Big Questions, Worthy Dreams : Mentoring Young Adults in Their Search for Meaning, Purpose, and Faith

Rating:
Summary: Inspiring and Thoughtful Advice for Helping Today's Youth
Review: "Big Questions, Worthy Dreams" is a stunning book that delivers even more than it promises. I was expecting another philosophical/psychological tome on the intellectual and emotional development of young adults. I was also expecting yet another alarmist treatise on the lack of morality in today's youth--"and here's what we adults should do about it." Instead, I stumbled upon a wonderfully insightful book that weaves together developmental theory and inspirational stories, but--thankfully!--without the academic gobbledegook jargon that clogs up the prose of so many other books. But what I like best about this book is the hopeful, even inspiring, message of the book. Parks offers a clear picture of the challenges facing those of us who wish to be mentors to young people, and shows us why it's necessary--and rewarding--to take an active interest in the lives of others. This is truly an excellent book! I'm recommending it to all my colleagues.

Rating:
Summary: Doesn't deliver on the expectations
Review: I read this book because it was highly recommended to those who work in Campus Ministry at an Institute I attended. I snatched up the book in anticipation of being able to help those young adults that I work with. But instead of finding helpful and meaninful nuggets of psychology and analysis of the mentoring relationship, I found the book very unhelpful.

Parks uses developmental psychological analysis to try and examine what role a mentor should play while interacting with young adults. She fails to adequately address how to build relationship and how to mentor but rather stays in the "ivory tower" and doesn't come down to the ground to help mentors in the trenches. I highly disagree with another reviewer that she doesn't get caught up in the academic over-psychologizing and prose. It seems that the author was trying to please those in her field rather than those that might need a work of this kind even more. There is little "hands-on" practical advice, but rather developmental theory takes over.

She also likes to only talk about "spirituality" in vague terms and in a way the cements a relativistic approach to God and a world-view. If this sounds like your cup-o-tea, then jump in like I did. If not, don't make the same mistake I did.

Rating:
Summary: Doesn't deliver on the expectations
Review: I read this book because it was highly recommended to those who work in Campus Ministry at an Institute I attended. I snatched up the book in anticipation of being able to help those young adults that I work with. But instead of finding helpful and meaninful nuggets of psychology and analysis of the mentoring relationship, I found the book very unhelpful.

Parks uses developmental psychological analysis to try and examine what role a mentor should play while interacting with young adults. She fails to adequately address how to build relationship and how to mentor but rather stays in the "ivory tower" and doesn't come down to the ground to help mentors in the trenches. I highly disagree with another reviewer that she doesn't get caught up in the academic over-psychologizing and prose. It seems that the author was trying to please those in her field rather than those that might need a work of this kind even more. There is little "hands-on" practical advice, but rather developmental theory takes over.

She also likes to only talk about "spirituality" in vague terms and in a way the cements a relativistic approach to God and a world-view. If this sounds like your cup-o-tea, then jump in like I did. If not, don't make the same mistake I did.

Rating:
Summary: A Captivating Read for Mentors
Review: In Big Questions Worthy Dreams, Sharon Parks affirms the purpose, promise and possibility of mentoring for mentor and mentee. She recognizes the critical role of "meaning making" in the mentoring journey. The reader is at once (and always) aware of the awesome responsibility of the mentor in supporting "meaning making"at each stage of the mentee's developmental journey. Parks solidly anchors mentoring in the rich dynamic of developmental theory. At the same time, she challenges the reader to heightened levels of accountability. The examples she offers, documented from her own experience, and those of others, inspire the reader to create stimulating mentoring environments that foster growth and development. This thoughtful and well-crafted book hooks the reader from the very start raising big questions and worthy dreams for mentor and mentee alike. A mentoring must-read!