4 comments about Soulfully Gay: How Harvard, Sex, Drugs, and Integral Philosophy Drove Me Crazy and Brought Me Back to God.

1. I simply loved this book, and this despite its sometimes chaotic unfolding, its narcissism, its focus on drug experiences and regular psychotic episodes. What is fascinating about Perez's book is the ultra-conscious description of the spiritual journey on which AIDS takes him. It's Perez's ability to use every single dramatic moment of his life to open his heart and his soul even more. The result is unique: the victimization stigma that plagues homosexuals and homosexual identity in general is simply and purely transcended, in other words, it disappears into a much larger awareness about what being homosexual is about. Try searching on Amazon.com again, but I can assure you that we will not find another book that conveys a transformative process of such scope and depth. At the end, pride, love, and a deep sense of connection with the universe all emerge from our gay being, effortlessly, beautifully. Perez is describing the true experience of gay-self-love that gay activism has been faking now for decades.
   This book will open a new era of gay literature.



2. Perez, Joe. "Soulfully Gay: How Harvard, Sex, Drugs, and Integral Philosophy Drove Me Crazy and Brought Me Back to God", Integral Books, 2007.
   
   Believing
   
   Amos Lassen and Literary Pride
   
   "Soulfully Gay" is a book filled with passion. It is intelligent and spiritual and open--wide open. Joe Perez is a man of courage who is not afraid to question his own spirituality, homosexuality, and himself. His analyses are filled with common sense and he bravely explores the literature of the spirit and gay love. Reading his book is taking his journey to self-examination and self-revelation.
   Perez carefully looks at the relationship between one's individual belief and the values of culture. He makes his own conclusions and then presents them to the reader to consider.
   The book is personal--a memoir of a man dealing with the fundamental issues of meaning and self-acceptance. By doing so he embarks on a quest to understand what it means to be gay and delves into the relationship between homosexuality and Christianity as well as skepticism and faith and madness and mysticism.
   He must also face himself and his own problems--of being a recovering addict, having had a nervous breakdown and living with AIDS. What he is able to do is to integrate successfully issues that are contradictory--being Catholic and gay as well as true mysticism versus delusions. He looks at political correctness through the gaze of theology.
   The book is about the experiences of one man but what he experiences is universal. The quest to be human is part of the majority of all of us and we have all struggled, at some tie, to understand ourselves in light of what we have been taught. Perez raises consciousness and he brings sexuality together with spirituality. His thoughts read like a journal and when he hurts, we hurt. He ultimately brings about a vision of the higher modes of awareness.
   As a non Christian, I found some of this hard to follow but when I reread certain passages, what Perez had to say became clear. I feel rewarded for having read this and hope that it will help me better to understand myself and others. We are all seeking that inner peace which seems so unattainable but that Perez has managed to find.
   I cannot think of a better way than reading this book to open yourself to spirituality--I did not say belief--which many of us so badly need.



3. One way to summarize this book is to say it is a compilation of blog entries written by a very intelligent, articulate gay man over a span of several years. They chronicle his spiritual evolution, as he finds his place on the map of humanity in its psycho-social-spiritual axis. This book is a great gift to all who will read it, particularly gaymen with an awareness of their spirituality. Thanks again, Joe.



4. A wonderful read, highly recommended for those who wish to see a different perspective.

5 comments about Forever Lily: An Unexpected Mother's Journey to Adoption in China.

1. I did not like the flops between reality and her dreams. The dreams could have been a second fiction book and keep to the facts in this autobiography.



2. I am spending a few months abroad in South Africa, and a friend who visited left this book with me. I am considering an international adoption, so I thought the book would be interesting. However, this ranks as one of the worst, most annoying books that I have ever picked up. The author tells the story of how when she accompanied a friend to pick up the Chinese baby that the friend was adopting, she ended up adopting the child herself. If she had told the story in a straightforward fashion, it might have been fine, though her writing is not particularly strong and her personality not particularly sympathetic, since she has little compassion for her friend and shows little understanding of Chinese culture and society. But instead, she intersperses the text with accounts of her dreams about being a concubine to an Emperor. A good third of the book is about her dreams, which she sees as significant but which are in fact an offensive Orientalist fantasy. I found her reactions to a descriptions of China and the Chinese people offensive. If that isn't enough, in the middle of the book she starts bringing in her mystic spiritual adviser, whom she contacts several times from China. I have no objection to faith and the mystical - in fact, I love magical realism - but the author's mystical inclinations are so poorly developed and so lacking in reflection that they really become annoying. The book becomes increasingly focused on fate and how she has been destined to adopt this baby since her teen years when she started speaking Chinese in her sleep! Rubish!! How do things like this get published?



