Rating: 
Summary: Life's Like a Movie.
Review: Several years ago I had the opportunity to read Donald Miller's freshman book, PRAYER AND THE ART OF VOLKSWAGON MAINTENANCE. That book chronicled Miller's cross country journey in an old Volkswagon bus from Texas to Oregon traveling with a close friend, exploring the book of Ecclesiastes along the way. After searching for new material from Miller, I had heard he was supposedly working on a novel. Then at the end of last summer, I happened to discover BLUE LIKE JAZZ at a Barnes and Noble on my way home from a summer of camp counseling. I was so happy to see something new from Miller.In some ways the book is a "sequel" to his previous work, but that's not really the best word to use. The book references events from PRAYER and both books are pieces of nonfiction. However, prayer was the story of a journey and though BLUE LIKE JAZZ kind of continues the journey, it's more of a collection of nonfiction essays and rambling memoirs than a story. Miller is an honest writer. His style is also extremely vivid and he is a master of metaphor and poetry. The book is filled with all sorts of colorful people and memorable events (for instance, comparing penguin sex to faith over coffee while chatting with a minister at a coffee house). Yet, the tone of BLUE LIKE JAZZ is completely different than that of PRAYER. Miller seems to have grown in wisdom and maturity over the years, yet lost any childlike excitement and innocence. I enjoyed reading BLUE LIKE JAZZ. I didn't agree with everything Miller had to say in the book. However, it has challenged me to revaluate the way I have been living my own life. The book is subtitled "nonreligious thoughts on Christian spirituality" and Miller confesses in the book that he has not always viewed "religous" people in a positive light. After reading the book, I realized I am a religous person and I don't believe that there is anything wrong with Christianity. Yet, though I don't share all the same views Miller does, I also realized that many of his struggles, are my same struggles. Often, things aren't exactly what they appear and stars can sparkle blue like jazz.
Rating: 
Summary: one of my favorites
Review: this author is definitly one of my favorite authors of all time, along w/ mike yaconelli and phillip yancey. Donald Miller is honest and really makes you evaluate what it truely means to be into Christian spirituality. I love the fact that he tends to break all the rules, such as attending what is known to be the most secular college in the u.s. against the wishes of his christian friends, and how he impacted his friends there. the one story that stood out is that during one of the festivals during the school year when almost everyone on campus is drunk or high, and donald miller and his group of 6 or 7 christian friends set up a booth in the middle of the fair, "coming out of the closet", and declaring themselves as christians on campus...they wrote on the booth, "confess your sins"...but in actuality weren't telling people to come there to confess there sins, but so donald could confess his sins to the people for "being a bad christian" and apologizing for not living the way Christ wanted us all to. definitly for those who are sick of books that don't test you or teach you anything about Christ, but for people who live outside the lines of what is expected of you. i've bought several copies, and i've read it a few times now. give it a try.
Rating:
Summary: For those of you who love an honest perspective
Review: This book is about RELEVANT Christian spirituality. Something that I can apply and closely relate to. In a few words, I'd describe it as: heartfelt, soul-baring, funny, brilliant. I appreciate the clear, refreshing honesty. I have been deeply encouraged by Don's openess to a topic that is not widely accepted and often misunderstood - in Christian and non-Christian circles alike. Don has approached the topic of his personal walk with God so simply and beautifully. A bit like music... At the end of the book, you want to personally thank Don along with his friends who shared their stories. You wish you knew their addresses so you could stop by for a beer and some good conversation. Read this and make sure you buy an extra copy to pass along to your friends.
Rating:
Summary: Christianity - honest and real
Review: This book is incredible. Donald Miller strips all of the politics, sterotypes, and fads away from Christianity, showing in so many ways a real and honest relationship with Jesus. Donald seems to remove the costumes that we dress Christianity in to fit ourselves, and shows it real - not glossed over. I highly recommend this book to everyone! It is witty, truthful and will make a reader dig into their relationship with God. The reader will want to hang out with Donald and his friends. Thanks to Donald for being real, and keeping God real and alive.
Rating: 
Summary: An Evangelical/Fundamentalist Gen X/Y Reply
Review: This is a memoir, not a testimony or a confession. For that reason I wasn't expecting it to be theologically sound, but since it so clearly isn't in many ways, I can't help but say something to the author, to those who are tempted to model themselves after him, and to those who judge the Christian faith by him.
First of all, Mr. Miller's heart is truly in the right place. He is willing to have the kind of relationship with God that Jesus had when he was on earth, and it seems like he earnestly desires this. He also has some wonderful insights into the struggles that many of his (our) generation have had and continue to have with the political and intellectual aspects of the gospel that was presented to us by our fundamentalist/evangelical parents.
