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Seeking Enlightenment... Hat by Hat: A Skeptic's Guide to Religion
by
Nevada Barr
A refreshingly honest spiritual exploration from the New York Times bestselling author of the Anna Pigeon novels.
Actor, adventuress, seeker of truth, and author of the New York Times bestselling Anna Pigeon mystery series, Nevada Barr beckons readers to share her spiritual search for meaning in life.
Hat by hat, step by step, Barr leads readers down her path to enlighte...more
Actor, adventuress, seeker of truth, and author of the New York Times bestselling Anna Pigeon mystery series, Nevada Barr beckons readers to share her spiritual search for meaning in life.
Hat by hat, step by step, Barr leads readers down her path to enlighte...more
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
June 1st 2004
by Berkley Trade
(first published 2003)
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This was a take it or leave it book for me. A lot of the information I already knew or believed and it wasn't presented in any special way for me. Then a lot of the information just didn't sit right with me. In the end, I didn't even finish the whole book.
I think one thing that disturbed me the most was her chapter on Halloween. Although I agree that times today are likely just as dangerous as it was in the 60's, I do not agree that you should let your kids trick-or-treat ALONE! ...more
I think one thing that disturbed me the most was her chapter on Halloween. Although I agree that times today are likely just as dangerous as it was in the 60's, I do not agree that you should let your kids trick-or-treat ALONE! ...more
As a friend said when he browsed my Kindle titles recently, "so now you're seeking spiritual guidance from NEVADA BARR??"
Well, yeah. I really liked her early Anna Pigeon mysteries and even though her recent fiction books have dropped a star or two in my rating system, I still look for new stuff from her. And while browsing Amazon recently I noticed this and thought - what the heck. I've read the intro and a couple of essays so far and am really glad I took a chance on it!...more
Well, yeah. I really liked her early Anna Pigeon mysteries and even though her recent fiction books have dropped a star or two in my rating system, I still look for new stuff from her. And while browsing Amazon recently I noticed this and thought - what the heck. I've read the intro and a couple of essays so far and am really glad I took a chance on it!...more
Patty
rated it
Part of me can't quite believe I read this book for the second time. Barr snuck up on me. I picked the book up to reread her chapter on prayer and realized that she says a great deal that makes me revisit my views on religion. This book challenges me to think through some of the reasons I am a Christian.
Each chapter is short and examines some of Barr's views on a particular subject. For example she has chapters on faith, pain, church, fear and even sex. I don't always agree with...more
Each chapter is short and examines some of Barr's views on a particular subject. For example she has chapters on faith, pain, church, fear and even sex. I don't always agree with...more
Diane Mirvis
rated it
Recommends it for:
all skeptics (religious ones, anyway)
Recommended to Diane by:
Barnes & Noble
Sub-titled "A Skeptic's Path to Religion", this was a perfect book for a true skeptic like me. One of those books where I marked entire pages as being important to me. At one point Nevada Barr talks about "... the magic of naming..." I was amazed when I read this. I've written several essays (and a couple of family eulogies) about how my family taught me the importance of being able to give names to things -- birds, wildflowers, rocks, etc.
This is a collection of essays about various topics that relate to spirituality. It IS NOT for the devoutly religious, as it seems Barr is still on a path herself. It is a perfect read for me because her approach is more yogic in nature than Biblical. I find myself nodding through the read and wanting to buy it (this is a library copy) so I can highlight the heck out of it.
I have enjoyed the Nevada Barr mystery series for the fun summer read and when I saw that she had writtent his book I figured I would give it a try. The book is mainly short essays on topics ranging from addiction to children of god to forgiveness, etc.
I like her approach to spirituality and organized religion and have found readeing the essays gives me something to think about and a new way to approach some of the topics. I've slowed down, after initially reading right through an...more
I like her approach to spirituality and organized religion and have found readeing the essays gives me something to think about and a new way to approach some of the topics. I've slowed down, after initially reading right through an...more
I usually avoid books like this because I'm not religious. I made an exception here because I'd enjoyed Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series, and I'm glad I did. Nothing preachy here, and it's not necessarily just about religion. She shares a lot about her doubts and weaknesses and the unlikely places in which she has found answers, or at least some comfort.
I liked this quote about doing good as a purposeful part of living, rather than doing it hoping for a reward after death:
...more
I liked this quote about doing good as a purposeful part of living, rather than doing it hoping for a reward after death:
...more
Nevada Barr gives a personal, fairly open account of her journey from being a atheist to one who has come to believe that there is a spiritual side of life. She does not yet profess to be a Christian although she is a member of an Episcopal church. The book consists of short essays on various spiritual topics. I believe it would make a good discussion book. One disappointment was the lack of references. Nevada Barr sites sayings of others without giving any attribution. It strikes me as th...more
Merredith
rated it
THe forward was ok, but after that, it went totally downhill. It reads like a sappy email forward that you get in your spam. I couldnt finish it.
I really wanted to like this book. It started well, and then I just got hopelessly bogged down. I may pick it up again someday...
I didn't think much og this book. Felt it was a rambling monolog without enough ump to hold my interest for the whole book. I kept reading on hoping to find some nuggets. Stopped a little over half way through.
Helped to enlighten me. I need to read it again.
A Skeptic's Guide to Religion
A Skeptic's Path to Religion
Has some interesting insights, but became repetitive at the end.
beautiful
Nevada Barr is a great novelist, a talented writer & a sub-standard theologian. Three chapters in & I was no longer interested in her "all dogs go to heaven" rhetoric.
An interesting read by a popular mystery novelists spiritual journey. Some wonderful insights.
I first read Nevada Barr as a mystery writer. This book reveals her in a whole new light. A very good book that can be read in snippets by short chapters. Much along the same lines as Anne Lamott in that she struggles to believe and live in a "Christian" way.
I am really glad I read this book but rated it 2 stars because I had to force myself to pick it up. It isn't one of those I can't stand to not know what will happen next. But it is a very interesting book.
Nevada Barr came to our Public Library and she was hysterical. I read some of her mysteries and then started on this book. I enjoy her irreverant yet honest and real encounter with Christianity.
Jerry Heath recommended this book. I always trust him. A collection of experiences that lead a skeptic to become a believer in a higher power, prayer, and other spiritual principles. I connected.
Easy read autobiograhy by the author of the Anna Pigeon mystery series. Does a good job of linking meaning to all different passages/phases of life.
Nevada used to live in my town. I have enjoyed her Anna Pigeon mysteries for many years. This is her personal story of seeking after God.
This is another one of those books that I recommend to "thinking seeker-type" pals...beautifully written. She is a word smith!
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Nevada Barr is a mystery fiction author, known for her "Anna Pigeon" series of mysteries, set in National Parks in the United States. Barr has won an Agatha Award for best first novel for Track of the Cat.
Barr was named after the state of her birth. She grew up in Johnstonville, California. She finished college at the University of California, Irvine. Originally, Barr started...more
More about Nevada Barr...
Barr was named after the state of her birth. She grew up in Johnstonville, California. She finished college at the University of California, Irvine. Originally, Barr started...more
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