3. What an interesting story! This book tugged at my heart strings for this "unexpected mother." This true story had many twists and turns. This is a great read, very hard to put this book down!



4. Excellent read. She perfectly describes the tumultuous experiences of a less-than-perfect Chinese adoption trip. Not every international adoption is a Disney movie (some are) and not every adoptive parent is prepared for the grim realities . . . some readers won't care for that aspect of the book, I'm sure. But, readers who like no-nonsense non-fiction reality probably will. I agree with the other readers that the seemingly endless dream sequences were tedious, (which is why I rated it 4) but overall I liked Russell's writing style, and her story is a fascinating one.



5. I, typically, love any book that has to do with China or Asian culture in general. I particularly like non-fiction, so I thought this book would fit into that category. It didn't. 50 percent of the book are of detailed dreams the author had during this period. I highly doubt anyone can remember dreams that vividly, nor do I think they would be so perfectly sequenced. Bottom line, the dreams detracted from the story. I don't think anyone who picks up this book would have any interest in them. I should have read the reviews here before purchasing.

5 comments about How I Learned to Snap: A Small Town Coming-Out and Coming-of-Age Story.

1. In my quest for more and more great gay coming-of-age fiction, I came across Kirk Read's autobiographical tale of growing up gay in Virginia in the `80s and very early `90s, focusing on his years in junior high school and high school. Based on the reviews, it sounded promising, so I decided to take a break from fiction and head over to non-fiction. Ultimately, I was pleased by the book and give it three out of five stars. It's a very interesting story of one man's gay youth, and it's filled with a lot of smiles and a few laughs. But it's more or less a series of vignettes that pop back and forth through time. Consequently, it's not easy to get to know some of the people who inhabit Read's life very well. And while I got to know the author rather well, I would have liked to been able to better follow the "supporting players." This is a solid book for readers who enjoy coming-of-age stories, but not really for those who enjoy coming-of-age novels. One caveat: I would strongly recommend this book to gay teens; it can be a telling guide, especially for teens with few or no connections to the larger gay world. Overall, I enjoyed getting to know Read, but now it's time to get back to a more literary read.



2. I remember reading this in high school and really enjoying it. It's funny and its totally for anyone who was ever felt like an outsider growing up. One of the better gay books out there.



3. This is one of the best books I've read in quite a while. I have given it as a gift to several of my gay friends. Each of them (who grew up here) found Kirk's account to be "right on target".
   I am amazed by the negative reviews and rude comments about Kirk Read.
   
   Sometimes it is refreshing to read something written simply for the purpose of entertainment-we don't need big words to get the point. Kirk used simple language that ANYONE can understand and he used the actual sayings kids around here used at the time.
   I have known Kirk most of my life. I can assure all readers that he is not arrogant and is not a brat-even if it seems that way. He was always one of the friendliest kids in the school-and was considered to be quite cool-, and the majority of people seemed to genuinely like him despite his openness about being gay.
   Please consider this when reading the book. It is simply an entertaining story to allow others to relate to the experiences he had.
   
   This book is worth your time and you won't be able to put it down.



4. The book is good and it keeps your attention, but you are left with the thought of "what was the point"? The book does not go in depth at all. And he only touches on his eating disorder which would have made an amazing chapter. He did not go through anything in high school that anybody, straight or gay, did not experience. There was not point to this book. It was funny and quick witted but he got on my nerves right from the beginning. He does not tie in the Snap to the whole story. You are left to figure that out on your own. I do not recommend this book.



5. Man oh Man (or better still, man on man) can this guy write! His last name is Read and that is what he makes us do. You all know by now that this is a coming of age, coming out story set in the South in the eighties. What differentiates it is how adorable the author and star character comes across. His swish side is offset by his tough soccer playing and ability to beat up the homophobic bullies. Above all else is his terrific sense of humor. Then there's the writing. Describing a particularly intense right-wing, holy-roller Christian recruiting experience: "If God had to go to such lengths to invite people to his birthday party, He probably wasn't serving very good cake." (Interesting that the "H" is capitalized.) On his "emotional girlfriend's" driving habits: "...we were a pair of crash test dummies waiting for our brick wall to arrive." There are plenty of other examples. Unfortunately, the author's website (kirkread.com) is not nearly as well put together as the book (only two non-descript photos of Mr. Read) but it does indicate that a second book is in the works. Bring it on!

