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A Hard Thing on a Beautiful Day: and Other Essays
Eighty essays on sports, pop culture, and life from award-winning author Ted Kluck.
“Ted Kluck is one of faith literature’s unsung heroes. Always authentic, always funny, and nothing short of your best friend on every page.”—Brian Ivie, head of storytelling at Arbella Studios
“Ted Kluck is one of faith literature’s unsung heroes. Always authentic, always funny, and nothing short of your best friend on every page.”—Brian Ivie, head of storytelling at Arbella Studios
- GenresEssays
254 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 11, 2019
10 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Ted Kluck
38 books63 followersTed Kluck writes on topics ranging from Mike Tyson to the Emergent Church. Ted has played professional indoor football, coached high school football, trained as a professional wrestler, served as a missionary, and taught writing courses at the college level.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 29, 2023
I couldn't put it down. There were essays toward the back (in the Gut Check section) that I could have lived without, but that is really my only criticism.
Kluck manages to be honest and transparent in his writing without being cloying or cringy. I love the sports nostalgia and the unabashed love for the 80s, even though the 80s are before my time. I love the turns to the gospel that clearly weren't what he was setting out to do when he opened the piece, but just where the stream of thought led him.
He's writing as a real Christian, but since he's not a 'professional' Christian (pastor, seminary prof, etc), the reflections on brokeness and sin and our need for a Savior feel a lot less like a sermon and more like a conversation with a friend where you get to the end and he says, "you know there's more to life than what you've been told, right?"
Kluck manages to be honest and transparent in his writing without being cloying or cringy. I love the sports nostalgia and the unabashed love for the 80s, even though the 80s are before my time. I love the turns to the gospel that clearly weren't what he was setting out to do when he opened the piece, but just where the stream of thought led him.
He's writing as a real Christian, but since he's not a 'professional' Christian (pastor, seminary prof, etc), the reflections on brokeness and sin and our need for a Savior feel a lot less like a sermon and more like a conversation with a friend where you get to the end and he says, "you know there's more to life than what you've been told, right?"
July 6, 2020
For those familiar with Ted Kluck from to his work on The Happy Rant or Gutcheck podcasts, this will only add to your liking or hating of who he is. I hope you wouldn't "hate" who he is, because that's just mean. And honestly, although he likes to portray himself as a guy who doesn't care what people think about him, his angst could not handle much of your hating.
I didn't really understand the chapters related to Downtown Abbey. But I'm sure it was meta in the way that all of his chapters mocking the self-centeredness of Reformed Christianity and Evangelical Christianity and media and capitalism are so wonderfully meta.
Loved this book. Love Kluck's sense of humor. But most of all, loved his vulnerability about what it feels like to be a middle-aged man.
I didn't really understand the chapters related to Downtown Abbey. But I'm sure it was meta in the way that all of his chapters mocking the self-centeredness of Reformed Christianity and Evangelical Christianity and media and capitalism are so wonderfully meta.
Loved this book. Love Kluck's sense of humor. But most of all, loved his vulnerability about what it feels like to be a middle-aged man.
June 5, 2021
I’m a fan of Ted Kluck, from the books he co-authored with Kevin DeYoung to The Gut Check podcast with Zach Bartels. This book is a collection of ~80 of his articles published over his career. The format makes it a great bathroom book—I think Ted would agree. Ted blends humor, wit, and honesty throughout. If you’ve read anything by him or listened to his podcasts, I recommend giving this a read, too.
November 10, 2020
He is a good writer with a lot of wit and wisdom. I laughed out loud several times.
July 20, 2022
I think I read basically all the essays, but I can't quite remember.
I love Ted Kluck, and you should too.
I love Ted Kluck, and you should too.
February 7, 2020
Fantastic
This book of essays by Ted Kluck is witty, charming, inspiring and (insert other positive adjectives here)! I especially loved the sports section.
This book of essays by Ted Kluck is witty, charming, inspiring and (insert other positive adjectives here)! I especially loved the sports section.
April 27, 2020
Such a fun read. Short essays that are light hearted and yet deep with personality from one of my fav's.
December 7, 2019
A wonderfully fun and relatable collection of essays. Sports, family, movies, church, television, and things like lawn envy; All things that Christian men of my general age think about, and written by someone who both feels like an expert on each issue, but also feels like just chatting with an old friend. Bravo!
December 15, 2019
Buy this book!
Ted is uniquely able to be simultaneously introspective, sincere, and self-deprecating. Many of these essays deal with everyday realities, but Ted reminds us of the beauty amidst the challenges of life. And, he also uses his words in ways that will make you laugh out loud.
Ted is uniquely able to be simultaneously introspective, sincere, and self-deprecating. Many of these essays deal with everyday realities, but Ted reminds us of the beauty amidst the challenges of life. And, he also uses his words in ways that will make you laugh out loud.
August 28, 2019
A terrific set of essays. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes moving, always interesting.
November 25, 2019
Some wonderful creative non-fiction from Ted.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews