MIDDLE SCHOOL
Friends General Conference. Lighting Candles in the Dark (see description above, under Older Elementary).
Jessamyn West. The Friendly Persuasion.
The classic novel about life for a Quaker family in Indiana during the Civil War, and the basis for the William Wyler film starring Gary Cooper.
Daisy Newman. I Take Thee Serenity. In this novel, young Serenity discovers love and her Friendly heritage.
Daisy Newman. A Procession of Friends.
Represents not only the events of Quaker history but the growth of Quaker principles, from George Fox’s call in 1640 to the recent past.
Margaret Hope Bacon. The Back Bench.
It’s 1837. Fourteen-year-old Quaker Myra Harlan’s mother has died, forcing her to leave her home and family in the country to live in Philadelphia. Shocked by the racism she sees all around her and caught in the aftermath of the Orthodox-Hicksite split in the Religious Society of Friends, Myra longs for her mother and struggles to make friends until she finds the Female Anti-Slavery Society, Lucretia Mott, Sarah Douglass, and—ultimately—herself. The ebook version is available in mobi (for Kindle readers) and epub (for all other ereaders).
ADULTS
Rex Ambler. The Quaker Way.
Although Quakerism is fairly well known, it is not well understood, so the purpose of this book is to explain how it works as a spiritual practice and why it has adopted its particular practices. Primarily for non-Quakers.
Michael Birkel. Silence and Witness.
This is a meaty and inviting introduction to Quaker thought and spiritual life. His chapter on the inward experience of worship is both an excellent introduction and a seasoned examination of centering techniques.
Howard Brinton. Friends for 350 Years.
The updated edition of Brinton’s classic overview of basic Quaker understandings, practices, and history. An essential book for every meeting and member.
Vanessa Julye and Donna McDaniel. Fit for Freedom Not for Friendship.
This study of Quaker history documents the spiritual and practical impacts of discrimination in the Religious Society of Friends in the expectation that understanding the truth of our past is vital to achieving a diverse, inclusive community in the future.
John Punshon. A Portrait in Grey. Revised edition of this comprehensive and thoroughly readable introduction to the history of Quakerism, from its origins in 17th century England to the development of the differing varieties found around the world today.
