Boo

June 30, 2003
Underscore this fact, writes Vernick, a licensed clinical social worker with more than 20 years experience: over-emphasizing one's wants—and seeing those wants fulfilled—is not the path to personal happiness. Rather, she purports, true happiness comes as a result of being in right relation with God and others. Systematically, Vernick (How to Act Right When Your Spouse Acts Wrong) lays the foundation to support this premise by first defining psychological catchphrases in light of biblical principles and theological repercussions. Terms such as self-image, self-esteem and self-love all take a beating here, as Vernick unpacks these "self"-consuming distractions as mere excuses for sinful thinking and behavior. She argues that too much self-obsession and not enough confidence in God can lead Christians toward discouragement, depression and destructive life patterns. Christians need to have a realistic understanding of their divine worth and value, balanced by a sense that their success comes because of Christ's active redemptive power. Vernick tackles such virtues as humility, selflessness, fear of God, intimacy with God and joy, in chapters that are thoughtful though occasionally tedious and slow-moving. Overall, her timely and refreshing message is one that serious Christian followers will likely pay attention to.

Starred review from October 1, 2003
In a marvelous scene, a fundamentalist pastor and his prayer warriors attempt to cast the demons from teenager Alice Laxton in Carlson's "Finding Alice. "But the demon is schizophrenia and won't go away quite so easily. Alice has always seemed like a normal girl--something of a loner, chafing at the bit to get away from her fundamentalist family. At college, her boyfriend dumps her and her loneliness becomes oppressive. An imaginary friend confirms Alice's worst suspicions, and she spirals into the deepest paranoia, her every move paralleling something in "Alice in Wonderland, "giving some humor and a savage twist to the proceedings. Carlson will win some awards with this one. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)