Jana Riess

A fascinating walk through the data gathered from a 2016 survey of millennial Latter-day Saints, those born during 1980-1999. This could be full of landmines, since each generation likes to blame their parents or their children for ruining society. But I felt like the author was a professional and gave an even-handed take. Not a rah-rah pro-Mormon book, and much of the story tells of disillusioned or former Mormons, what tensions they face, and how that differs from previous generations. But show more not an anti-Mormon book, since believers are also characterized, how and why they believe, and how they make a place for their faith in the modern world. The survey data is compared against other large American surveys that had findings about Mormons, such as Pew. The book is sprinkled with anecdotes from numerous interviews conducted by the author, providing qualitative perspectives that really colored in the picture nicely.

Many of the findings make sense. Millennials in the church are like their peers in general. Less affiliation and trust in institutions. Less religious, but still spiritually minded. Personal values over authority. More dependence on the views of friends and family, and less expectation of absolute truth. A little more flexible in their orthodoxy.

But to an older traditionalist who might worry that faith is dying, these millennials are still building lives in the church. There is a diversity of practice and belief, but the community continues onward. Some cannot reconcile challenges and leave the church, or might stay with the church but guard their doubts. It’s a complex picture that those inside the church and outside the church might not have guessed. It’s not a simplistic story, and I was left wishing I knew a bit more of how past generations contrasted when they emerged on the scene, and how they changed as they aged. show less

This is a surprisingly fun and insightful look at the spiritual themes of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and what can be learned from them. It's a fast read, but there's a lot of good material here.

The book draws exmaples primarily from Buddhism and Christianity, but reflects the show's own lack of affiliation with a particular path. Still, what I considered to be the most pertinent passage draws a Jewish example: "Like the biblical heroine Esther, Buffy is a young woman who feels the burden of show more preserving her people. And just as God is never mentioned in the book of Esther, God is merely implicit in the Buffyverse, present every time the characters put their lives on the line to save others." show less

Terrific! Like "The Year of Living Biblically," this is a fun, clever, funny and deceptively thoughtful book. Riess disarms you with her underselling herself (she's *been* to seminary, she IS a PhD - she's not as naive as she paints herself). It's a great travelogue through the world of devotional practice. And DON'T skip the Epilogue! It's the pot of gold at the end of this delightful rainbow.

This was a delightful read. Jana Reiss sought to improve her spirituality by trying to focus on a different religious practice or principle every month for a year—including things like prayer, hospitality, generosity, keeping the Sabbath, etc.

Reiss discusses these things in a very humorous and relatable way. As the title of the book indicates, she was not perfect with any of her practices. To the contrary, the demands of life often required her to stop. And sometimes, both the details of show more the practice and the seeming lack of progress proved to be a frustration for her. But in the end, Reiss notes that her efforts did make her a better, more spiritual person. While, like the rest of us, she’s still far short of perfection, these practices and efforts enlarged her capacity to forgive, carved out sacred space, gave new perspectives and insights, and helped her draw closer to God.

People of any faith can find much to like and appreciate about this book. Reiss’ insights, practicality, and sense of humor make this a very easy read. And if, like me, you find yourself falling far short of perfection, you’ll particularly appreciate Reiss’ emphasis on simply becoming better rather than achieving perfection. show less