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The Believer: Encounters with the Beginning, the End, and our Place in the Middle
For Sarah Krasnostein it begins with a Mennonite choir performing on a subway platform, a fleeting moment of witness that sets her on a fascinating journey to find out why people need to believe in absolute truths and what happens when their beliefs crash into her own. Some of the people Krasnostein interviews believe in things many people do not. Ghosts. UFOs. The literal creation of the universe in six days. Some believe in things most people would like to. Dying with dignity and autonomy. Facing up to our transgressions with truthfulness. Living with integrity and compassion.
By turns devastating and delighting, and captured in snapshot-vivid detail, these six profiles with a death doula, a geologist who believes the world is six thousand years old, a lecturer in neurobiology who spends his weekends ghost hunting, the fiancé of a disappeared pilot and UFO enthusiasts, a woman incarcerated for killing her husband after suffering years of domestic violence, and Mennonite families in New York will leave you convinced that the most ordinary-seeming people are often the most remarkable and that deep and abiding commonalities can be found within the greatest differences.
Vivid, unconventional, entertaining, and full of wonder, Krasnostein interweaves the stories of these believers with compassion and empathy, culminating in an unforgettable tour of the human condition that cuts to the core of who we are as people, and what we’re doing on this earth.
By turns devastating and delighting, and captured in snapshot-vivid detail, these six profiles with a death doula, a geologist who believes the world is six thousand years old, a lecturer in neurobiology who spends his weekends ghost hunting, the fiancé of a disappeared pilot and UFO enthusiasts, a woman incarcerated for killing her husband after suffering years of domestic violence, and Mennonite families in New York will leave you convinced that the most ordinary-seeming people are often the most remarkable and that deep and abiding commonalities can be found within the greatest differences.
Vivid, unconventional, entertaining, and full of wonder, Krasnostein interweaves the stories of these believers with compassion and empathy, culminating in an unforgettable tour of the human condition that cuts to the core of who we are as people, and what we’re doing on this earth.
360 pages, Hardcover
First published March 2, 2021
119 people are currently reading
5010 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 205 reviews
February 21, 2021
My reaction to this book has been visceral – I wept, I had nightmares of UFO abductions and bad spooks and at times I could feel my brain throbbing as it tried to keep up. There is so much to say about this book but what has meant most to me is the recurring thought that perhaps Sarah Krasnostein researched and wrote this incredible book about creationists, death doulas, former felons and paranormal believers so she could gently probe her relationship with her mother. And that is powerful and heartbreaking. Krasnostein’s signature compassion, warmth and empathy towards her subjects is palpable but so are her doubts and her confusion. Her empathy and probing made me far more curious about subjects I am not naturally drawn to. The Believers feels deeply but gently personal and Krasnostein inserts herself into the material the exact right amount. It is perfectly crafted and I will be thinking about its structure for a long time. Krasnostein is among the best narrative non-fiction writers we have and her writing is a gift. I would take a bullet for her.
June 4, 2021
This is a book to experience, not merely to read. I settled in with it at every opportunity, and began recommending it to everyone I know long before the final page. It's just that good! This has cemented Krasnostein as one of my favourite non-fiction authors, and from now on I will read anything she publishes without hesitation.
So here's what you get: six different stories, six different notes in the human song of longing for the unattainable. Krasnostein found some of the stories, and others found her. Then over a period of 4 years, she undertook extensive research and conducted countless hours of interviews, to unpack them and piece them back together for this book. Of the six, only one didn't really capture my interest, but thankfully that was the thinnest/shortest. The rest I found completely fascinating. That in itself became a point of fascination, as I've always thought of myself as a sceptic. And I'm pretty sure Krasnostein is too, or at least that's how I read it on the occasions where she inserted herself into the stories. I think it is her enormous capacity for empathy and the way she was so careful not to impose her own judgements upon her subjects, that allows the reader to approach each story with an open mind and just see where it leads them.
In terms of the reading experience, I loved the structure. In each of two main parts, 3 stories are woven together across many short chapters. I guess the alternative may have been to present them as a conventional anthology. This is something that seems to have divided reviewers to date, but personally I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much with the stories presented as an uninterrupted whole. The changing perspectives gave me lots of room to pause and reflect and contact yet another friend to say You gotta read this book!!
In my view, Krasnostein is sitting on two hits from two, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
So here's what you get: six different stories, six different notes in the human song of longing for the unattainable. Krasnostein found some of the stories, and others found her. Then over a period of 4 years, she undertook extensive research and conducted countless hours of interviews, to unpack them and piece them back together for this book. Of the six, only one didn't really capture my interest, but thankfully that was the thinnest/shortest. The rest I found completely fascinating. That in itself became a point of fascination, as I've always thought of myself as a sceptic. And I'm pretty sure Krasnostein is too, or at least that's how I read it on the occasions where she inserted herself into the stories. I think it is her enormous capacity for empathy and the way she was so careful not to impose her own judgements upon her subjects, that allows the reader to approach each story with an open mind and just see where it leads them.
In terms of the reading experience, I loved the structure. In each of two main parts, 3 stories are woven together across many short chapters. I guess the alternative may have been to present them as a conventional anthology. This is something that seems to have divided reviewers to date, but personally I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much with the stories presented as an uninterrupted whole. The changing perspectives gave me lots of room to pause and reflect and contact yet another friend to say You gotta read this book!!
In my view, Krasnostein is sitting on two hits from two, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
April 15, 2021
Had this book been composed completely of Annie (The Death Doula) and Lynn (Halfway Home), it would be an exquisite experience. Their stories outshine the occasional flash of fascination that tales of flying saucers, spooks and spirituality sire.
Read
January 5, 2023The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing – publisher of The Believer
‘The author has the rare combination of skills that allows her to not only build enough trust and rapport with her interview subjects that they will reveal intimate details about their lives, but to also distil a person down to their essence and put that on the page in a way that is simultaneously informative, sensitive and enthralling…’
Books+Publishing
'A philosophical meditation on all aspects of faith and self-delusion, with the elegant phrasing of ideas that made The Trauma Cleaner such a delight.’
Guardian
'This book has got me thinking far more than most. Sarah Krasnostein tells the stories of people who live in mindsets unfamiliar to her with compassion and respect... Krasnostein’s art is that she never places herself on the throne of judgment...The result is both beautiful and unpredictable. Krasnostein is neither naïve nor cynical. She is an existential adventurer.’
