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Dirt
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Expected 1 Jan 06Dirt is a story about the places where we start. From a single-wide trailer in the mountains of rural West Virginia to the halls of Yale Law School, Mary Marantz's story is one of remembering our roots while turning our faces to the sky. From growing up in that trailer, where it rained just as hard inside as out and the smell of mildew hung thick in the air, Mary has known what it is to feel broken and disqualified because of the muddy scars leaving smudged fingerprints across our lives. Generations of her family lived and logged in those hauntingly treacherous woods, risking life and limb just to barely scrape by. And yet that very struggle became the redemption song God used to write a life she never dreamed of.
Mixed with warmth, wit, and the bittersweet, sometimes achingly heartbreaking places we go when we dig in instead of give up, Dirt is a story of healing. With gut-wrenching honesty and hard-won wisdom, Mary shares her story for anyone who has ever walked into the world and felt like their scars were still on display, showing that you are braver, better, and more empathetic for what you have survived. Because God does his best work in the muddy, messy, and broken--if we'll only learn to dig in.
Mixed with warmth, wit, and the bittersweet, sometimes achingly heartbreaking places we go when we dig in instead of give up, Dirt is a story of healing. With gut-wrenching honesty and hard-won wisdom, Mary shares her story for anyone who has ever walked into the world and felt like their scars were still on display, showing that you are braver, better, and more empathetic for what you have survived. Because God does his best work in the muddy, messy, and broken--if we'll only learn to dig in.
Hardcover
Expected publication January 1, 20206
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About the author
Mary Marantz
5 books119 followersAuthor, speaker, and podcast host, Mary Marantz, grew up in a single-wide trailer in rural West Virginia. The first of her immediate family to go to college, she went on to earn a law degree from the nation's #1 law school, Yale. After ditching six-figure-salary law firm offers in London and New York, she started a business with her husband, Justin. Together they have built a successful online education platform for creative entrepreneurs. She is also the host of the highly- ranked and popular podcast The Mary Marantz Show which debuted in the Top 200 of iTunes. Mary will release her first book, "Dirt: Growing Strong Roots in What Makes the Broken Beautiful," in September. She lives in an 1880s fixer-upper by the sea in New Haven, Connecticut, with her husband, Justin and their two very fluffy golden retrievers, Goodspeed and Atticus. For more information, please visit MaryMarantz.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 327 reviews
September 23, 2020
I'm her editor, so I'm clearly biased. But this is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read.
February 8, 2025
Absolutely loved the writing & the childhood parts, which were the most compelling. I found myself unable to stop listening until I got through the whole thing. I also cried...A LOT.
What really got me is the boots section, where she didn't understand why she had to help her dad at the end of his work day, then thought of what Jesus would do, and it was as if a dam burst open from me, I couldn't stop crying. It was such a beautiful image.
Even though the author grew up across the world from me, there are parts of her story that I can relate to, and I feel like anyone who reads this will be able to as well.
I love the emphasis on family, and the reminder that your ancestors paved the way for you, so you shouldn't take what you have for granted.
There's this one metaphor, where it sounds like she got assaulted, but even when I relistened to that part, I couldn't make complete sense of it. So if someone did understand what really happened there, please let me know.
But yeah, this was such a great memoir, I'd love to read even more stories by Mary Marantz in the future.
What really got me is the boots section, where she didn't understand why she had to help her dad at the end of his work day, then thought of what Jesus would do, and it was as if a dam burst open from me, I couldn't stop crying. It was such a beautiful image.
Even though the author grew up across the world from me, there are parts of her story that I can relate to, and I feel like anyone who reads this will be able to as well.
I love the emphasis on family, and the reminder that your ancestors paved the way for you, so you shouldn't take what you have for granted.
There's this one metaphor, where it sounds like she got assaulted, but even when I relistened to that part, I couldn't make complete sense of it. So if someone did understand what really happened there, please let me know.
But yeah, this was such a great memoir, I'd love to read even more stories by Mary Marantz in the future.
March 25, 2021
One of the best books I've read this year. Mary Marantz is an incredible writer with a moving story.
August 16, 2020
"Dirt: Growing Strong Roots in What Makes the Broken Beautiful" is a memoir by Mary Marantz of growing up in the mountains of West Virginia. Knowing nothing about Ms. Marantz beforehand and after receiving an advanced reader's copy from Netgalley, I then read the wonderful prologue and before reading further on, then researched a bit more about the author. Learning more about the author heavily complimented the rest of the memoir because upon discovering more of Ms. Marantz's background, that knowledge created a keen interest to find out how she went from birth to the present.
"Dirt" is an exceptional memoir filled with obvious heartfelt memories, trying times and so many kernels of poignant life-long observations. Reading the memoir, the reader quickly realizes the author is wise beyond her years and writes lacking in wordiness and makes every word and description count. Another interesting aspect of the memoir is how "dirt" is expressed as a foundation for Ms. Marantz's life. And this is both in a physical and metaphorical sense. One example is how she points out one must dig deep into the dirt to discover the good. Her broad usage of the concept of "dirt" really ties the memoir together as a fibrous, branching system of life in the past, present and future, and how those things found in "dirt" heavily influence one's life.
Reading memoirs like "Dirt" I have found there is an almost delicate balance between whether the memoir may tend to lean toward pretentiousness or a somewhat superficiality feeling while losing sincerity and humility - Mary Marantz avoids that completely. Knowing where her life is in the present only makes the reader really appreciate her growth and all of her time before the present. If descriptions of her home life as a child do not move readers when contrasted to where she is today, then it is questionable as to what will.
I can't recommend "Dirt" enough. Mary Marantz has written an honest, touching memoir many will probably describe as a "rags to riches" story, when it is much more than that and as she writes of her father's fingernails and how he could never get the dirt from beneath his fingernails no matter how hard he tried, "Dirt" will remain under your fingernails after reading and that's not such a bad thing.
Netgalley provided an ARC of "Dirt" for the return of an honest review.
