Most Gurdwaras in North America are severely lacking an english section in their libraries.

In an effort to grow our local Gurdwara's library, I've compiled a list of the some of the most recommended Sikh books. It is important to note that:

The list is not complete. There are definitely some books and topics missing.
Not every book is going to be amazing cover to cover; some of them may have a particular section that makes it valuable.

Regardless, here is the list along with the contributors, year of publish and number of pages.

History

Sri Nanak Prakash Vol. 1 - Resham Singh and Jivanpal Singh (2020, 300 pgs)
The Sikh Heritage: Beyond Borders (2019, 416 pgs)
Polity and Economy of the Punjab During the 18th Century – Veena Sachdeva (1993, 229 pgs)
Five Centuries of Sikh Tradition - Sheena Pall and Reeta Grewal (2005, 391 pgs)
The Darbar of the Sikh Gurus - Louis Fenech (2008, 356 pgs)

Poetry

Pilgrim's Way: Diwan of Bhai Nand Lal Goya - Bawa P.L. Bedi (1999. 129 pgs)
Poems from the Guru Granth Sahib - Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh (2022, 624 pgs)
54 Punjabi Proverbs - Jvala Singh (2019, ~60 pgs)

Research & Academic Publishings

Debating the Dasam Granth - Robin Rinehart (2011, 240 pgs)
The Granth of Guru Gobind Singh: Essays, Lectures and Translations - Kamalroop Singh and Gurinder Singh Mann (2015. 304 pgs)
The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies - Pashaura Singh and Louis E. Fenech (2014, 672 pgs)
Sikhism - A Guide for the Perplexed - Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair (2012. 256 pgs)
The Turban And The Sword Of The Sikhs: Essence Of Sikhism - Dr. Trilochan Singh (2001, 526 pgs)

Arts & Weapons

The Arts of the Sikh Kingdoms - Susan Stronge (2001, 256pgs)
New Insights into Sikh Art - Kavita Singh (2006, 148 pgs)
Painters at the Sikh Court - B. N. Goswamy (1999, 113 pgs)
Warrior Saints - Amandeep Singh Madra and Parmjit Singh (2013, 240 pgs)
In the Master's Presence: The Sikhs of Hazoor Sahib - Nidar Singh Nihang and Parmjit Singh (2009, 330pgs)
In Pursuit of Empire - Davinder Toor (2018, 332pgs)
The Sikh Art: From the Kapany Collection - Paul Michael Taylor and Sonia Dhami (2021, 320 pgs)
Sikh Militancy in the 17th Century - Hardip Singh Syan (2013, 320 pgs)

Children's Section

Sikh Comics - A collection of beautifully designed graphic novels.
Bed Time Stories - 10 different books on the stories of the Gurus, warriors, and saints. Written by Santokh Singh Jagdev. ~80 pages per book.
Kamal's Kes - Baljinder Kaur (2021, 40 pgs)
Sri Guru Nanak Sakhi Sagar - Guru Nanak Academy (2021, 240 pgs)
Fauja Singh Keeps Going - Simran Jeet Singh and Baljinder Kaur (2020, 48 pgs)
Gurmukhi Workbook 1 - Ajinder Kaur and Lee Holland (2018. 106 pgs)

Gurbani & Literature

Any book by Kamalpreet Singh Pardeshi. Usually ~100 pgs.

How Can We Effectively Grow Our Gurdwara Libraries For The Oncoming Generation?

This is a separate problem!

And we'll have to tackle it on it's own. We will need to build a strategy in order to make our resources useful to the seeker. Over the upcoming weeks, I will try and share our learnings on improving the library.

Stay tuned and follow to stay updated!

Curated List of Sikh Books in English About History, Literature, Weapons, & Sikh Arts.

Most Gurdwaras in North America are severely lacking an english section in their libraries

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