Sydney Morning Herald
‘[T]ranscendent, expansive writing that does the thing that many writers strive for but only few achieve: to show us humanity in clear and compassionate detail, to deepen our understanding of it and to reveal the mysterious and myriad ways in which we are all connected. It is nothing short of astounding.’
WellRead
‘Krasnostein writes beautifully, and emerges as a thoughtful and compassionate observer…The Believer is, in many ways, my favourite kind of book: one that requires a little extra attention and engagement, calling on the reader as an active participant in its project of making meaning…The result is a meditative and intensely rewarding reading experience, the impact of which lingers long after the final page.’
West Australian
'Sarah Krasnostein, who blew us all away with her fantastic book The Trauma Cleaner brings her inquisitive nature and empathetic way with people to her new book The Believer...By seeking such disparate subjects, Krasnostein has woven the threads of their stories, and their very different belief systems, into a tapestry that is rich with life, love and stories. I expect this will be running off the shelves, and deservedly so.’
Readings
'Krasnostein’s writing is lyrical and stylish, and imaginative in a way that often feels invigorating...The Believer is a fascinating book, and one that asks big questions – about connectedness and separation, certainly, but also about love and grief, resilience and faith, and all the ways in which we situate ourselves within the world. And it is informed always by a sprawling curiosity and deep humanity, which make it an affirming, and deeply moving read.’
Guardian
‘[Sarah Krasnostein] listens and records and keeps going back for more until she has built up a picture, complete with all the subtleties that human emotion, faith and intellect offer…there is no judgement here, just the healthy scepticism of an inquiring mind willing to listen, even when the encounters make her uncomfortable or challenge her own theories and convictions.’
Herald Sun
‘A fascinating journey, with an erudite, compulsively reflective companion.’
InDaily
'Fans of Krasnostein’s first book, The Trauma Cleaner (2017), will find much to admire in her second: her curiosity, her even hand, her focus not on people’s coherence but on their contradictions, her lateral thinking...Krasnostein’s narrative voice – a blend of insight, authenticity, and journalistic skill – is like a slow-cooked Shabbat cholent, rich and wholesome, every flavour running into the other.’
Australian Book Review
‘A tender observation of humanity and the unanswerable questions we ask...The joy and discovery of this book, and in life, is in the asking.’
Kill Your Darlings
'[Sarah Krasnostein] is a wonderful, wonderful writer…The best follow-up to The Trauma Cleaner you could have. Highly recommended.'
Loose Reads
'Deeply compassionate while still retaining an observational and, at times, critical eye...Krasnostein is a fine, thoughtful writer and it is a pleasure to follow her into the consideration of these strongly held, at times odd, even objectionable, belief systems which can only provoke you to consider your own view of the world and those around us.'
Writing NSW
'This book is a superb achievement; Krasnostein is a masterful storyteller and describes her cast of characters in a rich and vibrant manner..This is a collection of people seeking out different ways to reassure themselves that they are not alone in the universe.'
ArtsHub
'[A] fascinating and sometimes bonkers investigation into self-delusion...Krasnostein takes care to get inside her subject's heads to find out what makes them tick.'
NZ Herald
‘A polyphonic work that reverberates across the wide spectrum of the human experience, lending credence and kindness to differing beliefs without judgment...Krasnostein’s generosity, curiosity and lack of judgment towards her subjects made me believe that there is a way to stay true to one’s rational self while also being open to other possibilities.’
Sydney Review of Books
'Sarah Krasnostein holds a mirror to the world we inhabit but don’t fully understand, helping us see how our lives are shaped by beliefs at once wholly strange and unexpectedly familiar. Lyrical, haunting, endlessly curious, The Believer will restore your faith in the power of stories to bridge the gaps between us.'
Peter Manseau, author of The Apparitionists
‘Deeply wise. If reading a book can make you more human, The Believer does just that.’
Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, author of The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir
'Krasnostein brilliantly shows us how to look more carefully, listen more closely, and love more expansively. A complicated, lyrical portrait of belief, meaning making, and the stories we tell that might save us.’
Sarah Sentilles, author of Stranger Care
'Compassion and curiosity permeate Sarah Krasnostein’s writing. Every few pages there is a line so poignant it takes my breath away.’
Sasha Sagan, author of For Small Creatures Such as We: Rituals for Finding Meaning in Our Unlikely World
'A thoughtful meditation on humans’ desire for certainty, security, and solace.’
Kirkus Reviews
'A fascinating portrait of the human condition, Sarah Krasnostein’s latest explores a range of belief systems through six profiles—of a death doula, a geologist, a ghost-hunting neurobiologist, ufologists, a woman accused of murder, and Mennonite families living in New York. A great read for our “deeply fractured times,” as they say.’
LitHub
‘An illuminating meditation on the nature of belief and the quest for meaning…Compassionate and engrossing.’
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
‘As The Believer progresses and harmonies accrue among what Krasnostein calls "six different notes in the human song of longing for the unattainable," the brilliance of [her] approach reveals itself…The Believer succeeds at its goal of bridging distances, of transcending the self to comprehend the other.’
NPR (US)
'Krasnostein holds her subjects with tenderness. They entrust to her their questions that have never received satisfying answers, the emotional and psychological voids they have worked to fill themselves, left with their beliefs as their only mode of belonging…Brimming with poetic hope and rooted in negative capability, The Believer is an outstanding treatise on human relationships, with one another and the unexplained.'
Shelf Awareness (starred review)
‘Perceptive and compassionate.’
Irish Times
‘Here is humanity in all its messy, wild and weedy depths. This book is a sensitive and respectful journey into the belief systems of astonishingly disparate people, and the reasons they have taken paths that have veered off the mainstream. Never once straying into the judgmental, it’s a book more likely to draw people together, rather than divide.’
Michelle Johnston, Herald Sun
‘The author has the rare combination of skills that allows her to not only build enough trust and rapport with her interview subjects that they will reveal intimate details about their lives, but to also distil a person down to their essence and put that on the page in a way that is simultaneously informative, sensitive and enthralling…’
Books+Publishing
'A philosophical meditation on all aspects of faith and self-delusion, with the elegant phrasing of ideas that made The Trauma Cleaner such a delight.’
Guardian
'This book has got me thinking far more than most. Sarah Krasnostein tells the stories of people who live in mindsets unfamiliar to her with compassion and respect... Krasnostein’s art is that she never places herself on the throne of judgment...The result is both beautiful and unpredictable. Krasnostein is neither naïve nor cynical. She is an existential adventurer.’