"Dirt" is an exceptional memoir filled with obvious heartfelt memories, trying times and so many kernels of poignant life-long observations. Reading the memoir, the reader quickly realizes the author is wise beyond her years and writes lacking in wordiness and makes every word and description count. Another interesting aspect of the memoir is how "dirt" is expressed as a foundation for Ms. Marantz's life. And this is both in a physical and metaphorical sense. One example is how she points out one must dig deep into the dirt to discover the good. Her broad usage of the concept of "dirt" really ties the memoir together as a fibrous, branching system of life in the past, present and future, and how those things found in "dirt" heavily influence one's life.
Reading memoirs like "Dirt" I have found there is an almost delicate balance between whether the memoir may tend to lean toward pretentiousness or a somewhat superficiality feeling while losing sincerity and humility - Mary Marantz avoids that completely. Knowing where her life is in the present only makes the reader really appreciate her growth and all of her time before the present. If descriptions of her home life as a child do not move readers when contrasted to where she is today, then it is questionable as to what will.
I can't recommend "Dirt" enough. Mary Marantz has written an honest, touching memoir many will probably describe as a "rags to riches" story, when it is much more than that and as she writes of her father's fingernails and how he could never get the dirt from beneath his fingernails no matter how hard he tried, "Dirt" will remain under your fingernails after reading and that's not such a bad thing.
Netgalley provided an ARC of "Dirt" for the return of an honest review.
March 19, 2021
Like another famous Appalachian memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, Dirt by Mary Marantz seemed intent on making a point, rather than just telling what might have been an interesting story. Like, JD Vance, Mary Marantz grew up in a working class family without ever identifying the strength and value that lie therein.
I found the writing dizzying and disjointed, full of repeated trite metaphors. Nuggets of information would appear, then disappear without adding to the plot. Her father was a hardworking man who wanted his daughter to do better. But we never learned what motivated him. Her mom was not around, but we never really knew why or the impact of her absence on Mary. Why did she go to law school? Why didn’t she practice law? How did she become famous on the lecture circuit, talking about wedding photographs?
It appeared to me that whenever the story needed her to dig deep, she would throw in religion and move on. I thought the book might provide insight on Appalachian culture instead it was another “my faith moved mountains” tome. The kind you find on the Christian bookrack near the checkout at Walmart.
I found the writing dizzying and disjointed, full of repeated trite metaphors. Nuggets of information would appear, then disappear without adding to the plot. Her father was a hardworking man who wanted his daughter to do better. But we never learned what motivated him. Her mom was not around, but we never really knew why or the impact of her absence on Mary. Why did she go to law school? Why didn’t she practice law? How did she become famous on the lecture circuit, talking about wedding photographs?
It appeared to me that whenever the story needed her to dig deep, she would throw in religion and move on. I thought the book might provide insight on Appalachian culture instead it was another “my faith moved mountains” tome. The kind you find on the Christian bookrack near the checkout at Walmart.
September 15, 2020
Reading Dirt, by Mary Marantz , was like sitting down with a favorite snack; once I started I couldn't put it down.
From the opening sentence of the very first chapter, I was drawn into Mary’s storytelling. I fell in love with the scrappy, imaginative girl at the beginning of the story, with her earnest and honest heart.
The writing in Dirt is beautiful, which you might not expect from the title, but one of Mary’s gifts is using her words to find the light amongst shadows. With language that is rich with visual detail (West Virginia is now on my bucket list to visit in fall!), the arc of the storytelling moves like waves, taking you through heartbreaking candor, and pulling you back again with humor and redemptive healing.
I read the entire book through a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes, feeling my own "dirt" coming to the surface as I read, seeing for the first time where God used those hard experiences to bring me where I am today. What a gift to read another’s story, and suddenly find yourself at peace with your own.
Dirt is by far, the best piece of nonfiction writing I have read in years!
From the opening sentence of the very first chapter, I was drawn into Mary’s storytelling. I fell in love with the scrappy, imaginative girl at the beginning of the story, with her earnest and honest heart.
The writing in Dirt is beautiful, which you might not expect from the title, but one of Mary’s gifts is using her words to find the light amongst shadows. With language that is rich with visual detail (West Virginia is now on my bucket list to visit in fall!), the arc of the storytelling moves like waves, taking you through heartbreaking candor, and pulling you back again with humor and redemptive healing.
I read the entire book through a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes, feeling my own "dirt" coming to the surface as I read, seeing for the first time where God used those hard experiences to bring me where I am today. What a gift to read another’s story, and suddenly find yourself at peace with your own.
Dirt is by far, the best piece of nonfiction writing I have read in years!
August 27, 2020
This book is beautiful. The first half reads like a coming of age story and makes you fall in love with the characters. The second half explores those characters like your own personal book club, and gives you the development and progression you are hoping for. Mary's writing style is exquisite. She nails the balance between descriptive writing that sets you right in the scene and brings out feeling, while also setting a page-turning pace so you don't want to put it down.
Mary grew up in a trailer in West Virginia. She explores the hardships of not only her childhood, but the lives of her ancestors before her as well as the community of loggers and coal miners in her community. Mary goes on to undergrad and eventually Yale Law school, but at some point she has to confront and recognize the value in her upbringing in the "dirt". She reaches into the past to realize her present.
Thank you for the privelege of allowing me to read this a bit before release as an ARC through Netgalley. I am pleased to be able to rate it a true 5 star.
Mary grew up in a trailer in West Virginia. She explores the hardships of not only her childhood, but the lives of her ancestors before her as well as the community of loggers and coal miners in her community. Mary goes on to undergrad and eventually Yale Law school, but at some point she has to confront and recognize the value in her upbringing in the "dirt". She reaches into the past to realize her present.
Thank you for the privelege of allowing me to read this a bit before release as an ARC through Netgalley. I am pleased to be able to rate it a true 5 star.
