love. I will draw empty lines for those whom I will never know, who gave needed gifts to my mentors. In this world of endless distractions and complications, I pray for the wisdom to humble myself in gratitude for these gifts beyond measure. Help me learn to thankfully give them to others. —Stephen Shick Be the Change
November 27, 2025 at 1:02 PM
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Images shape how we understand ourselves, our society, and our world. But images are not innocent. Through the Lens of Whiteness is an essential resource to recognize, analyze, and confront the perpetuation of racism in our visual world. Available wherever books are sold.
A graphic with a photo of the cover of Through the Lens of Whiteness and some text that says new from Skinner House.
November 26, 2025 at 1:01 PM
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Help children cultivate a practice of gratitude and a sense of wonder for the world around them this holiday season with Goodness Gracious: A Gratitude Book for Children! Available wherever books are sold and from shopinspirit.org.
November 25, 2025 at 1:01 PM
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Pie with Spirits

This is the very pumpkin pie
my grandmother made—almost. . . .
To honor her, I follow the recipe.
To honor him, I change just one thing.
To honor myself, I take my time and smile.

—Mary Wellemeyer
Admire the Moon
Pie With Spirits "This is the very pumpkin pie my grandmother made—almost. She was a modern woman who knew how to follow recipes. Receipts, she called them, because they had been received. She had a rule for pie crust that was constant until, from time to time, it changed. I have that rule, in turn, and it had moved on, just a bit, from where she left it. This is my special shared moment with her, departed a quarter century. As I work, I am all ages of myself, and the thought of my tall son comes to join us, though he hardly knew her. He makes pies with wild abandon, sculpting them from material and artistry. He has received pie somehow at the level of soul. The three of us make pie together, preheating the oven, cutting butter into flour, adding water, flouring a board, rolling the crust. To honor her, I follow the recipe. To honor him, I change just one thing. To honor myself, I take my time and smile. —Mary Wellemeyer Admire the Moon
November 23, 2025 at 5:00 PM