Donald Miller, author also of Blue Like Jazz, explores his life and how God writes each persons life story. Yet we the main characters also have a big part in that. Some stories are good and others are not. A thought-provoking read on life and meaning. It had me pondering many things in my own life's story. It inspired me to want to make my story count for something.
This book was a book that really kept me reflecting on my own life. As Donald explores his own life when approached about making it into a movie, it forces him to ask the question, Why would anyone want to watch my life on the big screen?
Really if you were to live as if a video camera was taping your every move would you live any differently? That was pretty much the question that kept me pondering. Though it was not directly asked this way in the book it was how I processed this book.
Donald realizes his life could be so much more in order to make it into a better story. He goes on some interesting adventures because of this. He meets some really great people because of the risk. Overall, isn't that what life is really about anyway?
Though I do not agree with everything that Donald says or does in his book, I have been challenged to not be so judgemental of people who are different than me. I have really grown to like this man I do not even know through this review. I also have a copy of Blue Like Jazz that I could not finish earlier. I am now inspired to pick it back up and read it. Perhaps I will review it for you as well.
Because of the great generosity of Donald and the publisher, I have two copies of this book that are up for giveaway. Please leave a comment to be entered to win one of these two copies. I will post the winner on Saturday.
To purchase a copy yourself you can get it here.
You can also get it from Amazon here.
To visit Donald's book tour go here.
1 comment:
Hey Angela,
I haven't read this one yet. I knew he was releasing a new book (as he was offering hidden manuscripts of it all of the US and clues to find them via Tweeter). I have read Blue Like Jazz several times. It is, in fact, a stretch in some places...but as I read it I was on tour and constantly surrounded by new faces and new places - more importantly, new 'Christian' faces and new 'church' faces. I was forced way outside of the Southern Conservative Christian box.
During this time, I found Dennis to be very very refreshing. He wasn’t claiming to know the perfect denomination and ‘right’ way to worship. He was only sharing his struggles with life, and friendships, and understanding who God is and how he fits into God's love. In fact, I don’t think he ever spoke about what ‘I’ or ‘you’ should do….just makes you think about yourself as he discusses his life (basically exactly the way you described it)
Certainly Blue Like Jazz would never be something that I would build 'theology' around, but he never claims to be a preacher.
About this current book, I love that you said "Really if you were to live as if a video camera was taping your every move would you live any differently? That was pretty much the question that kept me pondering. Though it was not directly asked this way in the book it was how I processed this book.”
That’s what I think is great about his writing. It is not something that is going to re-define your doctrines, but it will challenge the way you live. I have been challenging myself with something similar. I have been asking myself the question: “What if I had turrets and suddenly, without warning, something I was thinking was shouted out of my mouth?” How hard would we be willing to work at keeping our minds pure if that was a true threat? I think Donald makes a good point about being followed by a camera.
Great review!!! I will have to plan to read it.
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