Sydney Morning Herald
‘[T]ranscendent, expansive writing that does the thing that many writers strive for but only few achieve: to show us humanity in clear and compassionate detail, to deepen our understanding of it and to reveal the mysterious and myriad ways in which we are all connected. It is nothing short of astounding.’
WellRead
‘Krasnostein writes beautifully, and emerges as a thoughtful and compassionate observer…The Believer is, in many ways, my favourite kind of book: one that requires a little extra attention and engagement, calling on the reader as an active participant in its project of making meaning…The result is a meditative and intensely rewarding reading experience, the impact of which lingers long after the final page.’
West Australian
'Sarah Krasnostein, who blew us all away with her fantastic book The Trauma Cleaner brings her inquisitive nature and empathetic way with people to her new book The Believer...By seeking such disparate subjects, Krasnostein has woven the threads of their stories, and their very different belief systems, into a tapestry that is rich with life, love and stories. I expect this will be running off the shelves, and deservedly so.’
Readings
'Krasnostein’s writing is lyrical and stylish, and imaginative in a way that often feels invigorating...The Believer is a fascinating book, and one that asks big questions – about connectedness and separation, certainly, but also about love and grief, resilience and faith, and all the ways in which we situate ourselves within the world. And it is informed always by a sprawling curiosity and deep humanity, which make it an affirming, and deeply moving read.’
Guardian
‘[Sarah Krasnostein] listens and records and keeps going back for more until she has built up a picture, complete with all the subtleties that human emotion, faith and intellect offer…there is no judgement here, just the healthy scepticism of an inquiring mind willing to listen, even when the encounters make her uncomfortable or challenge her own theories and convictions.’
Herald Sun
‘A fascinating journey, with an erudite, compulsively reflective companion.’
InDaily
'Fans of Krasnostein’s first book, The Trauma Cleaner (2017), will find much to admire in her second: her curiosity, her even hand, her focus not on people’s coherence but on their contradictions, her lateral thinking...Krasnostein’s narrative voice – a blend of insight, authenticity, and journalistic skill – is like a slow-cooked Shabbat cholent, rich and wholesome, every flavour running into the other.’
Australian Book Review
‘A tender observation of humanity and the unanswerable questions we ask...The joy and discovery of this book, and in life, is in the asking.’
Kill Your Darlings
'[Sarah Krasnostein] is a wonderful, wonderful writer…The best follow-up to The Trauma Cleaner you could have. Highly recommended.'
Loose Reads
'Deeply compassionate while still retaining an observational and, at times, critical eye...Krasnostein is a fine, thoughtful writer and it is a pleasure to follow her into the consideration of these strongly held, at times odd, even objectionable, belief systems which can only provoke you to consider your own view of the world and those around us.'
Writing NSW
'This book is a superb achievement; Krasnostein is a masterful storyteller and describes her cast of characters in a rich and vibrant manner..This is a collection of people seeking out different ways to reassure themselves that they are not alone in the universe.'
ArtsHub
'[A] fascinating and sometimes bonkers investigation into self-delusion...Krasnostein takes care to get inside her subject's heads to find out what makes them tick.'
NZ Herald
‘A polyphonic work that reverberates across the wide spectrum of the human experience, lending credence and kindness to differing beliefs without judgment...Krasnostein’s generosity, curiosity and lack of judgment towards her subjects made me believe that there is a way to stay true to one’s rational self while also being open to other possibilities.’
Sydney Review of Books
'Sarah Krasnostein holds a mirror to the world we inhabit but don’t fully understand, helping us see how our lives are shaped by beliefs at once wholly strange and unexpectedly familiar. Lyrical, haunting, endlessly curious, The Believer will restore your faith in the power of stories to bridge the gaps between us.'
Peter Manseau, author of The Apparitionists
‘Deeply wise. If reading a book can make you more human, The Believer does just that.’
Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, author of The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir
'Krasnostein brilliantly shows us how to look more carefully, listen more closely, and love more expansively. A complicated, lyrical portrait of belief, meaning making, and the stories we tell that might save us.’
Sarah Sentilles, author of Stranger Care
'Compassion and curiosity permeate Sarah Krasnostein’s writing. Every few pages there is a line so poignant it takes my breath away.’
Sasha Sagan, author of For Small Creatures Such as We: Rituals for Finding Meaning in Our Unlikely World
'A thoughtful meditation on humans’ desire for certainty, security, and solace.’
Kirkus Reviews
'A fascinating portrait of the human condition, Sarah Krasnostein’s latest explores a range of belief systems through six profiles—of a death doula, a geologist, a ghost-hunting neurobiologist, ufologists, a woman accused of murder, and Mennonite families living in New York. A great read for our “deeply fractured times,” as they say.’
LitHub
‘An illuminating meditation on the nature of belief and the quest for meaning…Compassionate and engrossing.’
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
‘As The Believer progresses and harmonies accrue among what Krasnostein calls "six different notes in the human song of longing for the unattainable," the brilliance of [her] approach reveals itself…The Believer succeeds at its goal of bridging distances, of transcending the self to comprehend the other.’
NPR (US)
'Krasnostein holds her subjects with tenderness. They entrust to her their questions that have never received satisfying answers, the emotional and psychological voids they have worked to fill themselves, left with their beliefs as their only mode of belonging…Brimming with poetic hope and rooted in negative capability, The Believer is an outstanding treatise on human relationships, with one another and the unexplained.'
Shelf Awareness (starred review)
‘Perceptive and compassionate.’
Irish Times
‘Here is humanity in all its messy, wild and weedy depths. This book is a sensitive and respectful journey into the belief systems of astonishingly disparate people, and the reasons they have taken paths that have veered off the mainstream. Never once straying into the judgmental, it’s a book more likely to draw people together, rather than divide.’
Michelle Johnston, Herald Sun
April 15, 2021
A slightly disappointing follow-up to her first, The Trauma Cleaner.
I was annoyed by the format Krasnostein chose, and found her scattered approach a little difficult to follow at times. Her writing is as good as ever, and her deep engagement with the subjects is authentic and warm.
However, I struggled to work out just what the goal here was. There is no critical analysis of the beliefs held by the various subjects, or belief in general. The book seems to be more of a perusal of a varied group of believers (some more than a little odd), and offers no insight to their reasons behind their commitment - or why we might care.
I was annoyed by the format Krasnostein chose, and found her scattered approach a little difficult to follow at times. Her writing is as good as ever, and her deep engagement with the subjects is authentic and warm.