2 comments about The Red Pencil: Convictions from Experience in Education.

1. I couldn't help but feel compelled to write a review after I read the previous review. If you like Dewey or Adler, you will really enjoy this book. Sizer draws from both Dewey and Adler's ideas and points out all the problems with education today. Sizer has years of experience in various areas of education which does nothing more than to give his words even more value. The book is written in first person, so you actually get to live through some of his experiences which brings him to his idea of reformed education. Sizer's coalition of essential schools are interesting and provide one of the best models for education up until this point. If you want to find more information about this model before reading the book, look up Coalition of Essential Schools. They are charter schools located throughout the U.S. that are using this model. This is a must read for anyone who wants to read about contemporary education and understand where we have come from. This book isn't that negative as the previous reader mentioned. It is no more negative than Dewey's "Experience and Education."



2. I first encountered Ted Sizer's views on education in his course on The American School at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in the Fall of 1963. The idea that most surprised me was his desire to model Harvard's role in American education after that taken by Dewey and his disciples who had trained a high number of America's superintendents during an earlier era. He told us that those of us in the M.A. in Teaching program had been selected in part because we would go on to leadership in various schools and school systems, and could effect change. We would carry the "message" of Harvard regarding our respective disciplines and about the running of the schools as a whole. This struck me then, and still does, as an essentially egotistical concept of his role in education. It was more about power than about educational vision. His role as a reformer trying to dominate and change the schools of the country has continued throughout the years.
   In his writings, he usually focuses on the negative. There is something so basically flawed about the schools it must be weeded out. Yet, it is hard to pin down exactly what is wrong. Sometimes, along with Robert Coles and others, he seems to opine that there are so many youths who are alienated by the system. When I taught in Dedham High School in Massachusetts years ago, one teen declared that he was "an outlaw." He wanted to get a mobile home and a motorcycle and ride rootlessly around the country "like a rolling stone." Sometimes Sizer writes as though he wants to change the system in order not to lose youths like this one. Other times, he is concerned with the cynicism of the better students, who have learned to play the system to their advantage. They have learned to manipulate the system in order to "succeed," but a true ideal of excellence is missing from their value system, or even a true love of learning.
   He is bothered by the bureaucracy, but it's not that there is just too much paperwork or too much micromanagement, or a lack of disciplinary follow through and guts in punishing the guilty. Rather, I often sense from reading Sizer's writings that the bureaucracy is a mindset he abhors. It is a mindset of mediocrity and of trying to manage or enclose an educational process that is more exciting and open-ended than is realized.
   In short, he seems to feel for the past forty-plus years that education is not living up to what it could and should be. Yet, he never clearly articulates what it could and should be. Rather, he is inviting us, and all potential fellow reformers, to catch his vision that there is a dynamic and an excellence beyond what we now have, even if the parameters of that dynamic and that excellence cannot be fully enunciated. He's kind of an educated Rodney King.."if we could all just get together, then what a beautiful world it could be." But it ain't a beautiful world although there is beauty in it. A more healthy and robust philosophy is needed to adjust to the wickedness that is out there.
   He does not call for implementation of a more moral world view as did Pestalozzi. He does not promote the adaptation of the individual to democracy as does Dewey. He does not promote radical freedom of the individual like the Summerhill crowd. He does not advocate integration like Martin Luther King, Jr. He does not challenge us to intensify the scientific application of psychology to learning as does Herbart. Nor, does he advocate the arts as a path to wholeness in the educational life of a growing human being like Rudolf Steiner. Since I studied with him in 1963, I do not see articulated positive goals, but only the sense that if one is smart enough and progressive enough then he or she will see how to reform and improve this or that school or school system, because the given is that they all need reform. His "new vision" really is no vision, but only the promise that if you work with him your schools will get better in all kinds of ways. They will be revitalized. In fact, if I were to give a rubric for his ideas, I would say they come under the heading of "revitalizing the schools." However, the rub is that the notion is vague and even mystical. It ultimately depends upon trusting him and those who agree with him. He has good points to make yet lacks overriding substance in terms of goals or purpose.
   Lastly, it is worth noting that Sizer is not "above the fray." Though certain of his points might be considered acceptable to conservative or liberal theories of education, he is in the liberal camp. Why can't Johnny read? Answer: The schools are boring, have mediocrity as their standard, have untalented administrators and teachers, lack funding,
   are mired in local values and premises that are invalid and provincial, and have arcane rules that inhibit rather than enhance educational practice. Almost every aspect of pedagogy, administration, testing, discipline, parent-school relations, curriculum, guidance, and legal structure is wrong. Why can't Johnny tell right from wrong? Answer: Pretty much the same as the answer for why Johnny can't read.
   Ted Sizer sees very little that is good about education as it has evolved in America. His slant is leftward. His sense that the individual can only be fixed by reforming the whole is ill-conceived and based on many philosophical mis-assumptions.
   His sense that the traditional classroom is a place of failed expectations and rampant denial is excessively negative. His hope for America based on his envisioned educational reforms is futile.

