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Oct 21, 2010
Ibelisse
rated it: 
In our current age of social networking, it is easy to create a false identity. Is the public image we present who we really are or are we searching for a lost identity? The Vertical Self by Mark Sayers tackles the intersection of identity, faith and Western culture head on. Sayers is the founder of über, a ministry in Melbourne, Australia that specializes in issues of youth and young adult discipleship. With his vast knowledge of contemporary pop culture, he explains how our generation has at
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Mar 30, 2010
Adam B.R.
rated it: 
Note:
Disclosure of Material Connection: This book was received free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program.
A Review by Adam B.R. Clarke
The title is a mouthful...
“The Vertical Self: How Biblical Faith Can Help Us Discover Who We Are In An Age Of Self Obsession”
...but if you can look past the length, the title gives away some great insight. First, Mark Sayers is going to base everything he say More...
Disclosure of Material Connection: This book was received free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program.
A Review by Adam B.R. Clarke
The title is a mouthful...
“The Vertical Self: How Biblical Faith Can Help Us Discover Who We Are In An Age Of Self Obsession”
...but if you can look past the length, the title gives away some great insight. First, Mark Sayers is going to base everything he say More...
Mar 26, 2010
Melissa
rated it:
I was very excited to get this book in the mail as part of Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze program. In the Vertical Self Mark Sayers looks at how in modern western culture instead of defining ourselves vertically in relationship to God we now attempt to gain a sense of identity horizontally by what the people around us think. The first section looks at various influences in our culture that combine to shape the way we see ourselves. The second part looks at how we might seek to find our true iden
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Mar 16, 2010
Evelyn
rated it: 
The Vertical Self - How Biblical Faith Can Help Us Discover Who We Are In An Age of Self Obsession, by Mark Sayers, is a well-written book that takes us on the journey to find our true selves.
The "vertical self", to put it simply, is one who, instead of being concerned what others think, is concerned with what God thinks. I really enjoyed the concept of this book. As I read through the pages, I was struck with what a strong desire I felt to improve myself. This book would b More...
The "vertical self", to put it simply, is one who, instead of being concerned what others think, is concerned with what God thinks. I really enjoyed the concept of this book. As I read through the pages, I was struck with what a strong desire I felt to improve myself. This book would b More...
Mar 11, 2010
Sunflower
rated it:
From,"The Vertical Self"
Our greatest scorn is reserved for those who fail at the game of looking good. this is why we have become so obsessed with hypocrisy. We experience a guilty pleasure when others are "found out".
......Their charades just prove to us that no one is really good; therefore, we all must just put on an act that says we are
......The measuring stick for our success in this quest becomes our personal feelings. Do we feel g More...
Our greatest scorn is reserved for those who fail at the game of looking good. this is why we have become so obsessed with hypocrisy. We experience a guilty pleasure when others are "found out".
......Their charades just prove to us that no one is really good; therefore, we all must just put on an act that says we are
......The measuring stick for our success in this quest becomes our personal feelings. Do we feel g More...
Mar 08, 2010
Chris
rated it:
“The Vertical Self” by Mark Sayers has an interesting tagline: How Biblical faith can help us discover who we are in an age of self obsession. This is a topic that most Christian books don’t address, so I figured this would be a good read.
The first half of this book is an interesting sociological look at how our Western culture views identity today. The author’s premise is that in years past, people have had a vertical view of self, meaning, they viewed themselves based on a prope More...
The first half of this book is an interesting sociological look at how our Western culture views identity today. The author’s premise is that in years past, people have had a vertical view of self, meaning, they viewed themselves based on a prope More...
Jan 19, 2010
Pastoralmusings
rated it:
Mark Sayers has written an interesting book, to say the least. I received this book as part of the Amazon Vine Reviewer program and did not think it would be an easy read. It was an easy and enjoyable read.
Sayers looks at how people live, relate, and function today. He states that most people are trying to relate and live on a horizontal level, that is from person to person. We should, however, seek to live our lives on a vertical plane, person to God.
Sayers states that we have More...
Sayers looks at how people live, relate, and function today. He states that most people are trying to relate and live on a horizontal level, that is from person to person. We should, however, seek to live our lives on a vertical plane, person to God.
Sayers states that we have More...
Feb 07, 2010
Aoife
rated it:
(Free selection from the Amazon Vine program.)
This book was interesting for me in that Sayers at times seemed to read my mind--from things that worry me about contemporary society, to my own weaknesses--but then took off with that idea and expanded upon it in ways that never would have occurred to me. There are so many good insights in this book, I read the whole thing with pencil in hand and will have to revisit it several times to remind myself of each of his well-stated and eloque More...
This book was interesting for me in that Sayers at times seemed to read my mind--from things that worry me about contemporary society, to my own weaknesses--but then took off with that idea and expanded upon it in ways that never would have occurred to me. There are so many good insights in this book, I read the whole thing with pencil in hand and will have to revisit it several times to remind myself of each of his well-stated and eloque More...
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Jun 17, 2011
Annette
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I really appreciate Mark Sayers efforts here to enlighten me and others about post-modernism. In a world crying out for meaning, I am really over the pathetic efforts of TV programmes to provide answers: when they are faced with tragedy, what does Dr Oz, Backyard Blitz et al. try to do? Why,it sounds like a makeover is needed. Can't get pregnant and husband has been laid off? Quick let's do up their backyard and send her off to a day spa, that'll make it all better! Bull crap!
I really More...
I really More...
Sep 04, 2011
Jared
rated it:
The Vertical Self is half sociological study, half spiritual discipline guide. Unfortunately, Mark Sayers shines as a sociologist and merely passes as a spiritual guru. However, this is not to say I did not enjoy this book or would not recommend it (I did and would respectively). This book is worth the price of admission for the first half alone.
The former half of this book reads a little like David Brooks. However, instead of writing about the blending of the bourgeois and bohemian classes, Mar More...
The former half of this book reads a little like David Brooks. However, instead of writing about the blending of the bourgeois and bohemian classes, Mar More...
May 11, 2010
Danielle
rated it:
I recently read the book The Vertical Self by Mark Sayers. The basic gist of the book is that there are two ways to focus on how we view ourselves: "Horizontally" (meaning that we look at the world around us to base how we view ourselves) and "Vertically" (meaning that we look to God as our creator who made us in His image to base how we view ourselves). Sayers uses that base to launch into a full examination of how we view ourselves and how we can pull away from "The Ho
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Mar 23, 2011
Jonathan
rated it:
Good survey of American culture and its effect on self image. Also good tie in with the image of God perfected in Jesus Christ. A good read for a Christian who has lost a sense of identity.
Jun 23, 2010
Simon
rated it:
Great stuff. Sayers is always so insightful and and pithy. Should, God-willing, change the reader's life. Might be a good one for non-believers to read, also.
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