Sundays in America: A Yearlong Road Trip in Search of Christian Faith by Suzanne Strempek Shea Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Sundays in America: A Yearlong Road Trip in Search of Christian Faith
Book Review: Lovely prose and not so lovely political corectness
Summary: 1 Stars
The writing in this book is lovely, with a flow and smoothness that warm the heart. But it stops the reader dead in his tracks when the author makes no qualms about declaring that Christianity is wonderful as long as it's not mainstream, white or advocating traditional values. Apparently it's not ok to differentiate between right and wrong! I did not finish the book (borrowed from the library) after realizing what her theme was. Too bad!Book Review: Thought-provoking and Entertaining
Summary: 5 Stars
Suzanne Strempek Shea is a master storyteller whose non-fiction is as creative and imaginative as her novels. I was eagerly looking forward to reading this book and it lived up to my expectations.
The idea of visiting one church a week for a year is daunting, considering the preparation and travel involved. However, the author walked into every one with an open mind and a photographer's eye, gifting us with minute descriptions of everything from the church's building and decor, demographic profile and attire of the congregation, scripture readings, liturgy, music, sermons, bulletins, the weather, and the intangible --- without wasting a word. Each chapter is prefaced with a brief history of the particular denomination, in itself very educational. There is humor and introspection throughout.
Politicization of religion, both on the right AND the left, has probably alienated enough Americans to explain why church attendance is down. Even so, several of Suzanne's spotlighted houses of worship were inviting. SUNDAYS IN AMERICA is both thought-provoking and entertaining. Amen.
Book Review: One nation filled with God
Summary: 5 Stars
Mormons and mennonites; Quakers and Shakers; Baptists and Spiritualists. A Fifty-two week journey featuring a different religion every Sunday. This was quite a task to undertake, but Suzanne Strempek Shea stays right on course and takes the reader on a yearlong journey across the country as she seeks to understand both the similarities and differences between the ways Christians worship. Attending both megachurches and places of worship where most of the congregation consists of ghostly presences, lapsed-Catholic Strempek Shea also rediscovers what is important to her in a spiritual sense. The book is witty and passionate, and Strempek Shea doesn't shy away from what turns her off and why, and what fills her with the spirit. It took me a bit of time to read this book, as too many religions in one sitting is a bit overwhelming, but each chapter contains both personal and public observations that clue the reader in to what the author was feeling on the day she walked into each church. I like this writer's energy and commitment to her task. I've never read anything quite like it, and I enjoyed it very much.Book Review: A Real Treasure of a Book
Summary: 5 Stars
This was a book I had to keep reminding myself to slow down and savor - it's so engaging and so delicious - yet I kept wanting to read on and discover more. After all, this could not be a more timely topic. At a point in history when we are surrounded by spiritual starvation - people leaving churches in droves - and faced again and again with religious fundamentalism at home and abroad, Suzanne Strempek Shea's response is a personal one - she goes out and actively samples church services around the country, experiencing what they have to offer and asking herself if this is what it is all about, truly.
By the end of this book I felt I had not only traveled roads to outlandish and inspiring places, but I also felt I had reached a personal revelation of what spirituality could be, whether or not it was tied to a religion, a creed, or a parcel of dogma. As I read I was amused, astonished, and sometimes shocked by the types of worship she observed, and ultimately I had to admit I was profoundly moved by what she showed me about faith and belief. For when we witness others' faith, we allow our own to grow.
I cannot think of a book that is more relevant to spirituality today in the USA. I shall be giving copies to those friends I know who are sampling churches and chapels, looking for something that feels genuine.
We should be profoundly thankful for this book.
Allan Hunter
Author of "Stories We Need To Know: Reading Your Life Path in Literature'
www.allanhunter.net
Book Review: The Best Pursuit of American Letters -- Telling "Our" Stories -- and a Sure Hit With NPR Fans
Summary: 5 Stars
The best spiritual stories are the stories of people all around us -- what journalists like to call "real people," as if media professionals normally exist in a realm of plastic replicas. And, perhaps that's the problem with a lot of what passes for American media, these days, isn't it?
Writing as a journalist for more than 30 years, as someone who has circled the globe and also poked around America's most obscure corners -- I understand how rare this kind of book project truly is. As much of American media shrinks, resources to undertake major projects like this year-long pilgrimage through our quirky religious landscape are growing scarcer with each passing year.
And yet -- this kind of pursuit is what defined our greatest writers.
I'm not arguing that Suzanne Strempek Shea claims Mark Twain, Walt Whitman or Jack Kerouac status with this book -- but she's a fascinating memoirist in that noble tradition. This book takes us from New York to Hawaii -- and from Texas to the last holdout of Shaker worship in Maine.
Truth be told -- I didn't have time for this book, but I opened the morning mail and was lost for the next 2 hours! I kept coming back to this book, again and again, as a first choice among a stack of urgent reading.
Here's an easy way to make your choice about this book. If you're a fan of NPR, enjoy Bill Moyers, occasionally chuckle along with Garrison Keillor -- and, especially, if you recall Charles Kuralt with a smile -- then buy this book.
A final tip: It's a great spring read as you're planning your summer, because you may find yourself jotting down details about some of her more intriguing stops.
More Sundays in America: A Yearlong Road Trip in Search of Christian Faith reviews:
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