I literally finished this in a 1/2 hr with a 5 minute break. It is still good and it has some fantastic lines, but it is a tiny book. ( )

Rob Bell is so cool! I like the creative presentation, and the content was enlightening and fun to read. ( )

This is Rob Bell's thoughts on creativity. The invitation is to be honest and vulnerable and willing to suffer for our art and also to see imaginatively new possibilities.

Trademark Bell: thought-provoking, provocative phrases, and a quick read. I read it in about 25 minutes. ( )

The topic of this book is how suffering can enhance creativity. Not that the author puts it so directly. Instead he looks at scenarios of joy and grief, of life and death, both from Scripture and from contemporary times. He demonstrates how God can use our suffering to create something of beauty.

Rob Bell also talks about art in its many forms and shows how it is often able to speak more clearly to its audience when the composer has suffered and struggled, both in the production of the work and perhaps in his or her personal life.

It could have been trite or formulaic, but somehow this book is inspiring and encouraging. There are drawings and photos, and an epilogue which explain where the title of the book came from.

It’s a quick read; only about 130 pages, and with the author’s usual style of spaced out paragraphs and large margins, it could have been contained in half that number. I wouldn't have been too happy if I’d paid full price for it; instead I found it second-hand. However, I liked it overall; it was quite thought-provoking, and would recommend it, but borrow rather than buying. ( )

Here's a short little booklet you can read over your lunch hour. Rob Bell, the controversial emergent mega-church pastor and best-selling author of Love Wins, tackles the subject of grief.

Bell is a minister, but doesn't turn this into a book about God. It's not tough love and it's not sappy sentiment. Just words to think about and draw inspiration from.

If you're thinking about buying this as a gift book, I wouldn't say that it's appropriate for the deep-in-grief stage, but rather the help-me-stand-up-again stage. As Bell says, he's less concerned about the "why this?" than the "what now?"

Never heard Bell preach, but I'm sure beginning to like him as a person. I guess that's the important thing for a good spiritual adviser. ( )