5 comments about Madame Dread: A Tale of Love, Vodou and Civil Strife in Haiti.

1. While written with sincerity, the book is a starry-eyed cliche. A rich white woman falls in love with a poor black man. She glorifies him and his country, while never tackling anything of substance. She makes excuse after excuse for his lack of initiative in his own life, and credits it all to racism. Haiti and its people deserve a more indepth treatment than this frivilous little tale. If you have ever been to Haiti, you will not learn anything here.



2. Haven't had a chance to read yet but have interest in anything about Haiti and Vodou.



3. After reading many of her articles which used poor fact checking and overt reliance on elites - I felt this book was boring even though it was not as overtly bias in its politics as her newspaper writing.



4. I read this book hoping to better understand the constant strife in Haiti. I didn't get the understanding I was looking for. The litany of changing leaders is given, but no real examination of why each one fails is provided. For example, Aristide wins the election and then does not follow up by doing anything to improve conditions. He eventually is driven from power, but no details about his lack of action are provided in this book. A good read, but not what I was hoping for.



5. i LOVED it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't put the book down!!!!I could visualize each word she wrote!! I have a whole new perspective on Haiti!! Not only did I learn so much about the life, culture, and politics in this country, but about a women's personal journey in a place so foreign to her. Leaving the comforts and safety of the US behind to learn about and try to make a difference in Haiti speaks volumes about this woman!!! And then to face the struggle of what is best for her son, even if her personal choice was not to leave Haiti.This is a great read...i hope to see more from this author!!!

5 comments about How She Does It: How Women Entrepreneurs Are Changing the Rules of Business Success.

1. If you're expecting a feminist manifesto here, you won't find it. Margaret Heffernan, CEO of five companies, lets stories do the talking as she shows how women manage their businesses and break new ground. In fact, whether you're male or female, your business can benefit from the principles of these entrepreneurs. Anyone with an open mind can adopt the book's key points, attitudes and cultural guidelines, as reflected in an array of educational and often humorous stories. getAbstract thinks Heffernan's cast of female business leaders points entrepreneurs in the right direction and offers plenty of ideas to consider while on the road to success.



2. The takeaway from How She Does It is less about diversity than it is about alchemy. The CEOs profiled in the book have built profitable, high growth businesses without venture capital -- quite a feat in itself. Heffernan profiles dozens of companies who have created something out of virtually nothing, and that alone makes this book recommended reading for all entrepreneurs. It's a pity that most of these companies are private, because they would all be attractive investments.



3. 
   This book is about the current growth and success of women-owned businesses. It is more an inspirational book FOR WOMEN who want to start a business than an instructional book on how women actually start them. And since the title refers to the latter rather than the former, it is hard to rate this book particularly high. After reading the book I think the title should have been: "Women Can do It, and Why They Do It."
   
   I plucked this book from a shelf in the business section of Barnes & Noble last weekend when I noticed it had a 2007 copyright date. I thought the book would be something I could recommend to my SCORE clients, many of whom are women. But I don't make it a practice to recommend inspirational fluff. And that is the way I view this book.
   
   The book is divided into three parts as follows:
   
   I. Fire in the Belly, Skin in the Game (Chapters 1-3)
   II. It Ain't What We Do, It's the Way that We Do It (Chapters 4-11)
   III. The Only Failure is Not to Try (Chapters 12-14)
   
   From reading the titles to the three parts can you see how this book is about "how she does it?" And to make matters worse, look at the headings for the 14 chapters listed below. Do they look like chapters that help to explain "how she does it?" I think not.
   
