Book review: Present Over Perfect

Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic For a Simpler More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist is  a book written by a modern Christian woman about her "spiritual journey." I read it because a christian friend kind of begged me to be in a summer book discussion group with other Christian friends. I couldn't see any way out without hurting feelings or causing a scandal by announcing I am an atheist. We haven't had the discussion group yet, but I've finished the book.

First of all, the author and I are nothing alike. She is high energy, I am relatively low energy. She is a hare, I am a tortoise. I move slowly, but at a steady incremental pace and try to finish what I start.  She is a career woman, I made home and family a priority from the beginning, because that's what I thought I was supposed to do. I learned hand crafts, sewing, cooking, and gardening, early on. I spend a great deal of time reading and researching. She talks about slowing down to have time for those kinds of things. She is a people person and people pleaser. I am happier doing my own thing and being the boss of my own life, when I can. I have friends, but I limit my social experiences because they exhaust me. I could go on, but I will sum up by saying I could not relate to her life very much.

The book is about how the author found more psychological peace by reducing her stress load, cutting back on outside obligations, decluttering her house, and prioritizing family. All these things are the subjects of many popular self help books which go into far more detail.The author gives a little practical advice and a lot of patting herself on the back, interspersed with obligatory "spiritual" language. The Jesus talk felt superfluous. The author accomplished her reformation by her own power, and the priviledges of her personal background.

 Shauna presents herself as just being honest about her shortcomings, but in many places it strikes me as humble bragging. She and her husband have a lifestyle and income level that many of us only dream about. We are told that they are "makers," a term which I admit annoys me because it sounds pretentious and a little self consciously hip. A maker is basically a person with a skill who creates a unique product or service of some kind, using modern technology/information for the research, production, marketing, and selling. She is an author and he is a musician.

There isn't a lot of lasting substance to this book. It is one of those feel-good ladies' discussion group books. The kind that encourages bunches of women to sit around commiserating about their frustrations and imperfections, while drinking coffee and eating some desserts nicer than those they give their children and husbands. Hey, I'm not knocking that kind of thing. It can actually be a fun and relaxing break from the mundane. However, I doubt these kind of books produce real changes in many people's lives, not like Marie Kondo's Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. (Smile)

Edited for spelling and grammar.