Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.31 AVERAGE
4.31 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
A very convicting, encouraging and hopeful look at addiction, the 12 steps and suffering in general. I did not agree with everything theological but overall, it was a moving and transformative book.
Quick read, some phrases are so good and important that I can see myself reading this again and again and finding something different each time.
"Only those who have tried to breathe under water know how important breathing really is"
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
I recently added some literature on addiction recovery to my morning reading. This morning I finished Breathing Underwater by Richard Rohr. Now Rohr is a controversial figure in the Christian world, still more in the Catholic Church. He is a friar in the Franciscan Order and despite taking some unorthodox positions still "under the protection of the Franciscans" (whatever that means) remains a Catholic in good standing. In his life he has done a lot of work with addicts and addiction recovery. At different times he delivered lectures on the Twelve Steps of A.A. or Alcoholics Anonymous. He was consistently encouraged to publish his work and finally relented. While not as distinctively Christian as I would like I still read this with benefit. Rohr's style is casual, almost conversational. He's not speaking to academics or scholars, not even to lay person (as we conceive him). He is speaking to the addict. And, in some sense, that's all of us. We may not be addicted to a substance but, as a friend of mine recently put it, we're all "addicted to being right." The Steps may seem silly to some. They may seem too contrived, too formal. But I have come to learn that the change that happens is the change we plan. So here's a plan. "Do this", the Steps say. Would that we all had the humility to listen.
Rohr seems to have tapped into some deep wisdom on God, faith, living and loving that resonates with me. I found the audio version of this book approachable but a lot of the ideas went by too quickly for my brain to really grok. I could see myself re-reading (with my eyes) and taking extensive notes while contemplating the words more deeply.
Rohr does not mince words. This book is for everyone, not just folks who have struggle with substance abuse. I felt challenged while being reminded of God’s unconditional mercy and grace.
hopeful
fast-paced
This was less of an explanation of the Twelve Steps and more of a commentary on them. Good insights, as always, from Richard Rohr. I especially appreciated his point that all of us are addicted, especially to our own way of thinking. We all are powerless and in need of trusting a higher power. Easy to read and simple message.
Richard Rohr is a Catholic priest who has for many years worked with alcohol recovery programs. This book is a summary of those years of counseling. Each chapter is based on one of the twelve steps experienced in Alcoholics Anonymous. It has a very Catholic tone to it, which for a non-Catholic bogs it down just a bit, but overall it is kind and encouraging.
Paperback
I am pretty sure half the content went right over my head. This is definitely a book I will come back to again and again.
I am pretty sure half the content went right over my head. This is definitely a book I will come back to again and again.