I knew what this book was SUPPOSED to be about but I was only confused by it. The author offers little in the way of personal insight or growth, instead tossing out disconnected facts about her life, and Mairs puts a lot of those into this reflection on her own life: her illnesses, her husband's infidelity & cancer, her conversion to Catholocism. Interesting as it all is (and she does have the occasional poetic thought) it doesn't really hang together or go anywhere. I never really got WHY she converted to Catholocism (which is why I picked up the book to begin with) or why she stays there or with her husband. There doesn't seem to be an overriding point to this book other than the author musing about her dysfunctional self and the dysfunctional life she has created and maintains.

Some chapters were tremendously moving and like hearing a voice in the wilderness. Your heart leaps towards that lovely, heartbreaking voice only to find it continually retreating from you and leaving nothing behind to nourish you. She offers little for the reader to use and learn from, not even a particularly unique perspective, which is usually the point to any kind of memoir, isn't it?

In the end, I found this to be more like a vanity piece and myself rather purient to be nibbling on the tidbits of the author's life.

Autobiographical reflections of a convert to Catholicism, about her committed struggles with marriage and with faith. ("A Catholic feminist? Dear God, couldn't I please be something else?") What I love about this and all of Nancy Mairs's books is her uncompromising honesty about the difficulties of living a human life, and the way she shows that joy and gratitude and humor can be found right in the midst of the big mess we're in. I'm on my third or fourth copy of this book because I keep giving it away. This and "Waist-High in the World" are my favorites by Mairs.

This is a very important and useful book for me. Nancy writes essays about her life from a spiritual perspective. She includes everything that is important in her life: conversion, prayer, sickness, family life, finances, the poor in spirit and health.

I was raised as a Catholic and spent 35 years away so I can relate to Nancy's comments about the difference between the church hierarchy and the people. They each have different needs and actions. I prefer the people and have learned to diminish my strong feelings of criticism of the church hierarchy so that it doesn't keep me from being one of the church people and taking care of my spiritual needs.

This is one of the most important books that I have read.