September 12, 2020
I met Mary a number of years ago through a photography education workshop. I had been following her on social media for a bit before signing up to learn from her and her other half, and I was constantly in awe of just how beautifully she could put into words some of the things I’ve always felt but couldn’t express. As the years went on, I got to know Mary better. She mentored me, and to this day, I continue to be inspired by her and her wisdom. Any time I would go to a business conference or workshop and she was a speaker, I knew I would leave changed. She has such a way with words that it kind of hard to explain, but she commands any room she steps into. She has a way of painting a picture with her words, just as beautifully as she has always been able to capture a moment with a camera and perfect lighting. And I knew that one day, she was going to write a book, and it was going to be magical. And I was right. From the prologue of the book, I knew that this book was going to move me. I cried big alligator tears just within the first few pages. And if you know Mary, this is just the effect she has on people. She says the things out loud that people feel deep, deep within. And she does it so beautifully and eloquently. Her words in this book are like poetry, and I could not put it down! This is a book that I’m purchasing for friends and family for Christmas because people need to read it! It’s absolutely amazing. Mary is absolutely amazing and incomparable. And I have no doubt she will use this book to continue to inspire women across the country and across the world!
August 13, 2020
“And it always started with dirt.” We get really comfortable with hiding the messy parts of our lives that we think will make others not like us or think less of us. This book reminds us that sometimes we have to “dig deep to get to the good parts”. Mary’s writing is lyrical and captivating and real. She says what most of us are thinking, and she does it in a way that makes it feel like she is sitting right beside you telling her story. Exposed and inspiring, her story is one with a thread of redemption and grace woven throughout every page. It leaves you asking yourself, “What story are you telling?”
March 17, 2021
2.5 Stars
I had a hard time seeing where this book was going for the majority of it, which made it hard to want to pick up. I felt like this needed a tighter editing job, as well as more details in general of her childhood since she kept referring back to it--like those sections should have been written in more of a narrative form rather than a summary form. Also, this had a crazy amount of simile and metaphor in it, which I'll admit really started to bug me after awhile...
Like I said, a tighter editing job might have been able to pull this one up. As it was, I had a hard time finding motivation to keep reading it.
I had a hard time seeing where this book was going for the majority of it, which made it hard to want to pick up. I felt like this needed a tighter editing job, as well as more details in general of her childhood since she kept referring back to it--like those sections should have been written in more of a narrative form rather than a summary form. Also, this had a crazy amount of simile and metaphor in it, which I'll admit really started to bug me after awhile...
Like I said, a tighter editing job might have been able to pull this one up. As it was, I had a hard time finding motivation to keep reading it.
October 13, 2022
Hi Mary ,
Your original intuition that the gift of being accepted into " My Father's Kingdom" is offered by God IN EXCHANGE for us doing the best we can do God's will rather than a "freebie" we can have just for the asking or accepting is correct . According to quotations from Jesus being accepted into "my father's house/kingdom is a REALLY TERRIFIC BARGAIN that God offers his belove children IN EXCHANGE for us doing our sincere best we(doing all in our power )to live in his will have to bargain for with our good deeds is correct. In you memoir you pointed out to your friend that in Matthew Jesus himself VERY CLEARLY tells us that salvation (our worth in God's eyes ) is not free but we have to do something to earn it :
(Matthew 7:21, ESV:) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven-or as the KJV says -(Matthew 7:21, KJV:) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that DOETH the will of my Father which is in heaven."
Matthew 25:14-30 English Standard Version
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[a] and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents,[b] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.[c] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Matthew 25:31-46
English Standard Version
The Final Judgment
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,[a] you did it to me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
So God offers us a bargain --a peril of great price! --entrance into His Father's kingdom and an eternal stay there IN EXCHANGE for us doing the very sincere best we can to Do what he tells us to do .
If we “abide” in His word, we will be His “disciples indeed,” and we “will know the truth and the truth will set us free." John :30-32 31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
So while grace is a not a FREE gift that we are offered just for being creation of God it IS a VERY GREAT BARGAIN : Our making DOING OUR VERY SINCERE BEST to follow his word in exchange for the greatest grace that can showered on a human soul: eternal Blissful life with your heavenly father!!! It's like buying limitless treasures for corroded copper pennies!!! A deal only a loving Father would offer his child and if we don't take him up on his offer it does not mean he does not love us
“The Lord chastens those He loves” (Hebrews 12:6).
The discipline of the Lord is all done in love. He does not chasten us because He wants to break us and make us miserable. He eventually gives such souls another human life so they can make the right choice and live with him for eternity (Although this is controversial the doctrine of reincarnation was removed from Christianity firstly by Paul then in 325Ad at the council of Nicene and finally in Second Council of Constantinople (A.D. 553)but originally Jesus taught that those who are rejected after this life for not trying sincerely to do God's will are given another live (or as many lives as it takes) until they fulfill the terms of the bargain he offers.) hence “The Lord chastens those He loves” (Hebrews 12:6) until they have fulfilled their part of the bargain. (Lazy people contest this and try to get hardworking people to follow their way of thinking and their view ahs become very popular but Matthew 7:14, ESV: For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:14, KJV: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. So I would not follow the crowd .I'd follow the "still small voice" of my conscience ) (sorry I've got no more time to proof read )
But after Jesus left this world the above VERY CLEAR WORDS imperfect teachers who were mere men and who HAD NO MORE AUTHORITY do CLAIMED to have the authority of God.
Jesus says about these :
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
According to Jesus in the verses above, these individuals believed they were saved and called Jesus “Lord,” but they did not live out their faith. Jesus would agree with James when the half-brother of Jesus says that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:14, 20, 26).
By this we can understand that it’s not enough to say “I believe in Jesus”; we must also live in accordance with what we believe. There must be a trail of good works that characterize our lives in Christ. After all, believers do have the Holy Spirit, who not only sanctifies them but enables them to bear “the fruit of the Spirit”: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22). And yet, it is not right that we use Matthew 7:21-23 to describe everyone who doesn’t endure until the end in faith. Jesus is talking about those He “never knew,” which means that these individuals “never” did anything to show the world they were saved. They never had any good works to speak of that pointed others to Jesus. They never lived the life they claimed they experienced.
Mary,
You are very bright and in tune with God . Don't let lazy people's slick talk or peer pressure keep you from were achieving what God want you to try to achieve and developing the relationship with him that He want you to devlope. Follow your own "small still voice" which tells you to do your best to seek God's will and struggle to do it until your last breath . Every day of our lives we must DO OUR SINCERE BEST sacrifice our will for God's will .If we fall short it does not matter, even if we fail miserably, as long as God saw us try our best AND WHILE NOT A FREE GIFT THAT IS A GREAT BARGAIN - A GREAT MERCY
So how can we feed and shelter the needy whose lands and food supply are being destroyed by climate crisis? Climate scientists tell us that just by becoming vegan we can do more to mitigate climate crisis than any other action we can collectively or individually take.
