Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality

A. It was good. The reader doesn't have to imagine a lot of physical scenery. Most of the book involves conversations or Miller's interior dialogue. There are several pages, maybe about ten pages, of cartoons. The whole book reads fast. Q. What about the content? A. I think Miller does a good job of getting his points across about Jesus Christ without coming off as "preachy" or proselytizing. I note that on Google Books, about 3,500 people have reviewed this book. On Amazon, about 500 have reviewed this book. This is as of February 3, 2012. These numbers are way over the average for any type of book. According to the book cover, the paperback I read, the book was a New York Times bestseller. All of this is unusual for a book dealing with a man's spirituality, I believe. Miller has achieved greatness, or at least more than his fifteen minutes of fame, but this may be his downfall. Q. How so? A. Writers who become famous, as he has, see the world differently. This is human nature, I think. He gives lectures, maybe goes on television shows, has book tours, maybe gets more book contract offers. The world looks different now. He may still be telling himself, "Oh, I'm nothing without Christ," but inside he's thinking, "Gee, look how far I've come from when I was down and out, I wonder did I do any of this on my own?" Q. So that's bad? A. It could be, we'll have to wait and see what Miller does in the next few years. He was born in 1971, so this book, published in 2003, came out when he was 32, whereas today, now, he's 40. Q. What did you do when you were 40? A. I complained to others about how little I had accomplished to that point. Q. But Miller won't have that problem. He's accomplished a lot. Are you sure you're not just envious of him? A. I am envious, but at the same time, I'm glad I never found fame (or fortune). Q. Why is that? Isn't that what most people want? What most men want? A. Yes, until they hit 60. Then they realize what a blessing God saved them from that wrong turn. Q. So you're 60 and you're glad you never became famous or rich, but you begrudge Don Miller becoming famous and maybe rich, too? A. I think he's done for the world what he can. As he says in the book, there are times when he wonders if God has truly called him to be a writer, and other times when he feels fully affirmed as a writer. My question is: Is it God guiding him or his own proclivities, abilities, temperaments, and desires? Q. Okay, that's a reasonable question, but what does it have to do with this book? A. Read the book yourself, and see what you think. Of those 4,000 people who reported reviews on the websites noted, probably about 80% were positive. There were only a few nay-sayers. Some might call them curmudgeons or even evil people. Some of the negative reviews are petty-minded. You should read them, too, a sampling, but only after you read the book, to compare notes, so to speak.

Nice read over all but gets a bit too focused on himself towards the end. Shame because what starts as a good obtuse view of spirituality and the journey therein ends with a classic self focused 21st Century mindset wrapped in a semi-Christian ethos.

This book is for anyone who is looking for a new perspective on Christian spirituality. Miller's stories and examples created images of a fulfilling and creative lifestyle that I strive to live. He opened my eyes to new ideas and also put my exact thoughts and words into context for me. I never thought I would enjoy a book as much as I enjoyed reading "Blue Like Jazz". I definitely recommend it to anyone- believer or non-believer.