Soul Searching: The Religious And Spiritual Lives Of American Teenagers

Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended
Review: I had the pleasure of reading an advance copy of this book. It is dynamite--persuasively argued and engagingly written! The book provides the most comprehensive look at religion and American youth available today. It is a must-read for youth ministers and parents. It will also be illuminating for anyone interested in the general state of youth in the US and the role that religion plays in the lives of American teens. The book provides a balanced treatment of the topic--neither alarmist nor utopian--and the writing style makes it accessible to wide variety of readers.

Rating:
Summary: A must read
Review: I was fortunate to be able to read an advance copy of this book, which provides the most comprehensive treatement to date of the spiritual and religious lives of teenagers. The findings show a significantly different side of American teenagers than what we normally see on television and in the movies. If your views of teenagers are based on what you think you know about them from the news, TV shows and movies, you need to read this book and get a more accurate picture. I highly recommend this book for parents, youth ministers, and anyone who is interested in understanding the lives of teenagers today.

Rating:
Summary: These are our kids!
Review: I've read the book manuscript--it's a shocker. Definitely buy it.
> --a reader from Shermans Dale, Pennsylvania


Rating:
Summary: Must read for scholars studying youth
Review: This book is based on the most thorough survey of American teenagers that has ever been done. Funded by the Lilly Endowment, the author draws on extremely nuanced data that includes a national survey with teens and significant caregivers as well as in-depth interviews with a sample of the population that was surveyed. Although questions about religious behavior have been included on a variety of surveys, ranging from Gallup Polls to surveys of teenagers and drug use, there is no study that compares with this one in terms of the multidimensional character of the research. I highly recommend it.