Animal agriculture is the number 1 cause of deforestation world wide and generates more green house gasses than all forms of transport (cars, busses, trains, ships, planes) combined.
So we have a choice give up our will (meat eating) in order to save the poor from hunger , thirst and homelessness or enjoy meat support deforestation and green house gas emissions that intensify climate crisis and bring devastation to the poor and needy
Grace is not free .To get grace we have to show it to others
Matthew 16:24-26
English Standard Version
Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
BTW I Loved your book, and the bonus "authors cut" 5 Stars
Dari
Your original intuition that the gift of being accepted into " My Father's Kingdom" is offered by God IN EXCHANGE for us doing the best we can do God's will rather than a "freebie" we can have just for the asking or accepting is correct . According to quotations from Jesus being accepted into "my father's house/kingdom is a REALLY TERRIFIC BARGAIN that God offers his belove children IN EXCHANGE for us doing our sincere best we(doing all in our power )to live in his will have to bargain for with our good deeds is correct. In you memoir you pointed out to your friend that in Matthew Jesus himself VERY CLEARLY tells us that salvation (our worth in God's eyes ) is not free but we have to do something to earn it :
(Matthew 7:21, ESV:) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven-or as the KJV says -(Matthew 7:21, KJV:) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that DOETH the will of my Father which is in heaven."
Matthew 25:14-30 English Standard Version
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[a] and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents,[b] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.[c] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Matthew 25:31-46
English Standard Version
The Final Judgment
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,[a] you did it to me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
So God offers us a bargain --a peril of great price! --entrance into His Father's kingdom and an eternal stay there IN EXCHANGE for us doing the very sincere best we can to Do what he tells us to do .
If we “abide” in His word, we will be His “disciples indeed,” and we “will know the truth and the truth will set us free." John :30-32 31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
So while grace is a not a FREE gift that we are offered just for being creation of God it IS a VERY GREAT BARGAIN : Our making DOING OUR VERY SINCERE BEST to follow his word in exchange for the greatest grace that can showered on a human soul: eternal Blissful life with your heavenly father!!! It's like buying limitless treasures for corroded copper pennies!!! A deal only a loving Father would offer his child and if we don't take him up on his offer it does not mean he does not love us
“The Lord chastens those He loves” (Hebrews 12:6).
The discipline of the Lord is all done in love. He does not chasten us because He wants to break us and make us miserable. He eventually gives such souls another human life so they can make the right choice and live with him for eternity (Although this is controversial the doctrine of reincarnation was removed from Christianity firstly by Paul then in 325Ad at the council of Nicene and finally in Second Council of Constantinople (A.D. 553)but originally Jesus taught that those who are rejected after this life for not trying sincerely to do God's will are given another live (or as many lives as it takes) until they fulfill the terms of the bargain he offers.) hence “The Lord chastens those He loves” (Hebrews 12:6) until they have fulfilled their part of the bargain. (Lazy people contest this and try to get hardworking people to follow their way of thinking and their view ahs become very popular but Matthew 7:14, ESV: For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:14, KJV: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. So I would not follow the crowd .I'd follow the "still small voice" of my conscience ) (sorry I've got no more time to proof read )
But after Jesus left this world the above VERY CLEAR WORDS imperfect teachers who were mere men and who HAD NO MORE AUTHORITY do CLAIMED to have the authority of God.
Jesus says about these :
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
According to Jesus in the verses above, these individuals believed they were saved and called Jesus “Lord,” but they did not live out their faith. Jesus would agree with James when the half-brother of Jesus says that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:14, 20, 26).
By this we can understand that it’s not enough to say “I believe in Jesus”; we must also live in accordance with what we believe. There must be a trail of good works that characterize our lives in Christ. After all, believers do have the Holy Spirit, who not only sanctifies them but enables them to bear “the fruit of the Spirit”: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22). And yet, it is not right that we use Matthew 7:21-23 to describe everyone who doesn’t endure until the end in faith. Jesus is talking about those He “never knew,” which means that these individuals “never” did anything to show the world they were saved. They never had any good works to speak of that pointed others to Jesus. They never lived the life they claimed they experienced.
Mary,
You are very bright and in tune with God . Don't let lazy people's slick talk or peer pressure keep you from were achieving what God want you to try to achieve and developing the relationship with him that He want you to devlope. Follow your own "small still voice" which tells you to do your best to seek God's will and struggle to do it until your last breath . Every day of our lives we must DO OUR SINCERE BEST sacrifice our will for God's will .If we fall short it does not matter, even if we fail miserably, as long as God saw us try our best AND WHILE NOT A FREE GIFT THAT IS A GREAT BARGAIN - A GREAT MERCY
So how can we feed and shelter the needy whose lands and food supply are being destroyed by climate crisis? Climate scientists tell us that just by becoming vegan we can do more to mitigate climate crisis than any other action we can collectively or individually take.
Animal agriculture is the number 1 cause of deforestation world wide and generates more green house gasses than all forms of transport (cars, busses, trains, ships, planes) combined.
So we have a choice give up our will (meat eating) in order to save the poor from hunger , thirst and homelessness or enjoy meat support deforestation and green house gas emissions that intensify climate crisis and bring devastation to the poor and needy
Grace is not free .To get grace we have to show it to others
Matthew 16:24-26
English Standard Version
Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
BTW I Loved your book, and the bonus "authors cut" 5 Stars
Dari
May 14, 2022
Not only is Mary Marantz’s story incredible—a girl growing up in a trailer in West Virginia turned Yale Law graduate and successful speaker/author—but her thoughts on life and faith are beautiful. She writes clearly and thoughtfully, pulling readers along with anecdotes of her father, mother and grandmother as they struggled as a logging family in a poor situation. It is a life that I simply couldn’t imagine, yet Marantz manages to inspire and encourage through her story.
Marantz's success is truly amazing and she could easily come across as self-promotional, until she admits to her struggle of being self-promotional and insecure—it’s truly an honest book all around. Her explorations of faith and God’s love for her are particularly insightful as well, although I’d love for her to see more of how Jesus’ work on the cross makes her perfect rather than God just deciding to offer her grace.