That said, this is what I think you (and he) should know about the book before you accept it as gospel truth:
The Bible isn't a reference point for any of what Mr. Miller goes through. His feeling and intuitions are instead. Sometimes these are spot on, and this is a principal strength of his story. But we get the sense that he hasn't tested them against scripture, and could have saved himself alot of angst and confusion if he had. Mr. Miller, are you willing to give up your angst and your confusion? Are you willing to give them up even if it means giving up a little of the hard won "street cred" you enjoy? Are you willing to experience the eternal kind of life now, or are you putting that off until eternity?
The author is self-deprecating throughout the book, which has the potential to be cute and clever and endearing if done in a limited way. This memoir shows enough of the author to make it painfully clear that he actually believes these little lies. This is not only neither cute, clever, nor endearing, it is also a sin against God, who made the author in his own image and promised to grow him up into the fullness of the character of Christ, if he is willing to receive that promise.
There is also a clear dissassociation from the traditional church - except maybe the Greek Orthodox church, which is sufficiently 'cool'. This in itself isn't a bad thing either, except that its done for very self-conscious reasons, not because it was right, because it was God's will, or because that is where the Spirit led.
Not only that, but the author takes it on himself to apologize for all the sins of the traditional church. Now, that isn't in itself a bad thing either - there are certainly plently of sins to confess. Thing is, Mr. Miller doesn't acknowledge any of the sins of his own church/movement/posse, and every corporate gathering has them. To his credit, he does recognize that there is some element of sin in these attitudes, but the closest he gets to apologizing is joking about them in a postmodern, self-referential sort of way. The admission is the joke is the confession. Or something like that. Here's an example. "God loves other churches almost as much as he loves yours". Um, no. In fact thats not a true statement. For your own sake, Don, please follow this up with some truth! Not that we need to hear it in your book, or that your congregation needs to hear it (although we do - thats why you wrote it; and they do too - that's why you pastor them), but simply for your own sanity. You do this so constantly it makes my head spin.
What does it mean, to be a Christian? In the words of the Anglican archbishop Steven O'Neill, "A Christian is one who is like Christ". In the words of God, "This is how we know we are in him: whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did." (1Jn 2:6). There is so much more and so much less in this book than what we are called to do as disciples of Christ that as the author's self-appointed spiritual counselor, I give the following counsel:
If you claimed that you were perfect, Don, I'd think you were crazy. But you really should be alot closer to perfection than this if you are going to go public on that level. Your heart is in the right place, but be vigilant in monitoring this chronic case of uniqueness you seem to have. That is where you will be tempted to sin - by glorying your own unique self, instead of glorying in God. Its a fine, fine line, but there is a chasm separating them.
Rating:
Summary: Best Book I have Read in a long Time!!
Review: This is a must read!! Donald has the great ability to be real and funny all at once. I couldn't put this book down. I laughed and cried and laughed some more. I could relate to everything he wrote. He is a great story teller!!
Rating:
Summary: Stars in the sky like Blue Jazz Notes
Review: This is a wonderful book about one man's relationship with God. It is honest, searching, authentic, orthodox and completely refreshing. This book is not meant to be an exposition of theology, but rather an offer to view how that theology practically plays out in a life. The anecdotes are poignant and relevant to many of our lives today. If you know you believe in God but struggle with understanding how you fit into the greater scheme that is modern Christianity, this book is for you. I highly recommend it. This is one of the finest spiritual memoirs I've ever come across. The book only gets 4 stars because it bogs down in points and the prose is not as good as it could be, but all in all, go buy it. By the way, there is another review here that says this book is a liberal book. I think that's an innacurate assessment. This book strives to be a-political and suggests that a person's politics has nothing much to do with God per-se.
Rating:
Summary: Felt Like I Was Reading My Own Thoughts GREAT BOOK!
Review: This is the first book I have read cover to cover oh in about 2 or 3 years. I sell new books on ... amazon from time to time for extra cash and almost attempted to sell this one. One day while I was stacking the new books I was going to list to sell, I picked up Blue Like Jazz and read the back and from what the reviews described on the back of the book I found myself curious, so I opened it and began reading it, and from there I could not put it down. It was almost like God wanted me to read this book, in fact He did want me to read this book. This is a GREAT book and many times it felt like I was reading my own thoughts about Christian spirituality and just life in general. This is a down to earth-human book about one man's journey thru life with Christ leading the way. Again very much like myself. Thanks Donald!
Rating:
Summary: a spiritual boost for anyone bewildered by church busyness
Review: you don't have to be young to love this book. i'm a 55-year-old mother/christian writer with kids donald's age (and Lord, i hope they don't feel the christianity i passed on to them is inaccessible, but if they do i'm trusting You will make up the difference).
my story is different than donald's, in that i didn't grow up in the church and didn't become a christian until i was 39. we've been to all kinds of churches, and i've been so turned off by the amount of time expected for stuff that has no relevance.
i guess at heart i'm PoMo myself. Because I write, I receive a lot of review copies. This is the first book i've devoured in a such a short time -- i'm 3/4 finished after 2 days. i like it immensely!
it reminds me why i became a christian -- because i couldn't resist the message of jesus.
thanks, don, for your transparency and authenticity!
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