It's not my favorite Donald Miller book, but it's awfully good. An "[b:On the Road|6288|The Road|Cormac McCarthy|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21E8H3D1JSL._SL75_.jpg|3355573]" for the new age, with a conscience. ( )

It's not my favorite Donald Miller book, but it's awfully good. An "[b:On the Road|6288|The Road|Cormac McCarthy|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21E8H3D1JSL._SL75_.jpg|3355573]" for the new age, with a conscience. ( )

It's not my favorite Donald Miller book, but it's awfully good. An "[b:On the Road|6288|The Road|Cormac McCarthy|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21E8H3D1JSL._SL75_.jpg|3355573]" for the new age, with a conscience. ( )

Honest, entertaining, self-deprecating Donald Miller's story of his travels in a van and journey to faith during his early adulthood. ( )

Not as good as Blue Like Jazz but still incredible. Makes you want to drive across country with no job, no responsiblity, no air conditioning. Ok, maybe not the last one. ( )

I read Don Miller's Blue Like Jazz about a year ago and really liked it. I read Searching for God Knows What last week and found it to be borderline depressing. I picked up Through Painted Deserts last night, and I couldn't put it down! This book is different from Miller's first two in that it is a continuous narrative and the chapters follow each other in chronological order. What this creates is a compelling story peppered with plenty of the thoughts and musings one comes to expect from Miller. You find yourself laughing at the situations and conversations throughout the book, but at the same time you are impressed with the somber spirituality of the journey. I don't camp, I hate the desert and truckstops, and car travel is my least favourite mode of transportation; despite all this I'm considering taking my own journey through the desert, if only to find the perspective on life that Miller was fortunate enough to gain. In my opinion, a must read for anyone! ( )

Although I am no younger generation emergent church type person, this book is definitely to my taste. I enjoy pilgrimage books (like BLUE HIGHWAYS) like this. There must be something of the voyeur in me that enjoys a literal and figurative journey together with someone I don't know. I found MIller's descriptions and use of language really beautiful and inspiring. His questioning of his faith was honest, as were his answers. It made me wish I had gone on this kind of journey when I was much younger, so I would be further along in my life today. Or maybe that's a hang-over from being a part of the hippie generation! Even though I am 20 years older than the author, I appreciated his metaphors and learned from him. I originally read the book for my women's book club, but I have reread the book for the sheer pleasure of the reading. ( )

Here. ( )

Relying on the metaphors of nature (e.g. light) and human experience (e.g. relationships), Miller offers poetic reflections on the God of all creation. "Through Painted Deserts" traces the journey (spiritual and otherwise) of Don and Paul as they travel in VW van from Houston to Oregon. One of my favorites: well told, profound, touching. A+ ( )

I heard questionable things about this book, but I thoughroughly enjoyed it. Miller doesn't have quite as much spirituality in this book as compared with Blue Like Jazz, but at least it has a running story that captures you. ( )

A meandering pilgrimmage. I enjoyed savouring the journey. ( )

This is a nice, comfortable read -- kind of like being on a road trip with a good soundtrack playing with the windows rolled down. His messages regarding life and faith are subtle; he has you read four or five chapters of interesting road trip memoir before he slips in a simple life lesson he's been pondering along the way. ( )