However, I struggled to work out just what the goal here was. There is no critical analysis of the beliefs held by the various subjects, or belief in general. The book seems to be more of a perusal of a varied group of believers (some more than a little odd), and offers no insight to their reasons behind their commitment - or why we might care.
June 2, 2021
The Believer explores the power of belief by weaving together the stories of six very different people with six different belief systems. Krasnostein writes with signature intelligence and compassion, as anyone who has read The Trauma Cleaner would expect.
I was fascinated by some of these stories - I would have happily devoured a whole book on death doula Annie and sexual violence advocate Katrina - but there were several others (the paranormal and UFOs) that I did not connect with. A couple of the American religious storylines blur together and Halfway Home especially didn’t go into as much depth as I would have liked. I personally would have preferred for the book to be structured with each narrative as its own section rather than blended in chapter by chapter.
My main criticism of The Trauma Cleaner (which ironically I don’t even mention in my goodreads review from the time?) is that Krasnostein fails to be critical of her subject, even when they act appallingly. While a non-judgmental perspective is necessary for a book about different - and at times extreme - beliefs, I appreciated that Krasnostein put more of herself into this book, sharing some of her reactions or feelings to being exposed to ideologies so different to her own. The author interests me as a subject so I enjoyed this layer, and hope to see more of this in the next book!
I was fascinated by some of these stories - I would have happily devoured a whole book on death doula Annie and sexual violence advocate Katrina - but there were several others (the paranormal and UFOs) that I did not connect with. A couple of the American religious storylines blur together and Halfway Home especially didn’t go into as much depth as I would have liked. I personally would have preferred for the book to be structured with each narrative as its own section rather than blended in chapter by chapter.
My main criticism of The Trauma Cleaner (which ironically I don’t even mention in my goodreads review from the time?) is that Krasnostein fails to be critical of her subject, even when they act appallingly. While a non-judgmental perspective is necessary for a book about different - and at times extreme - beliefs, I appreciated that Krasnostein put more of herself into this book, sharing some of her reactions or feelings to being exposed to ideologies so different to her own. The author interests me as a subject so I enjoyed this layer, and hope to see more of this in the next book!
April 16, 2021
“I am envious of these people. Their ability to accept absence of evidence as evidence of absence. “
This book explores the infinite capacity of the human brain to embrace, manipulate and mould beliefs and ideas. When people have a sense of purpose and justification for their beliefs this helps them to make sense of the world. Every person needs to believe in something in order to rationalise the world around them.
Sometimes this means people move to a place where their beliefs transition from providing ‘safety’ (as described by James Baldwin) , familiarity, comfort and sanity to a place of control, isolation and narrow mindedness.
Krasnostein thoughtfully meanders through a number of lives examining how people arrive at their beliefs, why they choose to hold them and the impact this has on them as individuals and a community.
The choice of Krasnostien’s subjects may have been influenced by her own living arrangements (that sounds a bit weird- I mean living in Australia and USA) but she has still managed to cover a broad range of topics that are melded together in an interesting and accessible way.
This book explores the infinite capacity of the human brain to embrace, manipulate and mould beliefs and ideas. When people have a sense of purpose and justification for their beliefs this helps them to make sense of the world. Every person needs to believe in something in order to rationalise the world around them.
Sometimes this means people move to a place where their beliefs transition from providing ‘safety’ (as described by James Baldwin) , familiarity, comfort and sanity to a place of control, isolation and narrow mindedness.
Krasnostein thoughtfully meanders through a number of lives examining how people arrive at their beliefs, why they choose to hold them and the impact this has on them as individuals and a community.
The choice of Krasnostien’s subjects may have been influenced by her own living arrangements (that sounds a bit weird- I mean living in Australia and USA) but she has still managed to cover a broad range of topics that are melded together in an interesting and accessible way.
August 23, 2022
This book is made to be reread!
Sarah Krasnostein has officially become my top non-fiction writer, because of the topics she chooses and the graceful way she writes them.
In this book she tackles belief through 6 different stories of real people she mey up with. Some concern religion, others concern UFOs and aliens, some concern ghosts, others concern death adn love and the afterlife. Each story is a masterclass in belief, and it's interesting to see how Sarah interacts with all of these stories and all these beliefs she doesn't share. The interviews were between Australia and the US, and they covered a wide range of people from different backgrounds. The chapters were peppered also with some familiar personal stories of Sarah's and some criticism/background info on some sections.
Belief is a strong human emotion, and sometimes it defies common sense, and she managed to relaay that, from the most bizarre beliefs to the mose inevitable. She possessed so much compassion for each story that you had no choice but to feel that too.
It's also interesting to me seeing the different taglines of the book between the two editions (I assum one is australian and the other is the us?): one says "encounters with love, death and faith" and the other says "encounters with the beginning, the end, and our place in the middle". and I have to say, I prefer the latter one.
Sarah Krasnostein has officially become my top non-fiction writer, because of the topics she chooses and the graceful way she writes them.
In this book she tackles belief through 6 different stories of real people she mey up with. Some concern religion, others concern UFOs and aliens, some concern ghosts, others concern death adn love and the afterlife. Each story is a masterclass in belief, and it's interesting to see how Sarah interacts with all of these stories and all these beliefs she doesn't share. The interviews were between Australia and the US, and they covered a wide range of people from different backgrounds. The chapters were peppered also with some familiar personal stories of Sarah's and some criticism/background info on some sections.
Belief is a strong human emotion, and sometimes it defies common sense, and she managed to relaay that, from the most bizarre beliefs to the mose inevitable. She possessed so much compassion for each story that you had no choice but to feel that too.
It's also interesting to me seeing the different taglines of the book between the two editions (I assum one is australian and the other is the us?): one says "encounters with love, death and faith" and the other says "encounters with the beginning, the end, and our place in the middle". and I have to say, I prefer the latter one.
September 2, 2021
Krasnostein is a good thinker and I am always curious about what she has to say about the human condition. In this book she doesn't disappoint. I love how she strikes a great balance between poetic vivid prose, reportage and philosophical reflection. I didn’t enjoy all the stories equally, but it’s to be expected (UFOs were of little interest to me). I was particularly taken by the stories about ghosts. I am a little less skeptical about them now, having read this book, even though I suspect this effect on readers wasn’t necessarily the writer’s intention… The only thing I missed at the end is some sort of synthesis of all the disparate stories. But even without it, this was a fascinating read, both enjoyable and stimulating.
May 2, 2021
I actually could not make it to the end of this book (so forgive my two stars if the narrative all comes around in the end).