Marantz's success is truly amazing and she could easily come across as self-promotional, until she admits to her struggle of being self-promotional and insecure—it’s truly an honest book all around. Her explorations of faith and God’s love for her are particularly insightful as well, although I’d love for her to see more of how Jesus’ work on the cross makes her perfect rather than God just deciding to offer her grace.
September 8, 2020
I’m going to try not to make this review sound too hyperbolic or overdramatic. But, I’ll warn you, it’s going to be difficult. Because this book was transformative and I already can’t wait to read it again when my hard copy arrives. I’ll start with a couple of my favorite quotes (and it’s VERY difficult to narrow down my many highlights).
“Here’s what I know: Those parts of us that we want to hide. Those parts of us that we wish we could bury below the surface far away from the light, praying for transformation. Those things we think will make people turn their faces away from us in some sort of sympathy shame on our behalf. For better or worse, those things help make us who we are.”
“The point is that we can’t browbeat people into giving their hearts to God. We can’t thump our chest and scream in their faces and twist their arms until they change their minds. Even if we could, that’s never how God wanted it. It was always meant to be a choice. A root change that happens in the heart. All we can do is sit cross-legged and open-hearted across from one another- close enough where we can really see each other- and tell our stories....’Stories change stories.’”
“Which means it can feel a whole lot like whiplash when God suddenly takes that hard, heavy story you’ve been trying so hard to hide all along and uses it to start opening doors you never dreamed of. Good. We need that kind of shake-up. Because the truth is, when we lean into this dirt that grew us, this struggle-turned-fertile-soil where our roots run deep, we stand a little taller. Open our arms a little wider. Turn our faces to the sky. Trade our shame-stories for a strength inside us we never knew we had. And decide once and for all to own all of it. The hard, the gritty, the bittersweet. This world may try to tell you it isn’t beautiful. But what if they’re wrong?”
“I thought that when He looked at my scars, he saw flaws. But the truth is, He just saw my story. And every little thing that was broken was a chance for him to make that story beautiful. Every wound was an opening for His light to get in. He sees it all, and He just reaches out again with His wide-open palms that have held me. I have been loved, I have been loved, I have been loved. And that, it turns out, changes everything.”
“We don’t skip the pain because that would be easier. We lean into it because that’s what love does.”
Well, those are only a few of my favorite passages. This is a memoir, but it is so much more than that. Mary’s story of feeling ashamed, the difficulty of accepting grace, the path to forgiveness, the transformation in the way that she viewed God, and the process through which she allowed herself to build a life apart from her home state while remaining true to the hard work and grit that helped make her who she is was inspiring, emotional, and challenging. So much of this book resonated with me and, like I said, I know I’ll be reading it again to absorb the depth and the beauty of her words again.
“Here’s what I know: Those parts of us that we want to hide. Those parts of us that we wish we could bury below the surface far away from the light, praying for transformation. Those things we think will make people turn their faces away from us in some sort of sympathy shame on our behalf. For better or worse, those things help make us who we are.”
“The point is that we can’t browbeat people into giving their hearts to God. We can’t thump our chest and scream in their faces and twist their arms until they change their minds. Even if we could, that’s never how God wanted it. It was always meant to be a choice. A root change that happens in the heart. All we can do is sit cross-legged and open-hearted across from one another- close enough where we can really see each other- and tell our stories....’Stories change stories.’”
“Which means it can feel a whole lot like whiplash when God suddenly takes that hard, heavy story you’ve been trying so hard to hide all along and uses it to start opening doors you never dreamed of. Good. We need that kind of shake-up. Because the truth is, when we lean into this dirt that grew us, this struggle-turned-fertile-soil where our roots run deep, we stand a little taller. Open our arms a little wider. Turn our faces to the sky. Trade our shame-stories for a strength inside us we never knew we had. And decide once and for all to own all of it. The hard, the gritty, the bittersweet. This world may try to tell you it isn’t beautiful. But what if they’re wrong?”
“I thought that when He looked at my scars, he saw flaws. But the truth is, He just saw my story. And every little thing that was broken was a chance for him to make that story beautiful. Every wound was an opening for His light to get in. He sees it all, and He just reaches out again with His wide-open palms that have held me. I have been loved, I have been loved, I have been loved. And that, it turns out, changes everything.”
“We don’t skip the pain because that would be easier. We lean into it because that’s what love does.”
Well, those are only a few of my favorite passages. This is a memoir, but it is so much more than that. Mary’s story of feeling ashamed, the difficulty of accepting grace, the path to forgiveness, the transformation in the way that she viewed God, and the process through which she allowed herself to build a life apart from her home state while remaining true to the hard work and grit that helped make her who she is was inspiring, emotional, and challenging. So much of this book resonated with me and, like I said, I know I’ll be reading it again to absorb the depth and the beauty of her words again.
September 9, 2020
When initially picking up this book, you may feel that the descriptions get too lengthy, may be concerned that this story will turn out to be flowery or fluffy. However, that feeling quickly subsides as the author pulls you into every scene with her palpable descriptions, leaving you feeling certain that you must have been a part of each story, growing up alongside her and experiencing it all. She describes her childhood of growing up as the daughter of a West Virginia logger, living in a trailer on a mountainside. Her experiences seem all at once familiar to childhood, and yet contain harsh realities to make you ache for that child and the other players in the story. As she describes her life after age 18 and you silently cheer for her successes, you feel that her past is still hanging over her. The author truly delivers on her promise to show that you don't have to let that past haunt you. You don't have to run from it and keep looking over your shoulder-- but you don't have to forget it either. You just need to stop running. “You have spent a lifetime starting over, breaking loose to run free only to be taken captive again and again. This one truth always dragging, always clawing at your heels like the heavy chains you never asked to bear: no matter how hard you run, you can't outrun you.” Through embracing the dirt, you can finally sit in the stillness and the quiet and enjoy the grit, knowing God has been using it all along. There's no need to wash it off. “At last, freedom takes root and comes home. You know Who it is that holds you. Who has always held you. You were born a wild thing. And you are finally free.” In a world where perfectly styled bookshelves and spotless white kitchens are everywhere, this book is a breath of fresh air-- we all have dirt and we all need dirt and we need to stop hiding it away from ourselves and each other.
