That’s a good start! Albert Camus has an incredible essay titled Myth of Sisyphus. I return to it quite a lot. You’re familiar with Sam Harris, but there are incredible philosophers out there that also write “for the people.”

I’ll give you a list of reads that I am currently reading/ want to get into. I’m not reading all of these at the moment, I either have them on my bookshelf or am getting from the library once my Finals end.

The Deepest Human Life: An Introduction to Philosophy for Everyone, By Samuelson, Scott.

Intellectuals and Society, By Sowell, Thomas.

Global Discontents, Conversations on the Rising Threats to Democracy, By Chomsky, Noam.

Daily Stoic : 366 Meditations On Wisdom, Perseverance, And The Art Of Living, By Holiday, Ryan.

And lastly Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. I sort of started this, but it’s not a book that you just read. You pretty much study it and meditate on it daily like devotionals (as you’re familiar with since you’re a former church kid).

Are you familiar with any of these writers?