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ptothelo's review against another edition
4.0
A great book about an important facet of spiritual life that may be easily overlooked. Also a good reminder not to take myself and my thoughts so seriously :)
sarahareinhard's review against another edition
5.0
I love to laugh, and maybe that’s part of the reason I was attracted to what I envisioned James Martin’s new book, Between Heaven and Mirth, would be.
It didn’t let me down. Each chapter contained at least one good laugh, and I caught myself actually giggling out loud a few times.
Laughter is medicine, but it’s also, Martin maintains, an often-overlooked element that’s needed in our spiritual lives. He relates that he’s come to see, in his life as a professionally religious (he’s a priest and a Jesuit), that faith is often grim.
The spiritual life does not have to be–should not, in fact, be!–without laughter and smiles. He points to Jesus himself and expounds on the fact that joy can–and maybe should–lead to lightness and levity.
Martin makes his case using anecdotes, jokes, and even studies. He interviewed people of various stripes and shared personal experience. I started off agreeing with him, but by the end, he had dispelled any doubts I may have had. He inspired me to focus on my own approach to spirituality and to keep that twinkle that must have been in Jesus’ eyes in front of my own.
The finished product–the book itself–is the kind of book you’ll want to buy two copies of: one to keep and reread, one to share with at least one person who could use a reason to smile.
It didn’t let me down. Each chapter contained at least one good laugh, and I caught myself actually giggling out loud a few times.
Laughter is medicine, but it’s also, Martin maintains, an often-overlooked element that’s needed in our spiritual lives. He relates that he’s come to see, in his life as a professionally religious (he’s a priest and a Jesuit), that faith is often grim.
The spiritual life does not have to be–should not, in fact, be!–without laughter and smiles. He points to Jesus himself and expounds on the fact that joy can–and maybe should–lead to lightness and levity.
Martin makes his case using anecdotes, jokes, and even studies. He interviewed people of various stripes and shared personal experience. I started off agreeing with him, but by the end, he had dispelled any doubts I may have had. He inspired me to focus on my own approach to spirituality and to keep that twinkle that must have been in Jesus’ eyes in front of my own.
The finished product–the book itself–is the kind of book you’ll want to buy two copies of: one to keep and reread, one to share with at least one person who could use a reason to smile.
missbryden's review against another edition
3.0
One thing that I thought was a really good point, and inspires further study, or reconsidering viewpoint, is that some of the Bible is humorous or would have been to its initial audience, in a way we no longer understand today. That’s the kind of thing I’d like to know more about, like when original language didn’t translate quite right into a English, and we misunderstand details.
I'm not one of those that thinks religion and spirituality has to be all serious, so a lot of the book concept I just agreed with and didn't need persuading on.
I did appreciate his mentioning and explaining of how various spiritual people and religions have recognized and incorporated joy, laughter, and humor, especially the more specifics about Jesuit spiritual practice of imaginative prayer, imagining yourself in God's or Jesus' presence, and taking joy in that.
I didn't like some of his sense of humor, and in other cases I am one of those that "doesn't get it", but I don't see that all humor has to be gotten by everybody, some humor needs context of experience.
I'm not one of those that thinks religion and spirituality has to be all serious, so a lot of the book concept I just agreed with and didn't need persuading on.
I did appreciate his mentioning and explaining of how various spiritual people and religions have recognized and incorporated joy, laughter, and humor, especially the more specifics about Jesuit spiritual practice of imaginative prayer, imagining yourself in God's or Jesus' presence, and taking joy in that.
I didn't like some of his sense of humor, and in other cases I am one of those that "doesn't get it", but I don't see that all humor has to be gotten by everybody, some humor needs context of experience.
smtenaglia's review against another edition
3.0
“Unplanned occurrences are reminders to check your tendency to think that you're the one in control. In reality, it's someone else....It is a vivid reminder that, no matter how hard you work, ultimately it's not [in your control]. All this puts our work in perspective.”
lukedaloop's review against another edition
2.0
A simple and straightforward examination on joy in religion, specifically Catholicism. It's an enjoyable and lighthearted read, and I would recommend it for anyone.
goodverbsonly's review against another edition
4.0
Here's a six month late review: my dad said that this book was funny, and it was, but my dad described it as laugh out loud funny. It was not. On the other hand, it was very warm and moving. When it was funny, it was genuinely so. When it was moving, it was genuinely so. When Fr. Martin came to the University of Scranton's commencement last fall he told a lot of the jokes in this book (as well as in the The Jesuit Guide...which I still haven't read), and they were much funnier in person. Also, when I met him in the fall he was very excited to meet me and my brother because we all graduated from Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, and he drew us a map of where he grew up. I didn't get to tell him, however, my favorite part of this book:
I've always known that God loves me, but it's always felt very impersonal. For the first time, the knowledge that God likes me, which is somehow better -your parents love you no matter what, they're your parents, but they don't always like you or want to spend time with you -really hit home. Anyway. I just wanted to remember the feeling I had the first time I realized: Oh, God likes me, thinks I'm funny and wants to be with me, just as much and maybe even more than I want to be with Him.
I've always known that God loves me, but it's always felt very impersonal. For the first time, the knowledge that God likes me, which is somehow better -your parents love you no matter what, they're your parents, but they don't always like you or want to spend time with you -really hit home. Anyway. I just wanted to remember the feeling I had the first time I realized: Oh, God likes me, thinks I'm funny and wants to be with me, just as much and maybe even more than I want to be with Him.
adamrshields's review against another edition
3.0
Short Review: The topic is important. James Martin (a jesuit priest) talks about why it is not only important to allow, but encourage joy, humor and laughter in the Christian life. There are lots of jokes here, but also some real academic looks at what humor and joy are and why we need them. The weakness of the book is that it tries to do to much and get a bit boring at times. 50 pages less would have been better. And I think it would have been better if Martin had stuck to a focus on Christian need for humor instead of making it a more universal religious need. It is overwhelmingly focused on Christianity, but not exclusively.
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/heaven-mirth/
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/heaven-mirth/
revdavidstippick's review against another edition
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
3.5