Life on the High Wire

How do ordinary men cope with the extraordinary pressures of modern life? That's the question that Camp, a lawyer, attempts to answer in this devotional study designed for men exhausted by juggling too many responsibilities. The world's emphasis on achievement and productivity, notes Camp, can push men to anger, self-absorption and shallow spirituality. But, he says, it doesn't have to be so. In short chapters dotted with personal anecdotes, Camp describes his own struggles with the chaotic demands of business, family and church, urging his readers toward what he calls a more balanced, Christ-centered life. Camp's simple and engaging writing covers a wide range of issues, including God's role in the workplace, the necessity of churchgoing, strengthening family relationships and facing death. Camp's vivid details and occasional flashes of insight, however, don't make up for the text's superficial tone. While the immediacy of the writing echoes that of popular Christian author Max Lucado, nothing here hasn't been said better before, and the too-broad focus of each chapter leaves no room for anything more than a cursory discussion. (Feb.)