September 9, 2020
“I thought that when He looked at my scars, He saw flaws. But the truth is, He just saw my story. And every little thing that was broken was a chance for Him to make that story beautiful. Every wound was an opening for His light to get in. He sees it all, and He just reaches out again with His wide-open palms that have held me.”
Mary Marantz takes the story of her upbringing, a girl from a single-wide trailer in West Virginia who makes her way to Yale Law School, and weaves a written tapestry that exudes love, sacrifice, honesty, warmth, grit, and grace. She openly shares her journey in two parts, “the girl in the trailer” and “the girl after the trailer.” Mary has a beautiful way with words. Each sentence floats off the page and you are transported to that exact moment in time she is describing. It is her story, but after reading this book, I feel like I have lived a part of it too.
Through sharing about the trials of her life, she poetically ties it back to ways that God showed up and offers readers ways God can show up for us too. We have to learn to embrace our story, no matter how muddy it is. God will use our story, even the broken, messy parts to help change the world. “Grace has the power to transform,” she shares and reminds us that we will only “see the proof, if you are willing to let it take root.”
I will read anything Mary writes! You will love this book and fall in love with Mary, her “one part firecracker, one part sassafras” grandmother, and her endearing father. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is feeling like their story doesn’t matter. You will quickly learn that is does!
Mary Marantz takes the story of her upbringing, a girl from a single-wide trailer in West Virginia who makes her way to Yale Law School, and weaves a written tapestry that exudes love, sacrifice, honesty, warmth, grit, and grace. She openly shares her journey in two parts, “the girl in the trailer” and “the girl after the trailer.” Mary has a beautiful way with words. Each sentence floats off the page and you are transported to that exact moment in time she is describing. It is her story, but after reading this book, I feel like I have lived a part of it too.
Through sharing about the trials of her life, she poetically ties it back to ways that God showed up and offers readers ways God can show up for us too. We have to learn to embrace our story, no matter how muddy it is. God will use our story, even the broken, messy parts to help change the world. “Grace has the power to transform,” she shares and reminds us that we will only “see the proof, if you are willing to let it take root.”
I will read anything Mary writes! You will love this book and fall in love with Mary, her “one part firecracker, one part sassafras” grandmother, and her endearing father. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is feeling like their story doesn’t matter. You will quickly learn that is does!
January 16, 2021
Though a two star review might seems otherwise, I didn't hate this book, but...
It manhahed to be overwritten and somehow also underwritten.
The story bounces around around without a constant ruthem sometimes droning on and on about wet jeans for over page, but then also comply leaving out people who are mentioned to have been a huge part or or influence on her life with little more than a mention, such as her host family in England.
The beginning third mostly bored me as she described herself in childhood often in such a dry way that I either disliked or didn't really care about her. I'm an animal lover so...There are numerous mentions of horrid treatment of animals that are then simply globally brushed off which quite frankly pissed me off. All sort if the same vein that she kind of described herself as a child who didn't care deeply, act humnaly, or value life I suppose.
I nearly enjoyed the middle third of the book. liked getting to know her college years, almost identifying with her form time to time, and found her descriptions of Justin to be the only heart felt ones in the book until it’s last few pages.
The final third, well...prepare for, I've graduated from college gotta go find God trend. Yes, I started rolling my eyes as nearling closing the book as it became overly Christian though not as deeply condescending as that can often become. You will not necessary feel preached at. Instead, if you are like me, you’ll grow bored again in the trite attempts at metaphors and ah-ha moments that fall flat.
I am happy I finished it the book, as I found hearing about her dad snorkeling sweet.
It manhahed to be overwritten and somehow also underwritten.
The story bounces around around without a constant ruthem sometimes droning on and on about wet jeans for over page, but then also comply leaving out people who are mentioned to have been a huge part or or influence on her life with little more than a mention, such as her host family in England.
The beginning third mostly bored me as she described herself in childhood often in such a dry way that I either disliked or didn't really care about her. I'm an animal lover so...There are numerous mentions of horrid treatment of animals that are then simply globally brushed off which quite frankly pissed me off. All sort if the same vein that she kind of described herself as a child who didn't care deeply, act humnaly, or value life I suppose.
I nearly enjoyed the middle third of the book. liked getting to know her college years, almost identifying with her form time to time, and found her descriptions of Justin to be the only heart felt ones in the book until it’s last few pages.
The final third, well...prepare for, I've graduated from college gotta go find God trend. Yes, I started rolling my eyes as nearling closing the book as it became overly Christian though not as deeply condescending as that can often become. You will not necessary feel preached at. Instead, if you are like me, you’ll grow bored again in the trite attempts at metaphors and ah-ha moments that fall flat.
I am happy I finished it the book, as I found hearing about her dad snorkeling sweet.
September 15, 2020
I absolutely loved the heart-wrenchingly beautiful debut memoir Dirt by Mary Marantz. Her lyrical prose, visual descriptions, and profoundly inspirational messages captured my senses and held on tight until the very last page. I was enthralled by it. I couldn’t put it down and I didn’t want it to end! The author writes with emotional depth and clarity as she pours her heart and soul onto the pages of Dirt in genuine, authentic, and life-giving ways. And she sprinkles the pages of Dirt with humor which I found delightful.
Dirt is about forgiveness, redemption, honesty, sacrifice, healing, acceptance, and the roots of deep-abiding love. It’s about letting go and hanging on, hardening and softening, and the power of love. Mary Marantz shares her relationships and struggles growing up, especially about her dad, and the untraditional life lessons he taught her in the simplest, but most profound ways. I love that she loved well even when it may have hurt to do so. I related to her feelings of unworthiness and not being enough. I’m glad she came to the realization of her true worth and value and the grit and grace that flows through her veins.
I recently lost my dad and I’m still grappling with the tremendous loss of his absence. Mary Marantz’s love and pride for her father touched me deeply and the last few chapters and epilogue of the book were my undoing, in the most beautiful of ways. They grabbed my heartstrings and wouldn’t let go until long after I finished reading it.