I was really engaged with a couple of the stories (Annie the death doula and the ghost hunters in particular) in the first half but less engaged with the stories in the second.
The device of ending a bunch of stories half way and starting new ones was jolting and felt like I was reading a bunch of articles instead of a coherent book. For me the authors reflections on the stories didn't tie them together for me. In the end I just, kinda, didn't pick it up again. So its possible I have missed something at the end....
I was really engaged with a couple of the stories (Annie the death doula and the ghost hunters in particular) in the first half but less engaged with the stories in the second.
The device of ending a bunch of stories half way and starting new ones was jolting and felt like I was reading a bunch of articles instead of a coherent book. For me the authors reflections on the stories didn't tie them together for me. In the end I just, kinda, didn't pick it up again. So its possible I have missed something at the end....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2021
It’s hard to explain what The Believer is about neatly, while doing it justice. In a nutshell, it’s a non-fiction work that explores different beliefs and experiences through the real-life account of six different people. These themes include death doulas / UFOs / Mennonites / ghosts and the paranormal / creationists and The Ark Encounter / incarceration and life in prison and after.
Just like The Trauma Cleaner, Kranostein’s writing, intelligence and compassion once again blew me away. Her writing is truly powerful and manages to be both intimate and inquisitive. As seems to be her style, she interweaves her research with her own experience - making it an autobiographical work at the same time. She doesn’t push any particular agenda though - even when she doesn’t necessarily agree with the beliefs that she comes across, she always shows respect and empathy towards every individual.
Having been brought up in a culture that’s both deeply religious and spiritual, these themes do and will always intrigue me so i really loved reading through these accounts. But what took me by surprise was how much my curiosity was piqued by the UFO belief, sightings, and supposed disappearances. It’s extra eerie when a lot of the sightings she mentions in the book are local to where i live. I haven’t been able to shut up about it to anyone who’d listen - and my poor boyfriend is probably sick of me saying (semi-earnestly) ‘Omg maybe it is real!! There’s so much evidence!’.
The Believer does the important work of reminding us to keep an open mind and that there are other possibilities other than what we know logically. I’m so glad i hand my trust over to Krasnostein and went along for the ride - and you totally should too!
Just like The Trauma Cleaner, Kranostein’s writing, intelligence and compassion once again blew me away. Her writing is truly powerful and manages to be both intimate and inquisitive. As seems to be her style, she interweaves her research with her own experience - making it an autobiographical work at the same time. She doesn’t push any particular agenda though - even when she doesn’t necessarily agree with the beliefs that she comes across, she always shows respect and empathy towards every individual.
Having been brought up in a culture that’s both deeply religious and spiritual, these themes do and will always intrigue me so i really loved reading through these accounts. But what took me by surprise was how much my curiosity was piqued by the UFO belief, sightings, and supposed disappearances. It’s extra eerie when a lot of the sightings she mentions in the book are local to where i live. I haven’t been able to shut up about it to anyone who’d listen - and my poor boyfriend is probably sick of me saying (semi-earnestly) ‘Omg maybe it is real!! There’s so much evidence!’.
The Believer does the important work of reminding us to keep an open mind and that there are other possibilities other than what we know logically. I’m so glad i hand my trust over to Krasnostein and went along for the ride - and you totally should too!
August 6, 2024
“The writers Cheryl Strayed and Steve Almond had a podcast called Dear Sugars. On one episode, a woman had written in seeking their advice, asking if her reaction to a painful situation had been wrong. Almond did not respond directly. Instead he said: reading the letters we receive, I’m always struck by how much, and how quickly, people convert their pain into self-loathing. This stopped me cold.”
September 16, 2024
I loved Sarah's earlier non-fiction book, "The Trauma Cleaner" about a fascinating Australian crime scene and hoarder cleaner. This book takes a different topic but is equally well written and immersive. Sarah investigates different belief systems like paranormal investigations, alien encounters, and Christian creationists. It's more wide ranging than her first book because it covers several people rather than just Sandra Pankhurst. But she's such a kind author, genuinely interested in people and why they believe what they believe.
April 16, 2021
I knew I was going to disagree with Ms Krasnostein about her conclusions or opinions about the beliefs/believers in some of this book, and I did. I think she intended to try and understand the various people and beliefs she examined, but it was clear that she, in the end, did not. She was not overly mean or snarky, but neither was she gracious.
I found it super interesting to consider which beliefs she chose. I know in interviews she said she chose beliefs/situations that made her uncomfortable, but she did not choose Jews, even though it was clear that she did not belief what an Orthodox Jew believes. She did not choose Muslims, or Scientologists or Hindus or anything scary or too foreign/strange. She didn't think about philosophy or culture or the elements of a worldview. In the end this was a book almoat entirely about Sarah Krasnostein, and a little about things that left leaning progressives want to believe and what they do not.
I did find the stories fascinating and the insights into her own thinking and responses interesting. The writing was very good, easy to read, engaging and clear, but overall I was sad for Sarah and far more fond of her believers than she was.
I found it super interesting to consider which beliefs she chose. I know in interviews she said she chose beliefs/situations that made her uncomfortable, but she did not choose Jews, even though it was clear that she did not belief what an Orthodox Jew believes. She did not choose Muslims, or Scientologists or Hindus or anything scary or too foreign/strange. She didn't think about philosophy or culture or the elements of a worldview. In the end this was a book almoat entirely about Sarah Krasnostein, and a little about things that left leaning progressives want to believe and what they do not.
I did find the stories fascinating and the insights into her own thinking and responses interesting. The writing was very good, easy to read, engaging and clear, but overall I was sad for Sarah and far more fond of her believers than she was.
May 3, 2021
I haven't found a non-fiction author whose writing and observations I love like this since reading Helen Garner at uni. As a writer, I wanted to savour her sentences, her gentle rendering of her subjects, her compelling prose.
Every time I've tried to gather my thoughts enough to write about 'The Believer', I find myself stumped with how to describe it - other than the experience of reading it feels connecting somehow. Like I am somehow connected to all these people who hold such vastly different belief systems to my own by our shared humanity. Which, isn't that what the world really needs right now?
I know this is a book I'm going to read again.
Every time I've tried to gather my thoughts enough to write about 'The Believer', I find myself stumped with how to describe it - other than the experience of reading it feels connecting somehow. Like I am somehow connected to all these people who hold such vastly different belief systems to my own by our shared humanity. Which, isn't that what the world really needs right now?
