The Book of Waking Up

December 9, 2019
Poet Haines, who wrote about his alcoholism and recovery in Coming Clean, addresses the importance of waking up from a life of addiction to a life of delighting in God in this thoughtful memoir. Haines casts his net broadly and rails against the “technological heroin” of social media, bingeing on Netflix, and workaholic tendencies that he thinks have become pervasive. Even being addicted to the “right theology” for prestige in a Christian community can be a slavish attachment, he writes. In very short chapters, Haines tosses out questions and then provides answers, but always in an open-ended, inviting way. For instance, he asks: pleasure is a gift from God, but don’t our motives for seeking pleasure need to be examined? Can pain be a gift? He recommends three main steps: waking up to the pain of addiction, understanding coping mechanisms, and accepting divine love. Haines also examines addiction from different angles—including the etymology of the word and the physiology of the brain—and shares personal stories to show the prevalence of the many addictions that afflict contemporary society. These fruitful ruminations will appeal to readers who enjoy the works of Jim Wallis.