Scholars mostly of history and religion explore the religious thought of African American sociologist, historian, novelist, poet, and editor Du Bois (1868-1963), mostly in terms of his The Souls of Black Folks, but also Darkwater and Dark Princess. They look at whether he was religious; the importance of souls (Souls); rhetorics of religion and redeeming lynch victims; and Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism. Among specific topics are his pragmatic religious naturalism, veiled bodies and the study of Black religion, resurrected Black manhood in his martyr tales, lynching as crucifixion, and Du Bois as America's foremost Black Zionist. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)