   1. The Need to Achieve
   2. Zeitgeist
   3. Niche is Nice (and Margins are Marvelous)
   4. The Value of Values
   5. The Power of People
   6. Leadership as Orchestration
   7. Customer Love
   8. Improvisation
   9. Help!
   10. Staying Power
   11. Money Isn't Everything
   12. M&A: Marriage and Acclimatization
   13. Birth of a Saleswoman
   14. The New Norm
   
   Society has been changing dramatically during my lifetime. I was born in 1962. Many of my female classmates from elementary school went on to college. Half my classmates at law school were women. And it seems that most of the women going to college (and law school) are going to work and making careers for themselves in the business world. I'm told that this has not always been the case. Women used to simply become homemakers.
   
   But anybody who works for a W-2 today knows that it is hard to get ahead financially working for someone else. And if you are a woman working for a W-2, then it is even harder to get ahead financially because many of the powers-to-be in the business world still think of women as homemakers or wanta-be homemakers. So what are women doing about it? The answer is simple: starting their own shops.
   
   This book was one of stories. I didn't particularly like it. But it was OK. 3 stars!



4. I applaud Margaret Heffernan for writing this book. Having worked 17 years for a global, multi-billion dollar corporation, I can totally relate to her findings. I do believe that empathy plays such a strong role and is missing in our MBA-run companies. Our 6th sense does matter. And, there is such a thing as the glass ceiling in traditional businesses. Congratulations, Ms. Heffernan. I loved the book and have recommended it to all my women friends.



5. Ah, the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial life...for a woman. Finally, we get companions, colleagues, a community and a coach. Clearly, the author has been there and done that and has lived to tell not only her own lessons but the lessons of some other fine women who she clearly has wisely selected.
   
   Not only does Margaret weave in her own deep wisdom and experience but she incorporates her very own fine art of storytelling to deliver not only the messages but the deeper meaning behind those messages of the women she writes about. Her choices of stories cover a wide spectrum and I cannot imagine a women entrepreneur not identifying with more than one of them.
   
   This book is bound to touch and teach any reader in the midst of their entrepreneurial career, at a crossroads in that career or just beginning to think about the possibility.
   
   As a thirty-plus entrepreneur myself, the book provided immediate support, encouragement, as well as head nods and smiles. Margaret is a straight talker. She describes the uniqueness of our contributions to the leadership of our companies and shows us where we still need to do some growing. Her last chapter is inspirational and a strong charge to leaders of all organizations to consider the contribution that women already make and can continue to make to the changing landscape of organizational life.
   
   Be aware that this is absolutely not only a book about women. Any male entrepreneur or business leader can lean a great deal form this perspective and straightforward advice and ideas.

1 comments about Designated Hebrew: The Ron Blomberg Story.

1. Very good book except Ronnie never played football in high school or ran track. Other than that, interesting story.

5 comments about Welcome to Biotech Nation: My Unexpected Odyssey into the Land of Small Molecules, Lean Genes, and Big Ideas.

1. I purchased this book to get an overview of the Biotech market as it is today. New to the field so looking for information that was not to scientific. The conversational, tell-alstory nature of the book made it hard for me to follow. By the time I got to the end of a paragraph, I was not sure what it had been about. Made it through about 40 pages and then abandoned the book - which I rarely do. Maybe it got better later on...



2. I've been fan of NPRs Tech Nation for years. As a technology-focused radio host, Moira Gunn is without peer. I judge that by the fact that years of difficult-to-understand topics have remained rooted in my mind--from the Tech Nation interviews. She brings out the best from her authors with a light-hearted style, humor, and an infectious laugh. On the other hand, it's always clear that Dr. Gunn has read her author's book and therefore never dumbs-down an interview. I recommend reading "Welcome To Biotech Nation" for any one of three reasons: (1) as a fascinating journey into the strange world of biotechnology; (2) for insight into the latest happenings within the biotech world; (3) to experience Dr. Gunn's unique talent for wrapping a page-turning story around a complex topic--making memorable something that might be beyond the grasp of many.



3. Moira Gunn is to biotech what "Click and Clack" is to cars! And as with Cartalk, I thought the "Biotech Nation" subject would be beyond me until my sister sent me a copy for my birthday. I felt compelled out of politeness to at least attempt it. I was stunned and pleased to find the book was an absolute joy, and I had no idea I could understand these complex concepts...but Dr. Gunn makes it easy, fun and fascinating. I've already bought copies for presents and feel as if I have a much better understanding of what makes our world go around!



