Camping with Kierkegaard: Faithfulness as a Way of Life

by J. Aaron Simmons

In this book, Aaron Simmons takes us on a trip to the mountains to reflect on the
meaning of life. In a world too often defined by a quest for “success” that leaves us
empty, alone, and anxious, Simmons seeks “faithfulness“ outdoors with thinkers
and artists from Aristotle to Kierkegaard, Sartre to Anne Lamott, and Kendrick
Lamar to Donovan Woods. Simmons invites us to rethink what it means to make
choices, take risks, be alone and silent while cultivating friendships, and to find our
calling by facing our vulnerability. In the end, Simmons shows that faithfulness is
more than a religious concept. It is about living a life of risk with direction.

Genres: Philosophy, Religion, Nonfiction, Faith

206 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 29, 2023

Reviews

[Mckenzee Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I consider myself fortunate to have never believed the human condition was 'curable'" - David Kansas, quoted by J. Aaron Simmons in "Camping with Kierkegaard

I received this book as a Christmas gift. I have just recently gotten into reading philosophy, and although this isn't something I would typically pick up, I am glad that I did. This is a wonderful exploration of what we do with the limited time we are given on earth. Though Simmons is a Christian himself, the book isn't particularly religious, and rather focuses on faithfulness as the author defines it, "risk with direction".
I particularly enjoy the recognition that Simmons has of life and the fact that it's meaning comes from its end, and how this gives all of us the choice to act as we see fit within the time we have. Simmons emphasizes the importance of finding your own mountains, a place where you can reflect on life and practice our aloneness. As Simmons himself refers to countless musicians throughout the book, I will in my review as well. As I read this book, I listened to the song "Hospital Parking" by Stephanie Lambring, which ends with the lyric "Might be the end, might be just starting/ You've still gotta pay for hospital parking". The song, like the book, discuss the idea that we are given the world as it is when we are born. We cannot change what happens around us. We cannot change the actions of others. The world keeps spinning, and it's okay to be sad or disappointed or angry about it, but the world will spin all the same.
I found this to be a moving and pertinent exploration of life, mortality, relationships, gratitude, and, of course, faith.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've followed Aaron's work for a couple of years, so had high hopes for the book. Even so, it exceeded my expectations in every way. Aaron has a remarkable ability to take what seems like "ivory tower," abstract ideas, and show how they're relevant to my everyday life, work, and relationships. He's written incredibly accessible chapters on ethics, faith, finding meaning in the here-and-now, etc. But don't get me wrong--neither is this just a trite self-help book, either. Profound passages fall off of practically every page. Ideas I can think about again and again. Take this from p. 40: "far too often we act like we can carry each other's burdens. . . [But] given then mineness of experience, I can't navigate the human condition, even if shared, for another. All I can do is to try to help them navigate it better for themselves." I find this a great expression of the paradox of building real community while living lives that ultimately belong to us. And the way that Aaron acknowledges that in a way that makes both ends of the spectrum sound so natural and even compelling draws me into wanting to live a life that honors both.

Bottom line. Just buy the book. It's the best investment you'll make today.

[Brent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a philosopher, nor do I frequently delve into philosophical works. However, Simmons' Camping with Kierkegaard is the perfect book for a non-academic like myself.

Simmons deftly weaves philosophical reflections with illustrations of the outdoors, pop references, and personal stories to strongly argue for Faithfulness as a way of life, rather than goal-centric, culture-defined success. He teaches us to lean into "risk with direction", while asking ourselves "What is worthy of (my) finitude?"

I found Camping with Kierkegaard to be accessible, relatable, humorous, and convicting; causing me to reflect on how I live out each day in the choices I make, habits I keep, and risks I take.

[JIM RUSSELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

As practitioners of life, we should leave the city to think for a while.
Among the gems on each page, Aaron says,
“Kierkegaard temporarily loses society and finds himself—not as ethically alone, but in a deeper and more profound relationship to others...The idea here seems to be that there is nothing magical or mystical about the specific experiential occasion for empirical aloneness. What matters is that we wake up to the contingency of how the world has been handed over to us.“
Spend a bit of time with the book and you’ll be better able to enjoy the there-and-back trails as well as the loops because you will experience the same things, just differently and anew.

[parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sounds like a review born out of ass-kissing, but this book was written by my current philosophy professor and was assigned at the best possible time. Serendipitously, I have been grappling with these ideas this past semester, and this book felt like the culmination of all of these thoughts into a beautiful book of reflection on how to best embrace the finitude of life and how to live presently and without regrets. While I am still green when it comes to philosophy (and do not have the answers to my questions fully answered), this book made me understand what it truly means to “do” philosophy, and not just talking about it.

Thank you Dr. Simmons for this book!

[marcus miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable book I should probably read again to better understand, though actually, I'll ponder it some more while I ride my bicycle on some of Iowa's gravel roads since we don't have mountains. It's a good reminder to try to be fully present or engaged in what we are doing, especially when we are with people, whether it be my family, friends or my students, and that all work and no play makes one dull. Simmons reminds us we are all going to age and die, so we may as well live with finitude and do our best to make life an adventure.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love philosophy reads, but I need time and the right mindset to get through what is often esoteric to non-philosophers. Aaron Simmons' "Camping with Kierkegaard" has the depth without the drudge. It's an enjoyable read by a scholar with impressive academic credentials and a long list of peer reviewed publications. Read it, enjoyed it, learned a bit, and shared this book with friends and family.

[Matthew Huffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaron writes an incredibly accessible book that challenges us to think about how we’re living our lives. You don’t have to have read Kierkegaard or any other philosophers to feel the lure towards living life on purpose.

[JM Bertrand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much like his classes, Aaron prompts his readers to think about questions of life. He challenges them to come up with their own answers of how to love faithfully so that they may get the most out of their life.

[Brian Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book!! Philosophy generally goes over my head, but this book spoke to me, at my level. I'd heard Aaron talk about it on many podcasts, and his enthusiasm for life, and "doing life right" always jumped out to me. I highly recommend that you give this book a read!!!

[Jonathan Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

J. Aaron Simmons invites us all to contemplate what is worth our finitude. This book is a masterclass is what philosophy can be. questions not answers. invitation not dogma.

[Pearl Loewen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have blogged my review elsewhere (https://winsomewomen.blogspot.com/202...)

[Jordan Vale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always nice to read a book that over delivers on your expectations. This is one of those books, its accessible, practical, and engaging. I have found myself recommending this work time and again.

[Roo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5--highly accessible and engaging, yet repetitive at points. The pop culture/musical references were distracting and irritating.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the son of a brilliant pastor, who was also a fan of Kierkegaard and who said he found God most easily while fly-fishing the crystal clear trout streams of the Great Smoky Mountains, this book was like a long and fascinating conversation with my departed father. The author seamlessly integrates philosophy, theology and the appreciation of wild places into a profound study of how to live a good life.

One of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long while.

[JIM RUSSELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

As practitioners of life, we should leave the city to think for a while.
Among the gems on each page, Aaron says,
“Kierkegaard temporarily loses society and finds himself—not as ethically alone, but in a deeper and more profound relationship to others...The idea here seems to be that there is nothing magical or mystical about the specific experiential occasion for empirical aloneness. What matters is that we wake up to the contingency of how the world has been handed over to us.“
Spend a bit of time with the book and you’ll be better able to enjoy the there-and-back trails as well as the loops because you will experience the same things, just differently and anew.

[Judy M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a great read!

I love this book. So full of great thoughts about living life well. He make philosophy accessible and necessary for living!