Mary Marantz weaves her stories of family and faith into the beautiful tapestry of Dirt as she unravels rich life lessons, realizations, and truths as she derives the goodness that surely comes. Her stories are delicately strung together with the analogy of dirt, stories of brokenness, and hard times which blossom into love, beauty, and grit.
I think this quote by Mary Marantz sums up her amazing book well; “This wild, wonderful, hard, gritty, broken-made-beautiful life. You may call it grace, you may call it sacrifice. But for me, the greatest of these is love. It is a song of redemption, a reconciliation with the roots that grew me, a melody born out of the muddiest parts of my life. And it always started with dirt.”
I am a voracious reader and Dirt is one of the best books I’ve read in quite some time. It combines the elements of a raw, fresh style written with heartbreaking beauty, powerful and profound truths, and honesty laced with faith-filled messages woven into the author’s heartfelt stories of inspiration. I loved Dirt and I look forward to future books from the new author Mary Marantz.
Dirt is about forgiveness, redemption, honesty, sacrifice, healing, acceptance, and the roots of deep-abiding love. It’s about letting go and hanging on, hardening and softening, and the power of love. Mary Marantz shares her relationships and struggles growing up, especially about her dad, and the untraditional life lessons he taught her in the simplest, but most profound ways. I love that she loved well even when it may have hurt to do so. I related to her feelings of unworthiness and not being enough. I’m glad she came to the realization of her true worth and value and the grit and grace that flows through her veins.
I recently lost my dad and I’m still grappling with the tremendous loss of his absence. Mary Marantz’s love and pride for her father touched me deeply and the last few chapters and epilogue of the book were my undoing, in the most beautiful of ways. They grabbed my heartstrings and wouldn’t let go until long after I finished reading it.
Mary Marantz weaves her stories of family and faith into the beautiful tapestry of Dirt as she unravels rich life lessons, realizations, and truths as she derives the goodness that surely comes. Her stories are delicately strung together with the analogy of dirt, stories of brokenness, and hard times which blossom into love, beauty, and grit.
I think this quote by Mary Marantz sums up her amazing book well; “This wild, wonderful, hard, gritty, broken-made-beautiful life. You may call it grace, you may call it sacrifice. But for me, the greatest of these is love. It is a song of redemption, a reconciliation with the roots that grew me, a melody born out of the muddiest parts of my life. And it always started with dirt.”
I am a voracious reader and Dirt is one of the best books I’ve read in quite some time. It combines the elements of a raw, fresh style written with heartbreaking beauty, powerful and profound truths, and honesty laced with faith-filled messages woven into the author’s heartfelt stories of inspiration. I loved Dirt and I look forward to future books from the new author Mary Marantz.
September 2, 2020
Dirt is a memoir taking us through Mary's life as a young girl growing up in a trailer in rural West Virginia and the brokenness she felt because of her family's struggles. It's a story about allowing God to use the “dirt” in your past to write a beautiful story for your life. It's about owning your story and seeing the beauty through the dirt. A story of the relationship between an earthly father and daughter and a redemption story between our heavenly father and his daughter. A story of strength and grit.
“...when we lean into this dirt that grew us, this struggle-turned-fertile-soil where our roots run deep, we stand a little taller. Open our arms a little wider. Turn our tired faces to the sky. Trade out shame-stories for a strength inside us we never knew we had. And decide once and for all to own all of it. The hard, the gritty, the bittersweet. This world may try to tell you it isn't beautiful. But what if they're wrong?”
I couldn't put this book down! I found myself laughing, crying, and literally in awe at times because of how beautiful Mary's writing is. I knew Dirt would be good, but I didn't expect it to read like a beautiful novel, a stunning poem, and a captivating memoir – all while pointing me to Jesus at the same time. Mary has a way with words unlike any other author I've ever read before. If you've ever felt like your story is too broken, that your past is too messy to be used, I believe that Dirt will change your life... “Because God does His best work in the muddy, messy, and broken – if we only learn to dig in.”
“...when we lean into this dirt that grew us, this struggle-turned-fertile-soil where our roots run deep, we stand a little taller. Open our arms a little wider. Turn our tired faces to the sky. Trade out shame-stories for a strength inside us we never knew we had. And decide once and for all to own all of it. The hard, the gritty, the bittersweet. This world may try to tell you it isn't beautiful. But what if they're wrong?”
I couldn't put this book down! I found myself laughing, crying, and literally in awe at times because of how beautiful Mary's writing is. I knew Dirt would be good, but I didn't expect it to read like a beautiful novel, a stunning poem, and a captivating memoir – all while pointing me to Jesus at the same time. Mary has a way with words unlike any other author I've ever read before. If you've ever felt like your story is too broken, that your past is too messy to be used, I believe that Dirt will change your life... “Because God does His best work in the muddy, messy, and broken – if we only learn to dig in.”
September 5, 2020
After finishing the book Dirt by Mary Marantz I was left with tears in my eyes. The kind of tears that empty the dam you built up, stick by stick without even realizing it was there. A release that brings clarity and peace to your heart, because she made you feel heard, understood and celebrated even with your rough edges and dirt. Mary crafted such a clear picture with her words as she unfolded her story. Slowly, carefully and authentically drawing you in with each word until she taps on your soul. Making you feel, smell and become a part of her experiences. Intrigued by wonder, longing for change, enduring pain and becoming enlightened by unexpected lessons as she found her way. Starting with “the girl in the trailer” and building into “the girl who came after.” Mary breaks down the people and places that indefinitely impacted her life throughout the book Dirt creating a purposeful framework. Explaining that each piece of her messy story has a place in this world and that you should hold hope for your own. Because it’s always been about the journey that brings us to the good part. I can’t recommend the Book Dirt by Mary Marantz enough, because she guided me to find myself with each passing page. Welcomed me into a story I didn’t know I needed to hear. It’s just that powerful.
September 22, 2020
Mary is a painter with words. While DIRT is Mary's story, it really is all of our stories... there are so many times throughout the book where I felt Mary's emotion, I saw what she saw, I was where she was. If you grew up in a trailer in the mountains of West Virginia or if you grew up in a large city... you can relate to pieces of Mary's story. DIRT truly is not just a memoir, but a work of art that gives everyone the space to know and understand that no matter what their story is, that it matters and it is beautiful and it has shaped who they are. READ THIS BOOK, EVERYONE!
