heyjude1965's review against another edition
4.0
Great story. Funny and relevant. Giving as gifts to young family members who have left their faith. This woman was living the life with no faith, now she's a strong and joyful Catholic. Did I mention that she's very funny too?
nbrickman's review against another edition
5.0
I feel like this provides an unflinchingly honest, humorous and passionate exploration of one woman's path to understanding her spirituality. I admire the amount of intellect and time Jennifer Fulwiler dedicated to coming to a place where God made perfect sense to her. Full of insight and reflections on what it means to be human and what it means to have faith. I especially like the intellectual aspects of her investigation because I think many times it feels like faith should not be intellectualized but it's amazing how intellectualization brought about such an honest acceptance of faith. I really felt educated by this read as well as being moved emotionally. That's a rare combination.
vabonnett's review against another edition
5.0
I have been an avid reader of Fulwiler's blog, Conversion Diary, before her book came out. Honest, smart, funny, I love Fulwiler's writing and was so excited to see that what I loved about her blog writing translated over to her book writing. I have always felt that Fulwiler's questions, stumbling blocks, and realizations in her faith journey really mirrored my own. Her book hit home for me and I found myself crying at how she captured my feelings in a way I hadn't been able to yet. A truly great conversion story.
readbookswithbecca's review against another edition
3.0
I knew a lot of her story, but it was good to read it all at one time.
takealoadoff's review against another edition
3.0
I love a good conversion story! In terms of content, I'm grateful Jennifer and her husband found their way from atheism to the Church. So grateful to their attentive listening to the Holy Spirit.
In terms of the book itself, I enjoyed the pacing but found issues with the editing and with her complete silence on her privilege. This is not the world's best writing, and it shows. I also was disturbed about her lack of self consciousness as she whines about not getting the beautiful house she wants and having to sell her high rise condo. She clearly benefited from a lot of white privilege, and in all of her memoir, never even acknowledged it. She also can be pretty shallow at times, which was not enjoyable to read.
She's not a heroic character, but she experienced the hero's journey.
In terms of the book itself, I enjoyed the pacing but found issues with the editing and with her complete silence on her privilege. This is not the world's best writing, and it shows. I also was disturbed about her lack of self consciousness as she whines about not getting the beautiful house she wants and having to sell her high rise condo. She clearly benefited from a lot of white privilege, and in all of her memoir, never even acknowledged it. She also can be pretty shallow at times, which was not enjoyable to read.
She's not a heroic character, but she experienced the hero's journey.
kdtarvainen's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this. Jennifer Fulwiler is honest, funny, and an incredibly engaging storyteller.
I read this more than 5 years after my own conversion (return?) to Catholicism and, while I was more agnostic than atheist, so many of her struggles and questions were so eloquently expressed by Fulwiler that I kept nodding along and gushing about this book to my husband at every opportunity. Her writing is so approachable that I often found myself talking like I knew this family personally.
While this is primarily a story of conversion, it’s also a memoir of a woman coming to terms with new motherhood, starting a small business and, for lack of a better word, growing-up.
I’ll say it again - I loved this. I want to buy a copy for everyone I know.
I read this more than 5 years after my own conversion (return?) to Catholicism and, while I was more agnostic than atheist, so many of her struggles and questions were so eloquently expressed by Fulwiler that I kept nodding along and gushing about this book to my husband at every opportunity. Her writing is so approachable that I often found myself talking like I knew this family personally.
While this is primarily a story of conversion, it’s also a memoir of a woman coming to terms with new motherhood, starting a small business and, for lack of a better word, growing-up.
I’ll say it again - I loved this. I want to buy a copy for everyone I know.
lpm100's review against another edition
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
I wrote this review sometime ago, and lost it after all of my reviews were deleted from Amazon by the censorship Nazis.
In any case, I recommend this book as an expansion of a famous quote by Francis Bacon:. "A Little Philosophy Inclineth Mans Mind to Atheism; But Depth in Philosophy, Bringeth Mens Minds about to Religion."
This is a well-worded story of a woman going from atheism to Catholicism in order to solve the problem of having a tried and tested moral foundation.
I highly recommend it.
In any case, I recommend this book as an expansion of a famous quote by Francis Bacon:. "A Little Philosophy Inclineth Mans Mind to Atheism; But Depth in Philosophy, Bringeth Mens Minds about to Religion."
This is a well-worded story of a woman going from atheism to Catholicism in order to solve the problem of having a tried and tested moral foundation.
I highly recommend it.
mstjohn813's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0