“We read to know that we are not alone,” observed writer William Nicholson. At a time when the world feels fractured, books can remind us of our shared humanity — offering wisdom, comfort, and the courage to seek connection even in the face of division and uncertainty.
At Siena Retreat Center, a nonprofit spiritual retreat and learning community in Racine, Wisconsin, the onsite bookstore carries a curated selection of titles that explore grief and renewal, faith and friendship, acceptance and justice. The collection includes works by writers such as Anne Lamott, Brené Brown, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Mark Nepo, and Ibram X. Kendi — voices offering perspective and support for anyone seeking connection in challenging times.
Here, staff and retreat leaders have selected 12 titles that offer guidance, insight, and reassurance for readers navigating a complicated world.
The Unfolding
Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
After the death of her husband, Program Director Vicky Curtiss turned to Trommer’s poetry for comfort. Trommer, who lost her own son to suicide, says that while most of the poems are not explicitly about loss, “they’ve all been written in the key of grief.” For Curtiss, the collection resonated deeply, helping her be more open and accepting when she was ambushed by grief, or carrying both sadness and wonder at the same time.
Why We Recommend It: A collection that validates grief while illuminating resilience.
The Great Search: Turning to Earth and Soul in the Quest for Healing and Home
John Philip Newell
Spiritual teacher John Philip Newell reflects on our era of immense transition: “as old systems of authority and belief are questioned, a new vision of reality is trying to be born.” In this book, he explores the wisdom of nine spiritual leaders in search of a “true reconnection with Earth and one another,” concluding with nine short prayers to guide readers into deep intention. Newell will offer a Siena retreat May 4–6, 2026.
Why We Recommend It: A spiritual roadmap for reconnecting with the Earth and one another in turbulent times.
You Don’t Have to Do It Alone – The Power of Friendship
Mark Nepo
In You Don’t Have to Do It Alone, Mark Nepo invites readers to rediscover friendship as both refuge and teacher. His Siena Retreat Center retreat and recent Better Magazine conversation illuminate how relationships can steady us through hardship and guide us toward meaning.
Why We Recommend It: A moving reminder that friendship is a profound teacher and source of healing.
The Fifth Season – Creativity in the Second Half of Life
Mark Nepo
“I feel like a man who has been turned inside out by life, and this has made me a student of the inside of everything,” Nepo writes. “I think this is the journey of aging: to become a student of the inside of everything.” He will return to Siena in 2027 to share these reflections.
Why We Recommend It: A deeply personal meditation on creativity, aging, and inner growth.
Almost Everything: Notes on Hope
Anne Lamott
Facilitators of Siena’s monthly Women for Women circle use Lamott’s book as a guide for reflection and renewal. “Anne Lamott writes that ‘peace of mind is an inside job,’” they share. Participants come together to laugh, explore, create art, and seek hope for both the present and the future.
Why We Recommend It: Witty, wise, and hope-filled — perfect for group reflection.
Rising Strong
Brené Brown
“I selected Rising Strong because it speaks to the courage it takes to get back up after we stumble,” says Gabriella Caballero-Moersfelder, leader of Siena’s upcoming book series. Brown reminds us that struggles and imperfections are not signs of weakness but opportunities for growth.
Why We Recommend It: A call to courage and resilience that resonates across life’s challenges.
How to Be an Antiracist
Ibram X. Kendi
For Program Director Vicky Curtiss, Kendi’s work was a key teacher in learning about systemic racism. The book challenges readers to see all forms of racism clearly and advocates active opposition within both our systems and ourselves.
Why We Recommend It: A powerful framework for dismantling racism at both personal and systemic levels.
Anti-Racism as Daily Practice
Jennifer Harvey
Harvey invites white readers to engage in the necessary inner work that allows us to love ourselves and transform our communities.
Why We Recommend It: A practical guide to turning awareness into daily practice.
Braiding Sweetgrass
Robin Wall Kimmerer
Potawatomi author and scientist Robin Wall Kimmerer uses the image of basketry to invite reflection on our interwoven relationships with plants, water, and each other.
Why We Recommend It: A poetic blend of Indigenous wisdom and ecological science.
The Serviceberry
Robin Wall Kimmerer
Kimmerer’s newest work uses the image of a serviceberry bush to describe the myriad relationships among people, birds, seasons, and culture — leaving readers in awe of their own connections.
Why We Recommend It: An invitation to gratitude through the lens of ecological kinship.
Living Resistance: An Indigenous Vision for Seeking Wholeness Every Day
Kaitlin B. Curtice
Addressed to “readers, feelers, explorers, unlearners, and friends,” Curtice’s book invites reflection on how daily acts like childcare and art can move society from destruction to love. With space for journaling, it’s both guidebook and practice.
Why We Recommend It: A heartfelt invitation to embody resistance through love and wholeness.
How to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith
Mariann Edgar Budde
Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde invites readers to reflect on their “pivotal points,” when courage pushes us past fear and into decisive action.
Why We Recommend It: Encourages readers to find their own moments of bravery and strength.
Visit the Siena Retreat Center Bookstore
Situated along the Lake Michigan shoreline, the Siena Retreat Center Bookstore offers more than 1,000 titles on spirituality, ecology, grief, mindfulness, and social justice. Visitors are welcome to browse the shelves on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. In addition to books, the store carries fair-trade chocolate, tea, handmade gifts, cards, artwork, and journals, reflecting the themes explored in the center’s retreats and programs.
How To Help
Siena Retreat Center in Racine, Wisconsin, is a place where people can cultivate meaning in their lives. By offering space for personal and group retreats, spirituality programs, and one-on-one spiritual companioning, Siena Retreat Center helps people make the connections that construct meaning and purpose.
Siena Retreat Center’s mission is to provide retreats and programs “that renew lives and deepen holistic spirituality in an environment of peace, joy, and beauty.” Your donation helps organizers maintain the center, enhances programs, supports scholarships for potential visitors, and helps make retreats like Mark Nepo’s recent program possible.
Claire Anderson is the Executive Director of Siena Retreat Center Claire. She holds an Ecumenical Doctor of Ministry degree from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. She draws on global experiences, including living in Poland, in her exploration of cosmology, culture, and spirituality. She is the author of Seasons of the Slavic Soul: A Quest for an Authentic Polish Spirituality.