I know this is a book I'm going to read again.
May 23, 2021
Intriguing juxtaposing of belief stories. Makes you think!
July 31, 2023
You know those books that come as an extra delight because they feel so perfectly, specifically for you? I was thrilled when this book I’d never heard of arrived on my stoop from @carrie.callaghan . Completely new to me AND a cover blurb from one of my favorite writers/thinkers?? Unheard of! And then it proceeded to deliver in ways I couldn’t have anticipated, a reading experience that absolutely bowled me over.
In THE BELIEVER, Sarah Krasnostein is concerned with—as the title suggests—believers. Believers in god. Believers in ghosts. People who *might* believe in aliens. But it’s not that simple. Here is an educated geologist who believes the world is 6,000 years old. A molecular geneticist who lectures about biblical truth inside a re-creation of Noah’s ark. A woman who believes life is still worth living, & good worth doing, despite spending her entire adult life in jail for killing her husband after years of abuse. Another who believes in the possibility of a good death, even as the process of dying ravages her. People who believe deeply, despite those beliefs being invisible to/under siege from the outside world.
•
It took me a minute to buy into THE BELIEVER’s structure, which cycles between 6 “main characters”/interlocutors but follows no linear path, either with its subjects or in the broader ideas it’s interrogating. It is a meander that is 100% inquiry, 0% answers. This may frustrate some readers but it pays off in a rich, brilliantly woven web. Parts were a funny marvel, parts a sucker punch to the gut; almost all of it wove tendrils between my heart & my grey matter, inviting new neuronal connections & threading me closer to what it means to be human.
Definitely for fans of: Maria Popova, flirting with the paranormal, the philosophical underpinnings of Becky Chambers’ work. Maybe for: skeptical spiritualists & ppl captivated by how & why we are 1000 varieties of believers on this great spinning rock.
In THE BELIEVER, Sarah Krasnostein is concerned with—as the title suggests—believers. Believers in god. Believers in ghosts. People who *might* believe in aliens. But it’s not that simple. Here is an educated geologist who believes the world is 6,000 years old. A molecular geneticist who lectures about biblical truth inside a re-creation of Noah’s ark. A woman who believes life is still worth living, & good worth doing, despite spending her entire adult life in jail for killing her husband after years of abuse. Another who believes in the possibility of a good death, even as the process of dying ravages her. People who believe deeply, despite those beliefs being invisible to/under siege from the outside world.
•
It took me a minute to buy into THE BELIEVER’s structure, which cycles between 6 “main characters”/interlocutors but follows no linear path, either with its subjects or in the broader ideas it’s interrogating. It is a meander that is 100% inquiry, 0% answers. This may frustrate some readers but it pays off in a rich, brilliantly woven web. Parts were a funny marvel, parts a sucker punch to the gut; almost all of it wove tendrils between my heart & my grey matter, inviting new neuronal connections & threading me closer to what it means to be human.
Definitely for fans of: Maria Popova, flirting with the paranormal, the philosophical underpinnings of Becky Chambers’ work. Maybe for: skeptical spiritualists & ppl captivated by how & why we are 1000 varieties of believers on this great spinning rock.
June 9, 2021
Definitely connected with some stories more than others, particularly the missing pilot and his potential alien abduction.
September 30, 2021
A bit cheating since it’s goodreads no good-listens but I listened to the audio book for this. Still need to digest so much of it but It’s written in a very conversational way that makes you feel included in the stories. I’m so sheltered and unaware of the world around me and it was enlightening to hear other beliefs that I would usually shut down immediately and hear their stories.
March 9, 2021
The Prologue provided for its readers the framework of a most brilliant and intellectually stimulating non-fiction text: “This book is about ghosts and gods, and flying saucers; certainty in the absence of knowledge; how the stories we tell ourselves to deal with the distance between the world as it is and as we’d like it to be can stunt us or save us.” And yet, it is about much more. It is an opportunity to explore the essence of belief in the extraordinary, and the ordinary people who choose to believe “in things most people don’t”. Guided by Krasnostein’s astute observations and gifted writing, we meet these beliefs in ghosts, gods, and UFO’s with respect and compassion because of the author’s sincerity in entering the worlds of those who dedicate their lives to unquestioning faith.
Among the six stories the author explores in continuing segments, structured as Part 1: BELOW, Part 2: ABOVE and CODA: HERE, we are introduced to the Paranormal (conversations about AI, extra-terrestrial objects and encounters); to THE DEATH DOULA, who guides the dying to a peaceful death; to Lynn, in HALFWAY HOME, who has resurrected her life after having served 34 years in prison for the murder of her abusive husband; to the Creation Museum of IN THE BEGINNING, in which Creationism is presented as a living, breathing doctrine of God’s power; to THEORIES OF FLIGHT, in which Krasnostein learns about the mystery surrounding a young pilot’s disappearance and the explanation of those who attribute it to being overtaken by an extra-terrestrial flying object; and to THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, in which the author spends time in the lives of members of a Mennonite-like religious sect, whose every aspect of their lives is determined by “God’s law.” And, though I found most of these beliefs out of my comfort zone and/or beyond my ability to accept, I was spellbound by Krasnostein’s compassionate presentation.
What I had not expected, but what touched me most deeply, were the author’s memories of her own childhood and family. These were stirred by her encounters with the “believers” and by her own vulnerabilities, so bravely shared with the reader. I remain in awe of my former student!
Among the six stories the author explores in continuing segments, structured as Part 1: BELOW, Part 2: ABOVE and CODA: HERE, we are introduced to the Paranormal (conversations about AI, extra-terrestrial objects and encounters); to THE DEATH DOULA, who guides the dying to a peaceful death; to Lynn, in HALFWAY HOME, who has resurrected her life after having served 34 years in prison for the murder of her abusive husband; to the Creation Museum of IN THE BEGINNING, in which Creationism is presented as a living, breathing doctrine of God’s power; to THEORIES OF FLIGHT, in which Krasnostein learns about the mystery surrounding a young pilot’s disappearance and the explanation of those who attribute it to being overtaken by an extra-terrestrial flying object; and to THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, in which the author spends time in the lives of members of a Mennonite-like religious sect, whose every aspect of their lives is determined by “God’s law.” And, though I found most of these beliefs out of my comfort zone and/or beyond my ability to accept, I was spellbound by Krasnostein’s compassionate presentation.
What I had not expected, but what touched me most deeply, were the author’s memories of her own childhood and family. These were stirred by her encounters with the “believers” and by her own vulnerabilities, so bravely shared with the reader. I remain in awe of my former student!