September 2, 2020
"Dirt" was exceptionally well written. I loved how she documented how she overcame tough times and all the lessons she learned. To go from living in West Virginia to graduating from Yale Law School and having a successful business is proof that with His help and hard work that anyone can do anything. It definitely inspired me to keep going should tough times arise. I also love how genuine Mary is in the book. One can feel the sincerity from the pages of the book, and it only complements what I know about her.
I want my review to complement others that have been given while standing out so I thought I would share my personal experiences of interacting with Mary as proof of what is said in her memoir, I will never forget three years ago as I was wrapping up the first day of a wedding workshop she and her husband were hosting that I got some news that my dad was going faster than anyone expected. I will never forget Mary hugging me and consoling me as I was preparing to cut my attendance at the workshop short by a day; she has no idea how much that meant to me and I thought about it during my dad's funeral 2 weeks later.
I feel honored that I was among the first to be able to read the book; and even if on the fence, I hope you get a copy to read if for no other reason than to support one of the sweetest, kindest people. I promise it won't disappoint.
I want my review to complement others that have been given while standing out so I thought I would share my personal experiences of interacting with Mary as proof of what is said in her memoir, I will never forget three years ago as I was wrapping up the first day of a wedding workshop she and her husband were hosting that I got some news that my dad was going faster than anyone expected. I will never forget Mary hugging me and consoling me as I was preparing to cut my attendance at the workshop short by a day; she has no idea how much that meant to me and I thought about it during my dad's funeral 2 weeks later.
I feel honored that I was among the first to be able to read the book; and even if on the fence, I hope you get a copy to read if for no other reason than to support one of the sweetest, kindest people. I promise it won't disappoint.
July 26, 2022
Oh my goodness, this book was beautifully written, thought-provoking, and powerful! The copy in my possession is now littered with little sticky-note arrows marking all the many relevant thoughts I want to remember, record and reference. It started out as one of those shiny new release copies displayed on my city library front shelf and I was immediately drawn to the title, then the smudged cover art, then the subtitle, then the back cover reviews, and straight into the Prologue. It was only minutes before it was in my check-out pile and I'm not ordinarily attracted to shiny and new.
Though my life has been significantly different from Mrs. Marantz's, every one of us has to wade through scarring struggles and figure out how to come to terms with the past, present, and future experiences that cumulatively make up who we have been, who we are and who we are becoming. I love the author's bravery and vulnerability, her continual journey with imperfection, and the wisdom and humility to see God's role and relationship in all of it. Truly insightful!
Though my life has been significantly different from Mrs. Marantz's, every one of us has to wade through scarring struggles and figure out how to come to terms with the past, present, and future experiences that cumulatively make up who we have been, who we are and who we are becoming. I love the author's bravery and vulnerability, her continual journey with imperfection, and the wisdom and humility to see God's role and relationship in all of it. Truly insightful!
September 3, 2020
Beautiful, compelling, redemptive. These are just a few of the words that come to mind when I think of Dirt. It does what all good books should do: it pulls us in reminding us that grace is always worth the fight and moves us to dig deep in our own beautifully broken stories. Mary doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff, vulnerably sharing her own story of redemption. Her words are both lyrical and razor-sharp, witty and full of depth; they are words I will read again and again! Mary has created a work of art with Dirt and I couldn't put it down! Just read the first few pages and you'll see what I mean.
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September 3, 2020This is a book you have to read and then reread. While at first glance it may feel like an autobiography, it is so much more than that. It is a story of courage, forgiveness, and a knitting together of past and present to come out stronger and more whole. As a girl growing up with constant change in a rural area and a broken home, this book resonated down to my BONES! This book is a salve to the hurting, a call to the most put-together girl in the room, the one who prays her shell won't crack, revealing festering wounds. It is a call to come to peace with who we are, forgive, and move forward with grace and courage into what we are called to do.
April 22, 2021
Loved this book I read for book club. A woman of faith and an amazing story of the broken building a life. Her writing made me see and taste and hear her life and her imperfect but loving relationship with her family especially her dad brought me to the good kind of tears.
August 26, 2020
Beautiful, beautiful writing. If you love memoir—you will love this.
August 21, 2020
This is one of those books that you start and can’t put down. I spent the week staying up way too late feeling like I was sitting crisscross on the floor across from Mary as she told me her life story. Powerful life lessons of learning to accept your story and see how life circumstances shape both you and the generations before you. Highly recommend.
September 24, 2020
I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around this book for days because it’s stirring up things in me that feel familiar, uncomfortable, and hopeful at the same time. Redemption isn’t easy or pretty. Scars leave jagged, lumpy spots where gaping holes and festering sores once existed. Healing is painful and exhausting and messy and all consuming and totally worth it. Mary writes in a soothing but challenging way. She’s like a friend walking right beside you through difficult moments calling you higher, encouraging you to stay the course. Hand around your shoulder to steady the rocky steps, and heartfelt laughter to lighten the load. If you are someone who has struggled with the ugly parts of your story, feeling broken or disqualified, I highly recommend Mary’s book.
April 7, 2021
I read this for my book club and didn't have a clue who this person was ahead of time. And I'm still kind of clueless. Apparently she and her husband are well known, and she seems to assume that everyone who reads this book will already know who she is. Nope. It felt like two different books to me. I was able to follow the first section fine, but then the second half just veered into inspirational without much background story. How did she and Justin become so successful and well known? All I know is the what I read in the About the Author section. She does put her soul out there, but I was too distracted trying to patch the story together.
December 29, 2020
This is a heartfelt memoir by a smart, good girl who grew up in poverty and hardship in the mountains of West Virginia. Fortunately, she was raised by the best dad in the world. Unfortunately, this story meanders and is too self-consciously lyrical, at times almost hyperbolic (her father was no mere mortal, she states without irony). There's a place where she jumps from being elementary school age, to something that sounds like she was raped as a teen? I'm not even sure. The painful experience is described in metaphor and it's not clear. At the 50% mark, I set the book aside.
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