(Originally posted on FaceBook March 14)
I read WAY too much – usually two or three books a week. I have at least three or four volumes lying around different rooms of my house, and whenever I’m exercising or taking Poppy to the dog park I bring along my headphones and listen to authors on Audible. These last two months while on Sabbatical I’ve been an especially prolific reader – an escape from my primary task of writing. Since we’re all now social distancing, I thought I’d start posting recommendations. I don’t plan to write book reviews, but I’ll mention reasons I think a volume is timely and interesting.
My day #1 pick is You Are What You Love by James K. A. Smith. I thought of this book yesterday when Christina and I went out to buy a few necessities at the Grocery Store (Noodle Bowls for Brendan, Mac & Cheese for Tessa, Coffee Creamer for Wayne & Dorothy, and Cinnamon Buns – the necessities of apocalyptic living). I was aware of the panic shopping happening in the States but was naïve to its presence in Edmonton. Toilet paper? Really? Standing in a completely bare aisle reminded me of Smith’s concept of cultural liturgies. Our hearts are like a compass and our habits can reveal our deepest desires, including the idols we may not even realize we “worship” through the liturgies (daily habits) of our lives. Consumption tops Smith’s list – he argues that as a society we tend to find meaning and purpose in our shopping and consumption. What does the fascinating and ridiculous toilet paper panic of 2020 tell us about ourselves? What does it mean that when we are afraid, we go shopping? Check out Smith’s book and see if there are some provoking questions and ancient answers.
I wrote a slightly longer review on this one for student development professionals here:
https://www.thecacsd.org/blog/you-are-what-you-love-by-james-ka-smith-book-review-by-michael-ferber
Michael Ferber 