Death by Suburb

I'm part way through reading a book titled Death by Suburb written by a former pastor who writes for Christianity Today named David Geotz. The subtitle of the book is "How to Keep the Suburbs From Killing Your Soul". When I read the title of this book online last spring, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I had some ideas. Overconsumption? Probably one theme. Isolation? Probably another theme.

I went ahead and bought the book "on faith" and set it aside when it arrived due to a long list of other books I wanted/needed to read first. But last week I found myself exhausted from being overzealous on commitments to volunteering. Everything I was doing was important for someone or some organization--not that I'm invaluable, mind you--but it was just good causes and good work. Yet, I'd clearly overmatched myself and set myself up for frustration and depletion. As I crammed stuff into a backpack for a mother/daughter camping weekend with my oldest child, I grabbed the book. "What if I can't get to sleep, I worried, I'd better have something to read to keep me sane." Good thing--because the teens in the tents next to us were up past midnight laughing and talking. While our exhausted 9 yr. olds were fine, I was wide awake. So I read. I guess I'd subconsciously saved the book to read it for a time when it could most "speak" to me. The book isn't masterfully written but it has great references and a wonderful bibliography. I plan to read some of the books he references because of his use of them in his book. Geotz's life is not exactly my life, but it's not so different that I can't relate to his points. I carry my own brand of suburban dysfunctionality. I need to address it and I'm hoping this will be a place to start.

More of my "review" and what lessons I'm learning as I get further into the book....