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joshrskinner's review
5.0
I picked this up solely bc I read everything Jeffrey Bilbro publishes. (And I have found that practice to be wholly beneficial!) But honestly, this topic was not one that I was chomping at the bit to dive into, at least not a book length examination.
But oh how I needed to read this. I actually needed to read it a few years ago, but I won't hold that against the author. It is encouraging and convicting. If you live in a world of constant media consumption and disembodied "community" (i.e. all of us), then you will benefit greatly by slowly consuming this timely and helpful book.
Seriously, I am recommending this far and wide.
But oh how I needed to read this. I actually needed to read it a few years ago, but I won't hold that against the author. It is encouraging and convicting. If you live in a world of constant media consumption and disembodied "community" (i.e. all of us), then you will benefit greatly by slowly consuming this timely and helpful book.
Seriously, I am recommending this far and wide.
eleennaeisloved's review
informative
reflective
fast-paced
2.5
Disclaimer: I received an ARC on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I actually really like the core message of this book, but I think the execution falls short. I have a lot of THOUGHTS and will likely write a full review soon, but here are my main takeaways:
- I like the overarching idea of evaluating how we keep time, especially in terms of kairos vs chronos
- It has great ideas on attention, habits, and engagement in public spheres.
- It quotes too much and I can't figure out the author's original and personal ideas. Also, those references are so old??? Thoreau fanboy???
- Though much more nuanced than I expected it to be--then again, I have a low bar for this--it still is rooted in an unexamined place of privilege.
- The author starts this off with an anti-social media bias, and though there are great attempts to analyze the online landscape, his take lacks depth.
- Where are the verses?????????????????????????? For a book that is supposed to be about theological standpoints with regards to reading the news, much of the framework is based on works by Thoreau, Melton, Griffith, Pascal, and more. I read this to hopefully gain more insight into how the prophets engaged with the news, for example, but not much is here. Its only notable Scripture reference is Psalm 1 which forms the meat of Chapter 2, but it does not resurface in later parts of the book.
I like it and would recommend it if you live in the US, but take its discussion with a grain of salt.
I actually really like the core message of this book, but I think the execution falls short. I have a lot of THOUGHTS and will likely write a full review soon, but here are my main takeaways:
- I like the overarching idea of evaluating how we keep time, especially in terms of kairos vs chronos
- It has great ideas on attention, habits, and engagement in public spheres.
- It quotes too much and I can't figure out the author's original and personal ideas. Also, those references are so old??? Thoreau fanboy???
- Though much more nuanced than I expected it to be--then again, I have a low bar for this--it still is rooted in an unexamined place of privilege.
- The author starts this off with an anti-social media bias, and though there are great attempts to analyze the online landscape, his take lacks depth.
- Where are the verses?????????????????????????? For a book that is supposed to be about theological standpoints with regards to reading the news, much of the framework is based on works by Thoreau, Melton, Griffith, Pascal, and more. I read this to hopefully gain more insight into how the prophets engaged with the news, for example, but not much is here. Its only notable Scripture reference is Psalm 1 which forms the meat of Chapter 2, but it does not resurface in later parts of the book.
I like it and would recommend it if you live in the US, but take its discussion with a grain of salt.
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