Following Our Bliss: How the Spiritual Ideals of the Sixties Shape Our Lives Today

I purchased this book for school and it came in perfect condition in an acceptable amount of time, I was very happy with the order.

>Book Review <br>> <br>>Following Our Bliss <br>>By Don Lattin <br>>Harper, San Francisco <br>>276 pages $24.95 <br>> <br>>The spiritual ideas of the sixties shape our lives today is the theme of Don <br>>Lattin's new book. He is the religion writer for the San Francisco Chronicle <br>>who has covered the mainstream and alternative movements and figures in <br>>America. <br>> <br>>Lattin has covered many dozens of church conventions of all denominations, <br>>interviewed countless Bishops, Presbyters, Rabbis, clergy and lay leaders <br>>for 25 years. He has attended conferences, groups and gatherings of new age <br>>believers including Eastern religions, feminist spirituality, Tai Chi, Yoga, <br>>Moonies, Hare Krishnas, Buddhist punks and many more. <br>> <br>>He traces how these movements have entered the main stream of American life <br>>and how they have affected our contemporary religious scene. Meditation, new <br>>music, body work, Gestalt therapy, encounter groups, changes in sexual <br>>behavior, drugs and spirituality are just a few areas that have emerged from <br>>the sixties and are now part of the way we look at life and religion in the <br>>21st century. <br>> <br>>The book is well researched and documented yet reads easily and with a sense <br>>of seriousness and a touch of tongue in cheek here and there. The stories of <br>>what happened in the lives of youngsters growing up in that hot bed of sex, <br>>drugs and rock and roll spirituality has both harmed and helped them. <br>> <br>>The book takes seriously what many people today laugh off as "the sixties." <br>>Those years profound affect on church and society is described accurately, <br>>with intelligence and sensitivity. Many who want to understand today's <br>>religious scene will profit from reading "Following Our Bliss." <br>> <br>>Robert Warren Cromey <br>>is a retired priest of the <br>>Episcopal Church residing <br>>in San Francisco, CA

I really recommend this book. It's like good tea; after it steeps awhile it permeates your thoughts. I felt transformed into worlds I never entered, and remembered some I touched closely. Some of these worlds are pretty far from the mundane world I live in, and it's exciting to read about the questioning of our common day-to-day realities. It helps that the writer is a reporter, because his writing sizzles. The historical aspect of it, along with some courageous personal reactions, make it read like someone telling a good, funny, and bizarre story. It's hard to believe some of this stuff really happened, but even if I was sometimes horrified and sometimes profoundly moved, it's nice to know that life doesn't always go according to plan. As one example, the Chapter on the Moonies tells a very strange, and in some ways tragic, tale of Reverend Moon and his establishing a base in the U.S. At the same time, the author talks about the middle ground where people as obviously crazy as Moon aren't always quite skewed as it first appears. I didn't finish the book feeling that he's pushed his own value system, but rather that he's given me the background and information I need to really understand those times and their legacy better. On top of that, it's a great read.