I found myself sobbing at several points throughout the book as the
protagonist/narrator struggled to find ways to connect with the people in his
life, from acquaintances to beloved family members.
McPhail captured a
challenge that is all too familiar—how to engage in real ways in a world that
more often fosters alienation and division.
I loved the book so much that I
immediately read it a second time after I finished it.
A poignant and witty graphic novel by a leading New Yorker cartoonist, following a millennial's journey from performing his life to truly connecting with people
Nick, a young illustrator, can’t shake the feeling that there is some hidden realm of human interaction beyond his reach. He haunts lookalike fussy, silly, coffee shops, listens to old Joni Mitchell albums too loudly, and stares at his navel in the hope that he will find it in there. But it isn’t until he learns to speak from the heart that he begins to find authentic human connections and is let in—to the worlds…
My
aunt-in-law, a well-known poet, recommended this book to me largely because the
main character was a pastor, and I grew up as the son of a preacher man.
Franzen expertly portrays the complexities of individual characters’ psyches,
as well as the intricacies of family dynamics. Every character is
three-dimensional with a backstory, relatable foibles, and the full suite of
human strengths and weaknesses.
Whether you grew up as a preacher’s kid or with
no religion at all, you’ll find a lot that pulls you into this story, start to
finish.
Jonathan Franzen’s gift for wedding depth and vividness of character with breadth of social vision has never been more dazzlingly evident than in Crossroads.
It’s December 23, 1971, and heavy weather is forecast for Chicago. Russ Hildebrandt, the associate pastor of a liberal suburban church, is on the brink of breaking free of a marriage he finds joyless—unless his wife, Marion, who has her own secret life, beats him to it. Their eldest child, Clem, is coming home from college on fire with moral absolutism, having taken an action that will shatter his father. Clem’s sister, Becky, long the social…
This
book got my attention when I heard a radio interview with the author, R. Eric
Thomas.
I’ve gone through a really difficult period with my health that has
lasted through most of my forties, and Thomas describes his own challenges that
emerged at midlife.
He brings a light touch to the difficulties of this life
phase—including career issues, family struggles, loss, and illness—while also
acknowledging the darker times and periods of depression that I could relate
to.
In the end, his tone is as optimistic as it is realistic, and he shows how
beauty can be found even in the wreckage of our dreams about what life would be.
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The beloved author of Here for It returns with an all-new collection of heartening, deeply relatable, and laugh-out-loud essays about what happens after happily ever after.
“Funny, insightful, and hopeful . . . a profound meditation on what it means to come home, and on finding your way again after the chaos of life takes you off your path.”—John Paul Brammer, author of ¡Hola Papi!
After going viral “reading” the chaotic political news, having one-too-many awkward social encounters, and coming to terms with his intersecting identities, R. Eric Thomas finally knew who he was and where he…
Cognitive
behavioral therapy (CBT) offers many science-based techniques for relieving
symptoms like anxiety and depression. However, these reductive approaches often
don’t offer the lasting peace we long for. To find true health and well-being,
we must embrace the spiritual in our healing.
Psychologist Seth Gillihan’sMindful Cognitive Behavioral Therapy blends
insights from CBT, mindfulness, Stoicism, and mysticism into the healing
process.
This extraordinary guide teaches us how to retrain our minds to banish
the stubborn lies we tell ourselves and focus on the deep truths of our
existence—that we are perfect in our imperfections, and, most importantly, that we
are beings deserving of love.
My daughter loved this book because it
included all four main goddesses’ perspectives: Artemis, goddess of the hunt; Athena, goddess of wisdom, inventions, and war; Persephone, goddess of plants
and queen of the Underworld; and Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty.
It also
included 3 God Boys and one human boy: Ares, god of war; Hades, god of the
dead, jewels, and king of the Underworld; Heracles, who was turned into a god;
and Acteon, who is a mortal. These 8 special God Boys, Goddess Girls, and a mortal
go on an exciting expedition…
But you’ll have to read the book to find out much
more about these adventurers!
The first-ever standalone Super Special in the Goddess Girls series--let the games begin! Athena, Persephone, Aphrodite, and Artemis are so annoyed at being left out of the annual boys-only Olympic Games. Their solution? The Girl Games! But as the Goddess Girls work to turn their dream into a reality, they come up against plenty of chaos, competition, and even the cutest kitten ever. Told in the four girls' alternating points of view, this Super Special is packed with Olympic spirit!
