12th Grade Book List
Senior Year: World Religions, Philosophy & Capstone
About This Book List
Senior year explores the world's religious and philosophical traditions while preparing for life after graduation. These books range from sacred texts to practical life skills guides. You don't need to read every book—choose what fits your interests and capstone project.
Library Tip: Many of these books are available through public libraries, Libby/OverDrive, or free online. Sacred texts often have free translations available online.
World Religions - Core Texts
The World's Religions
by Huston Smith
Classic overview of major world religions
God Is Not One
by Stephen Prothero
Explores differences between religions
A History of God
by Karen Armstrong
4,000-year quest for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
The Perennial Philosophy
by Aldous Huxley
Common threads across mystical traditions
Eastern Religions
The Bhagavad Gita
by Various translations
Hindu sacred text; Eknath Easwaran translation recommended
Siddhartha
by Hermann Hesse
Novel exploring Buddhist themes
The Tao Te Ching
by Lao Tzu
Foundational Taoist text; Stephen Mitchell translation recommended
The Analects
by Confucius
Core Confucian teachings
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
by Shunryu Suzuki
Introduction to Zen Buddhism
Abrahamic Religions
The Torah: A Modern Commentary
by W. Gunther Plaut
Jewish scripture with commentary
The Gospel According to Jesus
by Stephen Mitchell
Accessible presentation of Jesus's teachings
No god but God
by Reza Aslan
Origins, evolution, and future of Islam
The Case for God
by Karen Armstrong
History of religious thought
Paganism & Earth-Based Spirituality
Drawing Down the Moon
by Margot Adler
Comprehensive look at modern Paganism
The Spiral Dance
by Starhawk
Classic introduction to Wicca
A Chosen Faith
by John Buehrens & Forrest Church
Introduction to Unitarian Universalism
Braiding Sweetgrass
by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Indigenous wisdom and science
Philosophy & Ethics
Sophie's World
by Jostein Gaarder
Novel introducing history of philosophy
Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?
by Michael Sandel
Accessible introduction to ethics
Meditations
by Marcus Aurelius
Stoic philosophy classic
Man's Search for Meaning
by Viktor Frankl
Finding purpose through suffering
The Problems of Philosophy
by Bertrand Russell
Clear introduction to philosophical questions
Mathematics
Pre-Calculus
by Various (check with your curriculum)
Standard pre-calculus textbook
The Art of Statistics
by David Spiegelhalter
Learning from data
How to Lie with Statistics
by Darrell Huff
Classic on statistical literacy
A Mathematician's Lament
by Paul Lockhart
Beautiful essay on math education
Environmental Science
Silent Spring
by Rachel Carson
Classic environmental text
The Sixth Extinction
by Elizabeth Kolbert
Biodiversity and human impact
Drawdown
by Paul Hawken
Solutions to climate change
All We Can Save
by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson & Katharine Wilkinson
Women leading on climate
Life Skills & Transition
The Defining Decade
by Meg Jay
Why your twenties matter
How to Be an Adult
by David Richo
Psychological and spiritual integration
I Will Teach You to Be Rich
by Ramit Sethi
Personal finance for young adults
Designing Your Life
by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans
Applying design thinking to life
Capstone Research
They Say / I Say
by Gerald Graff & Cathy Birkenstein
Academic writing moves
A Manual for Writers
by Kate Turabian
Research paper formatting (Chicago style)
The Craft of Research
by Wayne Booth et al.
Research methodology
📚 Reading for Your Capstone
Your capstone project will require additional reading specific to your chosen topic. Work with your parent/teacher to identify:
- Primary sources related to your topic
- Academic books and journal articles
- Diverse perspectives on your subject
- Recent publications (within last 5 years when relevant)