What do you think?
Rate this book
How To Pray And Stay Awake
""How To Pray And Stay Awake"" is a religious book written by Max B. Skousen. The book provides guidance and tips for individuals who struggle with staying alert and focused during prayer. Skousen offers practical advice on how to prepare for prayer, including physical and mental preparation. He also discusses the importance of having a specific time and place for prayer, as well as the role of scripture study in maintaining focus during prayer. Skousen emphasizes the power of prayer and encourages readers to make it a priority in their daily lives. The book is written in a straightforward and accessible style, making it suitable for readers of all backgrounds and levels of religious experience.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
164 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1949
5 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 16, 2020
The BEST book I have read on prayer. Ever. I recently have re read portions I had forgotten and my prayers have become so much more fruitful!
January 9, 2009
LOVED this book! At the end the author encourages you to re-read it periodically and I agree it's a great idea. The title is a bit misleading, it's not as "light" as it may seem. The biggest thing I learned was that to have more meaningful prayers we need to be more in tune with the Holy Ghost, which means we need to live better lives, which means we need to serve those in need (hungry, poor, sick, etc.). An image I really liked that he talked about in passing was when you pray, imagine you are in a waiting room and someone walks in and says "Your Heavenly Father will see you now." When I read that, it really clicked with me how I take prayer for granted and don't make the most of using it. This is a wonderful book!
December 4, 2023
I have wanted to read this since coming back to fellowship in my faith tradition and thought it was out of print. I found I it on Amazon and have loved reading words I know my parents read. It truly has enhanced my study & worship on PRAYER!
January 20, 2020
Wow. Changed my perspective on prayer.
February 4, 2019
That was best book on prayer that I've read! It is a little dated and hard to find so I bought one on Amazon. If you would like to borrow mine, just say the word! 😃
October 20, 2019
Lots of good things to help you pray more faithfully and make you think about how you pray and why!!
August 5, 2025
BOOK REVIEW - How to Pray and Stay Awake by Max B. Skousen (1980)
I found this little gem in my Father’s library and nabbed it. How to Pray and Stay Awake is a thoughtful and earnest little book that aims to revitalize personal prayer life. While not revolutionary in its content, it offers readers a few worthwhile perspectives on how to make prayer more engaging, personal, and spiritually nourishing.
Skousen writes with clarity and sincerity, clearly drawing from personal experience and faith. Many readers will find comfort in his central idea: that prayer should not be a rote, mechanical task, but a deeply relational conversation with God. He encourages a more authentic and meaningful approach to prayer, especially for those who may struggle with repetition or formality. Skousen emphasizes that prayer doesn’t require ornate words or set routines—it requires intention and spiritual presence.
However, some of the ideas in the book feel familiar, even overused. For example, Skousen repeats the oft-heard counsel: “Kneel morning and night. Begin and end each day with prayer, and you’ll never stray far.” While certainly sound advice, this suggestion doesn’t offer new insight—it echoes the kind of well-meaning instruction already found in Sunday sermons or youth devotionals.
The book occasionally touches on deeper themes, like the need for stillness or the power of silence in prayer, but these are often only briefly explored. A few more personal stories or scriptural analysis would have added needed depth.
How to Pray and Stay Awake is a sincere and helpful guide for those wanting to rekindle their spiritual routines. While it doesn’t break much new ground, its accessible tone and occasional nuggets of insight make it a worthwhile read. It’s a good reminder for anyone looking to make their prayers more intentional—and to stay spiritually awake while doing so.
Quotes:
“If you think of prayer not as a duty but as a dialogue with someone who already knows your heart, then the goal isn’t eloquence, it’s honesty.”
“The reason so many people fall asleep—or drift mentally—during prayer is because they’re not really talking to anyone. They’re reciting a formula, a checklist of blessings and requests. But if you pause before you begin and actually picture yourself speaking to a real, living, loving being who knows you intimately and cares about your day, your worries, your gratitude—then your words will begin to change. Prayer becomes less about performance and more about presence. And staying awake is no longer the challenge. It’s staying connected.”
I found this little gem in my Father’s library and nabbed it. How to Pray and Stay Awake is a thoughtful and earnest little book that aims to revitalize personal prayer life. While not revolutionary in its content, it offers readers a few worthwhile perspectives on how to make prayer more engaging, personal, and spiritually nourishing.
Skousen writes with clarity and sincerity, clearly drawing from personal experience and faith. Many readers will find comfort in his central idea: that prayer should not be a rote, mechanical task, but a deeply relational conversation with God. He encourages a more authentic and meaningful approach to prayer, especially for those who may struggle with repetition or formality. Skousen emphasizes that prayer doesn’t require ornate words or set routines—it requires intention and spiritual presence.
However, some of the ideas in the book feel familiar, even overused. For example, Skousen repeats the oft-heard counsel: “Kneel morning and night. Begin and end each day with prayer, and you’ll never stray far.” While certainly sound advice, this suggestion doesn’t offer new insight—it echoes the kind of well-meaning instruction already found in Sunday sermons or youth devotionals.