May 12, 2021
I found the individual stories in this book interesting but the book as a whole disappointing. It seemed as if the author, whom I loved after reading The Trauma Cleaner, chose some interesting personalities and then tried to link them all into the theme of being a Believer, whether they quite fitted or not. I found her scattered approach of splitting the stories up and treating it like a page-turning novel rather annoying. Her writing is very good, but the book needed a damned good edit, at the very least making the stories run from beginning to end without splitting them up.
However, I still don't quite understand what held these stories together, interesting as they may be individually. I thought the goal was to examine the whole idea of belief, but that certainly didn't happen. People believing in UFOs, ghosts, some Mennonites, people building a life size model of Noah's Ark using biblical measurements, someone who helps people who are dying and another who spent 34 years in gaol seemed like a grab bag of ideas to me: Hey, I met some cool and different people, how can I somehow link them into a book? There was no analysis of the individual beliefs nor anything about the whole concept of belief. Why exactly were the 'death doula' or the long term prisoner convicted of murder included? The book seems to be more of a collection of short stories of some folks with interesting lives rather than a serious attempt at explaining belief.
However, I still don't quite understand what held these stories together, interesting as they may be individually. I thought the goal was to examine the whole idea of belief, but that certainly didn't happen. People believing in UFOs, ghosts, some Mennonites, people building a life size model of Noah's Ark using biblical measurements, someone who helps people who are dying and another who spent 34 years in gaol seemed like a grab bag of ideas to me: Hey, I met some cool and different people, how can I somehow link them into a book? There was no analysis of the individual beliefs nor anything about the whole concept of belief. Why exactly were the 'death doula' or the long term prisoner convicted of murder included? The book seems to be more of a collection of short stories of some folks with interesting lives rather than a serious attempt at explaining belief.
May 14, 2021
This book for me was the epitome of: it was fine.
The concept of exploring alternative beliefs really intrigued me, and Krasnostein has done a lovely job of presenting these stories as human and without judgement. The central question that drew me in to purchase was WHY do we believe, however what I ended up with was more an exploration of WHAT do we believe. I was interested in the analysis of a belief system and that is not what you will find in this book. There is no narrative structure. No ebb and flow. The choice to split up the stories across various chapters made for a rather static read. In the end I can only remember a fraction of the stories as there was nothing to grip onto.
I have to confess I quite enjoyed Krasnostein's narrative voice. It is easy to read and quite witty at times. I also enjoyed the stories of the Death Doula - Perhaps because death is a something all humans have in common?
There is nothing I strictly dislike about the book - It was just fine.
The concept of exploring alternative beliefs really intrigued me, and Krasnostein has done a lovely job of presenting these stories as human and without judgement. The central question that drew me in to purchase was WHY do we believe, however what I ended up with was more an exploration of WHAT do we believe. I was interested in the analysis of a belief system and that is not what you will find in this book. There is no narrative structure. No ebb and flow. The choice to split up the stories across various chapters made for a rather static read. In the end I can only remember a fraction of the stories as there was nothing to grip onto.
I have to confess I quite enjoyed Krasnostein's narrative voice. It is easy to read and quite witty at times. I also enjoyed the stories of the Death Doula - Perhaps because death is a something all humans have in common?
There is nothing I strictly dislike about the book - It was just fine.
January 25, 2022
I've been very slow getting off the mark with reading this year, but I'm glad I started with this one. I find that sometimes Krasnostein's sentences waffle eruditely, but just as often they skewer with such precision that I have to close the book for a bit. Her insights here are not particularly challenging (we are driven to different beliefs by common fears, so shouldn't we all try and get along a little more?), but still run the gamut from enjoyable to incredibly moving. I'm in my empathetic scepticism era so this was a great fit for me at this time in my life.
July 7, 2021
I read about 90% of the first 100 pages and about 5% of the rest of the book.
I was looking forward to it but nothing pulled me in. I couldn't quite grasp a central theme or question or point to it.
Mostly nicely written and some interesting stories, but couldn't see how it all tied together, like trying to grasp slippery tinned spaghetti
I was looking forward to it but nothing pulled me in. I couldn't quite grasp a central theme or question or point to it.
Mostly nicely written and some interesting stories, but couldn't see how it all tied together, like trying to grasp slippery tinned spaghetti
June 8, 2021
I enjoyed parts of this immensely, but also found it wordy and drawn out. As a collective, the three stories in part two were much more interesting to me personally.
I’d read and recommend Krasnostein’s first book ‘The Trauma Cleaner’ instead of this one to anyone.
I’d read and recommend Krasnostein’s first book ‘The Trauma Cleaner’ instead of this one to anyone.
April 30, 2022
I always finish my books. There have been many that I wanted to DNF, then I found something of substance towards the end that made me glad I continued on. With that said, this book was a complete waste of my time. I do not recommend.
April 26, 2021
i just didn’t really connect with it. some of it was really interesting. but i didn’t get an overarching sense of meaning or purpose.
July 14, 2021
This book is written with such an objective humanity that explores 6 different stories of belief in areas that are as diverse from each other but each one explore faith in something not completely known.
Kranostein took four years of research to create this book and stumbled upon each subject, rather than choosing them.
The topics that are covered:
1. The Dearh Doula: Annie work involves preparing people for their death when they are in a palliative situation. We also meet Katrina a vivacious 60 year old woman who is married with children and is approaching her death with terminal cancer. It is a powerful exploration of cultural evasion towards death but the power to approach the inevitable with agency in a loving and loved way.
'This is one of the things I've learnt, ' Annie says to me. 'Everything that was so important --- we've gotta do this, we've gotta achieve this --- when faced with our mortality, the simplest things become the most significant. Kindness. Patience. Gratefulness. And that doozy of all things; forgiveness. '
2. Paranormal: This section explore paranormal experience and psychic abilities as Kranostein joins some ghost researchers/ hunters.
'Could the key to seeing clearly, lie less in calling each other out on our magical thinking, and more in focusing on why we are all compelled to do it from time to time?'
3. In The Beginning: Kranostein spends time at the Creation Museum in Kentucky which contains attractions like a made to measure Noah's Ark. It was founded by a Queenslander with a teaching background and strong views on creation involving geology and dinosaur bones as proof.
'Reality is a shelter that we continuously augment with distraction and deception, insistence and belief.This landed us on the moon but it could kill us before our time. '
4. Halfway Home: Lynn lives half her life in prison and than transitions back into society. Balancing her truth with mercy for others, she finds a community she can begin again in and serve.