4. With her usual zesty style and humor, Moira takes what could be a very dry subject and brings it fully to life, full of drama and fun. I've lived in the Bay Area for 20 years, even worked at Genentech, and had no IDEA there was so much going on this most important sector of the economy. In Silicon Valley, we're constantly seduced by the latest hype around the IPod or IPhone but all the truly amazing, life-saving work that goes on right under our noses is barely understood by most people. Moira's right, it's like falling down the rabbit hole in your own back yard. Highly recommend it.



5. This book is dangerous. Most of us have a life and have to be productive on many levels. When one stays up until 2 or even 3 am (depending upon whether or not you are an Eveyln Woods Reading Dynamics graduate) it is hard to maintain your normal schedule. As an art history and history buff I did not imagine this book would have such universal appeal. For example,Brooke Shields bares all -- especially on her ankle and this book holds the definitive answer to the evolution question. One chapter leads to the next and it is fun and riveting. Have fun and beware, you will become absolutely borish on the topics covered by this book at your next cocktail party.........It is a great read worthy of several re-reads. It is on my bookshelf next to the computer. Enjoy.

5 comments about Swimming With Scapulars: True Confessions of a Young Catholic.

1. I didn't know what to expect when I picked up the book, but my curiosity got the best of me. What a pleasant surprise! I loved it! I never read anything from Loyola Books before, but I saw Fr. Groeschel's name on it so I gave it a try. I usually read Tan Books, Ignatius Press, Scepter, Basilica Press and so on. This book has helped me with my faith and my ideas about marriage.
   Thank you Matthew!!!



2. If I'd been an editor on this book, I would have changed the title to True Confessions of a Young Catholic: Take this Bread and take this Whine.
   
   Matthew Lickona has the blind faith that is the luxury of those who benefit from the system. He admits that he doesn't "understand the Church's teaching on birth control," but then goes on to say, "But what's it matter if I understand it? I don't have to understand it, I only have to follow it." But you don't have to get pregnant, do you?
   
   As for my proposed subtitle: Matthew whines. He whines a lot. He whines about wanting to have sex with his wife while she's ovulating (and he tries to goad her into it, despite the fact that they've agreed to practice natural family planning). When they cut it too close and she ends up with an unplanned pregnancy, he prays for a miscarriage (how pro-life of him). He whines about what a hypocritical sinner he is for praying for such a thing. He doesn't get his wish, which means he gets to whine about how his oldest son doesn't properly love the Church. He whines about how modern church music is too "upbeat." He whines when a priest adapts the text of the Eucharistic prayer. He whines BIG TIME when a lesbian couple comes into Church and by their mere presence distract him from the Mass. He whines when the majority of his congregation are Latino or Vietnamese. He whines because his brother is holier than him. He whines because he and his wife don't have time to make fancy meals when they entertain because they've got too many kids (4, two boys, and two girls, the latter of which are NEVER given much screen-time in his memoir). He whines because his mother-in-law is pagan and thinks the Church is unjust for not ordaining women (Matthew puts up a feeble defense of the Church patriarchy here). And finally, he whines because he doesn't have very many friends (I can't figure out why).
   
   He flagellates himself for the sins of lust and wrath, but what his character really smacks of is pride. "It's hard to be a good Catholic, but LOOK HOW HARD I TRY!!!!" Even when he attempts to make himself vulnerable by expressing some very deep faults (including his short temper with his kids, which comes across as borderline abusive), the tone remains prideful: "I'm so humble that I can admit my terrible sins." A direct quote from Matthew while talking about his pagan mother-in-law: "I want Mom to see something attractive in the faith, something she wants and does not have. I want her to see in our lives evidence that OURS is a living God, one who acts in the human heart in a way the goddess does not."
   
   My God is better than your God, nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah.
   
   I can appreciate Matthew's spiritual seeking, I just wish it would take him a little further than the Pope's back yard.