The book occasionally touches on deeper themes, like the need for stillness or the power of silence in prayer, but these are often only briefly explored. A few more personal stories or scriptural analysis would have added needed depth.
How to Pray and Stay Awake is a sincere and helpful guide for those wanting to rekindle their spiritual routines. While it doesn’t break much new ground, its accessible tone and occasional nuggets of insight make it a worthwhile read. It’s a good reminder for anyone looking to make their prayers more intentional—and to stay spiritually awake while doing so.
Quotes:
“If you think of prayer not as a duty but as a dialogue with someone who already knows your heart, then the goal isn’t eloquence, it’s honesty.”
“The reason so many people fall asleep—or drift mentally—during prayer is because they’re not really talking to anyone. They’re reciting a formula, a checklist of blessings and requests. But if you pause before you begin and actually picture yourself speaking to a real, living, loving being who knows you intimately and cares about your day, your worries, your gratitude—then your words will begin to change. Prayer becomes less about performance and more about presence. And staying awake is no longer the challenge. It’s staying connected.”
August 20, 2013
When I first read this back in 1993, Max had not yet been excommunicated. I enjoyed it then and learned much from it's pages. I was a little confused when I later found that Max had lost his membership in the church. I thought, "How can a man who writes in such an inspiring way be disciplined by the Brethren? Surely not for writing this book." So I looked into his other writings that came forth over the years. Wow. If you want to read some amazing material about heaven and our relationship with God, read some of Max's other books such as the series of books he wrote, primarily in response to President Benson's challenge that we read the Book of Mormon, remove the condemnation and receive "A Blessing Hitherto Unknown" His four books in the series are •Book I - Looking Beyond the Mark •Book II - Finding the Mark •BookIII - Entering Into the Rest •Book IV - Perfection in Christ. I highly recommend this book if you want to improve your relationship with God and understand the different types of prayer and when they are applicable.
May 12, 2016
Although this book has a humorous title, it was a really inspiring read. It focused on how to make your prayers more meaningful and how you can come closer to Heavenly Father through your prayers. It also talked about the importance of faith in our prayers and how to align our will with His so that we can learn to ask for the right things in our prayers. It was a very insightful book and I'd recommend it to anyone who can happen to find a copy of it!
I inherited this book from my Grandma's collection when she passed away several years ago and just got around to reading it now. I noticed in the front cover that this book was a gift that my Grandpa gave to his father, my Great-Grandpa, for Father's Day in 1952! So this was my Great-Grandpa's book! I thought that was pretty cool.
I inherited this book from my Grandma's collection when she passed away several years ago and just got around to reading it now. I noticed in the front cover that this book was a gift that my Grandpa gave to his father, my Great-Grandpa, for Father's Day in 1952! So this was my Great-Grandpa's book! I thought that was pretty cool.
January 15, 2009
This has been the most influential book, for me personally, I have read in a long time. I have been awakened to my personal shortcomings where prayer is concerned and I feel I have new tools to correct those to build a new and stronger relationship with God. This is something I both desire and need in my life. I would recommend this book to anyone of any faith who wants to open up the door to heaven and really commune with our Father in Heaven. The power of prayer is real but it takes time, work, and dedication to tap into it. I am excited about the things I am learning from this book.
March 22, 2010
This book has made a definite impact on how I pray. It offered the realization that I sometimes am praying unto myself instead of "unto God". -- "To pray "unto God" there must be a definite and conscious approach to Him...We must have a clear and vivid realization that God is bending over us and listening as we pray." So many eloquent and stirring comments that have broadened my mind and brought a new dimension to my prayers. Thanks, Cherice...I'm going to buy it.
July 7, 2015
I know I'll be quoting this book for years to come. I'll probably take Max's advice and reread it often as well to remind me of why it's important to pray with the right motivation and focus on life.
Great motivational book. Some of the perspectives were from the '50's and 60's, but they were relevant today.
Great motivational book. Some of the perspectives were from the '50's and 60's, but they were relevant today.
September 3, 2011
A down to earth assessment of prayer with many useful insights. The quotes in Book Index are quite thorough, and rereading the book would not be necessary. Skousen kind of has a condescending tone at points in the book.
November 13, 2016
My mother always encouraged me to read good books. This is one she recommended to me. I think she even paid me a few dollars to read it. I am so thankful for her encouragement of my reading good books!
January 26, 2010
Pretty good insights about how to make your prayers more meaningful.
Read
December 2, 2009A great little read though I much enjoyed his later books more.
May 6, 2013
Great book with lots of wise counsel. I had read it previously, but it's a book I want to read again & again.
June 13, 2014
Such a great book. The themes/suggestions in the book are simple yet also have great depth. You can read it in a day but work on applying the principles for a lifetime.
January 22, 2016
This book should not only be read by all, it should be read and re-read by all!
August 7, 2017
Really great insights into how to improve your own personal prayers and to make them a bigger priority in your life.
January 18, 2020
Amazing may be an over statement but it is insightful and motivating.
March 26, 2022
This book was a great reminder of prayer. Many facets of prayer is addressed. It is an older book, yet the principles are still applicable.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews