Four Reviews Coming in Publishers Weekly on Monday, November 27

-- Publishers Weekly, 11/22/2006

Momfulness: Mothering with Mindfulness, Compassion, and Grace
Denise Roy. Jossey-Bass, 14.95 paper (240p) ISBN 978-0-7879-8197-6

Roy combines her experience as a marriage and family therapist, a spiritual director, and a mother of five in this book of delightful meditations, a sequel to My Monastery Is a Minivan. Roy defines momfulness as "the spiritual practice of cultivating a mindful, compassionate, mothering presence," and outlines six spiritual lessons: developing true presence, practicing embodiment, paying attention, cultivating deep compassion, recognizing the sacred in all things, and understanding the value of community. Each meditation begins with a quote, from the likes of Anne Lamott and Annie Dillard to Thich Nhat Hanh and Teresa of Avila; each includes a reflective piece—an essay, observation, or story--and each ends with a suggested practice. Roy's anecdotes are fresh, and her storytelling colorful and imaginative. Some of her talent is lost, however, in the unoriginal and banal activities at the end of each meditation. For example, her entertaining tale of cooking lobsters with large rubber bands on their claws fizzles when readers get to the related activity suggestion of sharing family memories. She writes best when she draws from her vast reservoir of stories and refrains from preaching. Roy's varied experiences as a psychotherapist, a spiritual director, a foster mother, and a biological mother ground her spirituality in an engaging book for moms of all faiths. (Mar.)

Pesach for the Rest of Us: Making the Passover Seder Your Own
Marge Piercy. Schocken, $22.95 (304p) ISBN 978-0-8052-4242-3

The traditional Passover seder is dissected, reinterpreted, and given a contemporary and feminist bent in Piercy's guidebook to making the haggadah more readable and meaningful to today's unaffiliated Jews. Novelist Piercy confesses that her own Passover preparations are "heavy on the convenient"; for example, she will use the prohibited sunflower oil to make her dishes tasty. She wants to focus instead on what brings resonance to her observance of the holiday, like adding the Cup of Miriam to her seder table and including a Fifth Child in remembrance of those murdered during the Holocaust. Nearly every page reminds readers to change parts of the seder as they see fit, though traditionalists may feel that this approach somewhat belittles the traditional seder. Disbursed throughout are Piercy's poems recognizing many aspects of the seder; her own slightly sloppy rendition of traditional blessings into the feminine Hebrew; and ideas on how to create one's own English prayers. Memories of her Grandmother Hannah's Pesach segue into old-time recipes of the holiday's traditional foods, and an entire chapter is dedicated to mouthwatering recipes that can be used for the main meal. Some tangents in this conversational guide seem like digressions, while others—including histories of the origins of wine, horseradish and other seder foods—are fascinating. (Feb. 20)

The Gospel According to Rev. Walt "Baby" Love: Inspirations and Meditations from the Gospel Radio Legend
Walt "Baby" Love. Simon & Schuster/Touchstone Faith, $22.95 (224p) ISBN 978-0-7432-9165-1

Love was already middle-aged when Prophet Johnson, his wife's childhood pastor, gave him his "first hint of God's true plan" for his life. Well-known for his nationally syndicated R&B radio show, "The Countdown," Love was developing "Gospel Traxx," a program of contemporary and traditional gospel music. But Johnson wasn't thinking about radio. "You are going to preach," he declared. Eleven years later, Love is still a major figure in urban broadcasting. And in spite of a life-threatening bout with cancer, he has earned a seminary degree and is associate minister of a Los Angeles megachurch. Crediting much of his success to "the faithful and powerful women of God who helped raise" him, he draws on personal experiences and stories from the Bible to highlight ten motivational principles: "Put yourself in a position to receive God's blessings," for example, and "Hold on to hope." His message is optimistic, but tough: "There are no guarantees that living a good Christian life will relieve you of any and all challenges, burdens, and earthly torment." Life demands hard work, responsibility and, yes, gospel music, "because it helps keep the flames of Christian faith burning in us." (Feb.)

Samson and the Pirate Monks: Calling Men to Authentic Brotherhood
Nate Larkin. W Publishing Group, $13.99 paper (224p) ISBN 978-0-8499-1459-0

Currently in vogue is "the Christian Men's Movement," a reaction to the perceived feminization of Christianity and an attempt to help men realize their God-given missions in the world. Using the biblical Samson as a model, Larkin offers "The Samson Society," a coming together of evangelical men to encourage and help each other on the road to a full Christian life. Blessed with great strength and a pleasing physique, Samson nonetheless suffered from moral lapses and a lack of clarity about his mission. In the end this would be his undoing. Larkin uses Samson's story to show how he and his fellow churchmen—the "pirate monks" of the subtitle—must focus more fully on the moral and ethical challenges of being a Christian, and less on the physical and the superficial. Describing themselves as loners, wanderers and liars, these men set out to correct their shortcomings and align themselves with what they perceive as God's true plan for their lives. Included is a plan for Christian men to begin their own Samson Society. Written in a breezy, comfortable style, Larkin offers a workable plan for men to identify their spiritual dysfunctions, though he offers little that hasn't been said by other proponents of the Christian men's movement.(Feb. 20)