'For a long time the law refused to understand such homicides as reactive or protective, labelling them instead using the tidy language of malice, of evil. The worst injustice in a world not known for its fairness is the injustice concealed under good order. '
5. Theories of Flight: This section is a fascinating examination of 3 significant incidents where UFO sightings occurred, including a missing plane and pilot. It also investigates individuals who believe they have been abducted by aliens.
'So if there was life that started elsewhere, it's most unlikely --- if we detect it at all --- that we detect it in this brief pause when it's organic like us.'
6. The Kingdom of Heaven: Kranostein journey began when she heard a Mennonite choir in a South Bronx train station. The beauty of their singing compelled her to look beyond their plain dress and investigate the source of this heart moving resonance.
'There is a roar inside when we confront the intractabilities of being one among many on shifting ground where we forced to do all our living and dying. '
Kranostein took four years of research to create this book and stumbled upon each subject, rather than choosing them.
The topics that are covered:
1. The Dearh Doula: Annie work involves preparing people for their death when they are in a palliative situation. We also meet Katrina a vivacious 60 year old woman who is married with children and is approaching her death with terminal cancer. It is a powerful exploration of cultural evasion towards death but the power to approach the inevitable with agency in a loving and loved way.
'This is one of the things I've learnt, ' Annie says to me. 'Everything that was so important --- we've gotta do this, we've gotta achieve this --- when faced with our mortality, the simplest things become the most significant. Kindness. Patience. Gratefulness. And that doozy of all things; forgiveness. '
2. Paranormal: This section explore paranormal experience and psychic abilities as Kranostein joins some ghost researchers/ hunters.
'Could the key to seeing clearly, lie less in calling each other out on our magical thinking, and more in focusing on why we are all compelled to do it from time to time?'
3. In The Beginning: Kranostein spends time at the Creation Museum in Kentucky which contains attractions like a made to measure Noah's Ark. It was founded by a Queenslander with a teaching background and strong views on creation involving geology and dinosaur bones as proof.
'Reality is a shelter that we continuously augment with distraction and deception, insistence and belief.This landed us on the moon but it could kill us before our time. '
4. Halfway Home: Lynn lives half her life in prison and than transitions back into society. Balancing her truth with mercy for others, she finds a community she can begin again in and serve.
'For a long time the law refused to understand such homicides as reactive or protective, labelling them instead using the tidy language of malice, of evil. The worst injustice in a world not known for its fairness is the injustice concealed under good order. '
5. Theories of Flight: This section is a fascinating examination of 3 significant incidents where UFO sightings occurred, including a missing plane and pilot. It also investigates individuals who believe they have been abducted by aliens.
'So if there was life that started elsewhere, it's most unlikely --- if we detect it at all --- that we detect it in this brief pause when it's organic like us.'
6. The Kingdom of Heaven: Kranostein journey began when she heard a Mennonite choir in a South Bronx train station. The beauty of their singing compelled her to look beyond their plain dress and investigate the source of this heart moving resonance.
'There is a roar inside when we confront the intractabilities of being one among many on shifting ground where we forced to do all our living and dying. '
March 23, 2022
I wish I'd spread this read out, picking it up here and there, letting the stories soak in more...
The threads that wove the narrative together were beautiful and heartbreaking. Sarah Krasnostein weaves her personal experience and observations in with the (sometimes baffling) world that believers inhabit. She's tender with each person's beliefs but shockingly honest about how those beliefs mesh (or don't) with reality.
I'd find myself cruising through one of the narratives (usually about fundamentalism, since that's a world I used to inhabit), and her observations--especially about the lack of connection possible on a transcendent level with folx certain she is going to hell (Krasnostein is Jewish)--would hit me like a gut punch. The ways she teased out how we deny ourselves true connection with each other--even though we're all driven to belief by the same desires and needs (and really by our basic humanity)--felt philosophical but also visceral.
I loved this book for it's philosophical moments, for its close exploration of the spiritual in the mundane, and for the vast array of belief Krasnostein managed to explore. Some of my favorite parts were her personal interjections, where I could see a glimpse of who she was underneath the journalist persona. At times, some of the narratives felt a little unwieldy (okay, mainly just the segments on UFOs--which admittedly were the ones I was least interested in), but Krasnostein always managed to find the thread to tie it all--us all--back together.
It was honest, unflinching, and deeply felt. The Believer made me think. A lot. It would make an excellent book club book (if the group has a philosophical bent) or a book to read and discuss with your person/people. I've already collected in my head a list of customers I will heartily recommend this one to.
The threads that wove the narrative together were beautiful and heartbreaking. Sarah Krasnostein weaves her personal experience and observations in with the (sometimes baffling) world that believers inhabit. She's tender with each person's beliefs but shockingly honest about how those beliefs mesh (or don't) with reality.
I'd find myself cruising through one of the narratives (usually about fundamentalism, since that's a world I used to inhabit), and her observations--especially about the lack of connection possible on a transcendent level with folx certain she is going to hell (Krasnostein is Jewish)--would hit me like a gut punch. The ways she teased out how we deny ourselves true connection with each other--even though we're all driven to belief by the same desires and needs (and really by our basic humanity)--felt philosophical but also visceral.
I loved this book for it's philosophical moments, for its close exploration of the spiritual in the mundane, and for the vast array of belief Krasnostein managed to explore. Some of my favorite parts were her personal interjections, where I could see a glimpse of who she was underneath the journalist persona. At times, some of the narratives felt a little unwieldy (okay, mainly just the segments on UFOs--which admittedly were the ones I was least interested in), but Krasnostein always managed to find the thread to tie it all--us all--back together.
It was honest, unflinching, and deeply felt. The Believer made me think. A lot. It would make an excellent book club book (if the group has a philosophical bent) or a book to read and discuss with your person/people. I've already collected in my head a list of customers I will heartily recommend this one to.
October 19, 2022
This was really, really thought-provoking and interesting. Spurred by a choir of Mennonites in New York City, the author spends time in several different belief communities --the Mennonite missionary community, UFOlogists, ghost/paranormal researchers, a Buddhist death doula and one of her clients, a woman recently released from prison for killing her abusive husband, and creationist scientists at an evangelical museum. She approaches most of these people with a commendable amount of curiosity and empathy, even though she very much does not agree with some of them. She asks excellent questions along the way about why we believe the things we do. This was beautifully written and I highly recommend it.
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