Scan barcode
essentiallynovel's review against another edition
2.0
This book was not quite what I thought it would be. Here’s a hint for you: the subtitle says “Thoughts on ...” and that’s what this book is. Every chapter is a short essay involving memories of the author’s past, and every couple of chapters are a section, such as her growing up, dating, marriage, adulting, etc. Really it’s just her stories from her life and some things she has learned along the way, with some occasional, briefly discussed, faith-based truth.
I honestly don’t know what I would say if you asked me what I was expecting, but it just felt lacking. So, how to fix a broken record? For this one I’m not going to bother because it’s just not my taste in music.
I honestly don’t know what I would say if you asked me what I was expecting, but it just felt lacking. So, how to fix a broken record? For this one I’m not going to bother because it’s just not my taste in music.
adamrshields's review against another edition
4.0
I have seen Amena Brown perform her spoken word poetry live twice I think. She mixes deep thoughts with humor and great writing. I picked up How to Fix a Broken Record on audiobook when it was on sale a few weeks ago. I moved it to the top of my list after listening to Amena Brown interview Hillary Yancey about Yancey’s book Forgiving God.
How to Fix a Broken Record is the type of young-ish Christian memoir that I really like to read every once in a while. The 30-something’s thoughts on life and love and what is really important. I get down on Christian Publishing at times, but Christian Publishing does print a number of books that are really good but do not get wide readership.
How to Fix a Broken Record is a roughly chronological spiritual memoir, early life, dating, church thoughts, career, eventual marriage, more thoughts on art and calling, miscarriage, the learning to be an adult, health issues, maturing. I am guessing, but I think I am probably about 7 to 10 years older. Some of her experiences are ones that I have lived through myself, many others are not. But they are still identifiable as common to the human condition. But like many other memoirs it is the telling and thoughts on them that matters, not the uniqueness of the experiences.
What continues to be important in my quest this year to keep 2/3 of my reading by Black or other authors of Color is that I see that experience does matter. It matters that when Brown goes on a mission trip to Africa, that she has to think about slavery and what it means to be descended from slaves. It matters that she has to think about hair differently than I do. It matters that as a woman, she experiences thoughts about pregnancy and miscarriage differently than I would.
How to Fix a Broken Record was well written. The mix of deep spiritual thoughts and life advice with lots of humor makes the whole book a pleasure. Her narration of the audiobook is excellent, but equally good in print. She has five spoken word albums and I need to check those out as well.
This is cross posted at my blog at http://bookwi.se/how-to-fix-a-broken-record/
How to Fix a Broken Record is the type of young-ish Christian memoir that I really like to read every once in a while. The 30-something’s thoughts on life and love and what is really important. I get down on Christian Publishing at times, but Christian Publishing does print a number of books that are really good but do not get wide readership.
How to Fix a Broken Record is a roughly chronological spiritual memoir, early life, dating, church thoughts, career, eventual marriage, more thoughts on art and calling, miscarriage, the learning to be an adult, health issues, maturing. I am guessing, but I think I am probably about 7 to 10 years older. Some of her experiences are ones that I have lived through myself, many others are not. But they are still identifiable as common to the human condition. But like many other memoirs it is the telling and thoughts on them that matters, not the uniqueness of the experiences.
What continues to be important in my quest this year to keep 2/3 of my reading by Black or other authors of Color is that I see that experience does matter. It matters that when Brown goes on a mission trip to Africa, that she has to think about slavery and what it means to be descended from slaves. It matters that she has to think about hair differently than I do. It matters that as a woman, she experiences thoughts about pregnancy and miscarriage differently than I would.
How to Fix a Broken Record was well written. The mix of deep spiritual thoughts and life advice with lots of humor makes the whole book a pleasure. Her narration of the audiobook is excellent, but equally good in print. She has five spoken word albums and I need to check those out as well.
This is cross posted at my blog at http://bookwi.se/how-to-fix-a-broken-record/
notesonbookmarks's review against another edition
4.0
I will hereby admit that I had heard Amena speak before, but not perform, and hadn't read any previous books. So, I was a fan, but not a lunatic obsessive. In this book, though, she reveals herself and her journey in such vulnerable and beautiful ways, it's going to be hard to maintain that status. Amena's writing (about everything from songs that changed her life to the broken records we all play in our heads to the chance to discover her ancestry to the churches she attended and what they meant throughout her life to the loss of a baby and the desire to get pregnant) is poignant and reflective and beautiful without feeling *poignant* and *reflective* and *beautiful*. Instead, it feels more like a dear friend talking to you you over coffee, but with a great turn of phrase and depth of feeling.
*I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are my own.
*I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are my own.
bakerinabookshop's review against another edition
5.0
What can I say about this book? It was just what my soul needed right now. Amena Brown shares funny, heartbreaking, and relatable stories from her life while interweaving her faith in God. This kept me laughing as well as reflecting on my life and relationship with my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
tnt63's review against another edition
5.0
Love listening to her and reading her book was amazing. So many emotions felt and a new beautiful insight into who she is.
thesarahsilvester's review against another edition
5.0
Amena Brown has a unique voice in the Christian memoir genre. She’s snort-worthy funny, her writing is skillful and poetic (she is a poet by trade so this makes sense), she’s wise without being condescending. I’ll be gifting this book to creative, music-loving friends particularly. A fantastic book to start the new year with. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
disasterchick's review against another edition
3.0
I knew nothing about Amena Brown upon reading this book - I liked the title. I enjoyed how each chapter was reflection on an album, because music is a part of who we are. I really appreciated the honesty in the book, and the different perspectives she offered on life.
mospark's review against another edition
5.0
Amena bares her soul on "How to Fix a Broken Record" and shares the lessons she's learned along the way. This book is inspiring and encouraging and a must-read for anyone that has their own "broken records" that need fixing. It offers hope for redemption and healing.
lindsaydavis9012's review against another edition
5.0
I met Amena Brown at Evolving Faith 2019, and when I asked her to sign my copy of this book, she smiled and exclaimed, “You’re about to learn all my business!” Not gonna lie: It was an absolute privilege to get to know all of it. I knew from the book description and our brief conversation that I'd find a lot to enjoy in this, but I didn’t expect to come away feeling like I’d found a sister. Reading this book was like reading my own inner thoughts from childhood through adulthood on everything from faith and doubt to relationships and justice. Her sense of humor is amazing and permeates every story, and the playlists she includes fit each section and helped me expand my personal music library. I cannot wait to see what else she has to share with the world (and realizes for herself that we are destined to be besties).