BECOMING A GODDESS OF INNER POISE: Spirituality for the Bridget Jones in All of Us

For the increasing base of 20- and 30-somethings (particularly of the single variety) who have forged their circle of friends into substitute families, created social events of television series finales and count fictional characters among their role models, here is the perfect book on spirituality. Donna Freitas, a professor of spirituality, has, like an increasing number of the new crop of Ph.D.s, found a way to legitimize our pervasive pop culture. For years, Madonna has been the subject of college classes and the Simpsons have had a recent spate of publishing attention—why not Bridget? Freitas's impressive collection of resources includes everyone from St. Augustine (Confessions ) to Dorothee Soelle (Thinking About God ), Grace Jantzen (Becoming Divine ) to Peter Brown (The Body and Society ). Directed at a generation of women born of women who marched in the streets in a desperate escape from their June Cleaveresque mothers, she emphasizes that the "challenge today is to anchor our personal journeys toward Inner Poise within the communities that already surround us, exploring the spiritual possibility in the rituals we already practice and the spiritual leaders we already are." Throughout, Freitas delights with her Bridget-inspired voice (the Bridget-speak is fun, but over the top) while seamlessly showing her prowess as a student and teacher of spirituality. (Oct.)