3. I had seen this book around for a while before I finally bought it, and I did so mainly after reading Richard John Neuhaus' positive remarks about it on the front cover and discovering that Lickona went to Thomas Aquinas College in Southern California. The marketing folks at Loyola Press should have their knuckles whacked for the silly description on the back cover, which was one of the reasons I avoided the book for so long. Their banner remarks ("He plays alternative rock, He draws offbeat cartoons, He writes about wine") imply that serious Catholics would never do such things, just as their remark that "He wears a scapular" implies that one who does so would not ordinarily do the other three things. Maybe it's a small thing, but I was really annoyed by this "Hey, Catholics can be COOL!" sort of approach. I'm not sure the marketing staff even read the book. I don't remember Lickona talking about drawing cartoons at all, and he spends little time talking about wine or alternative rock.
   
   Don't be deceived by the superficial sales pitch on the back cover: Lickona's book is an honest, thoughtful and substantive spiritual diary. As a fellow Catholic of Lickona's general age, I found this to be a very interesting and all-too-familiar account of trying to live a fully Catholic life "in the midst of a crooked and depraved generation," as St. Paul put it, where one is not generally supported in that commitment by the wider culture. One of the marvelous things about the book is that it reveals just how much each one of us can be part of that crookedness and depravity despite our best efforts. Lickona's humility and honesty prevent this from degenerating into a smug holier-than-thou autobiography or a tedious "finding God in popular culture" sort of thing (of the type that Tom Beaudoin and others are producing). Lickona is not interested in changing the Church to fit the world around it, nor is he willing to dismiss the world as entirely hostile to the Church and therefore as something to be avoided or scorned. Because of that, he has written something that is much more fully Catholic than so many others in the genre, and I think this is what one reviewer was on to when he/she said that Lickona's book "shatters stereotypes." Its accessibility and plain-spoken qualities have much to do with its appeal, and many young Catholics may well find themselves thinking that they too could write a book like this.
   
   Ultimately, this is a book about hope, about what is real and true and beautiful, and about taking the spiritual life seriously (which does not mean without a sense of humor). It is at different turns funny, moving, dull, sad, profound, discouraging and hopeful, not unlike life itself. Lickona has probably not written a classic, but he has taken a thoughtful snapshot of the journey being taken by many young Catholics today. I often read about new generations of young Catholics who are taking the faith seriously and embracing it as the center of their lives; Lickona is clearly one such person, and I sincerely hope that there are many others out there.



4. This story seems like the author was trying to create an image for himself as a "cool Catholic. I enjoyed another book a lot better called, CONFESSIONS OF A CATHOLIC SCHOOLGIRL. This book by Michelle Kane was more realistic because the main character rebels against the Catholic Church.Confessions of a Catholic Schoolgirl



5. As the author of CONFESSIONS OF A CATHOLIC SCHOOLGIRLConfessions of a Catholic Schoolgirl, I was expecting SWIMMING WITH SCAPULARS to be a little more controversial as my book is. Unlike the character of Valerie in CCSG, Lickona is surprisingly, for such a young person, really into his "old fashioned" faith.
   A good read, funny and heartwarming.

4 comments about The Love of Impermanent Things: A Threshold Ecology.

1. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Take Annie Dillard, Barbara Kingsolver and maybe the Dali Llama and put them together and you get Mary Rose O'Reilley. I loved how she ponders all the questions many of us ponder when we reach a certain age, like `Are we our vocation?' or "How should we be spending our time without guilt", "How we can feel lonely even though we seek solitude" "How come we can't be aimless any more?" All of this is mixed in with ordinary life events written in a very poetic and beautiful way with enough sarcasm to keep it from being boring. I don't know why more isn't said about this author, I think she is extremely talented and I'm glad I fel upon her writing - I hope we will see more of it.



2. and I am only about 100 pages into it. I heard the author interviewed on NPR and decided impulsively to buy the book. It is incredibly written -- funny, wise, deep, reflecting. I am reading it slowly, savoring the stories, and trying to embrace the wisdom of "living the life that I am". I have a copy for my spiritual director...and plan to buy another for one of my dearest friends. For all of us who seek the One that embraces us in Love and Beauty, I recommend this book. Prepare to laugh...at the stories...at yourself...and then settle into the deepest regions of the heart to contemplate what God calls you to be.



3. O'Reilly is an excellent writer whose work exhibits the rare combination of sharp observation and deep kindness. She is a seeker, not content with received wisdom or easy answers; her thinking is lively and precise. She also knows how to tell a good story -- and she's very funny.



4. What a fascinating book! I would highly recommend this read. O'Reilley's way with words is mesmerizing. Her book makes you stop and think about your own history, your own family with all its quirks. Her sense of humor and deep reflection on her life make this book a true pleasure to read.