Working on God [Paperback]

Millions of Americans are finding it more and more difficult to apply the traditional demands of organized religion to their lives, and yet a complete absence of spirituality leaves them uneasy.Working on Godis a book for and about such intelligent, independent people, who are seeking to reconcile their spiritual yearnings with their skeptical intellects. Winifred Gallagher, a behavioral-science reporter, began her investigation of religion in our postmodern age with research and interviews and soon discovered a vast, quiet revolution under way among ordinary men and women grappling with the sacred. Both Gallagher's brilliant journalistic inquiry and her very personal journey unfold over time spent in a Zen monastery and a cloistered convent, in small-group discussions and healing rituals, in a Conservative synagogue that shares spaces with a Christian church, and in the birthplace of the New Age. Written with humor, empathy, and a rigorous curiosity,Working on Godbreaks new ground in depicting the broad-based spiritual movement that is transforming many lives. "A fascinating mosaic of contemporary religious thought.... A rich and beautifully written harvest for the reader."--The New York Times Book Review

"An intimate and revealing pilgrimage into America's restless soul. The result is an honest and sometimes poignant appraisal of a religious
revolution afoot in this country--.An outstanding piece of writing that shows the strength and beauty of America's beating religious heart."--The Boston Globe

"Working on God is one of the greatest spiritual works of this decade, as delightful as it is wise."--Anne LamottWinifred Gallagher's previous books areJust the Way You Are: How Heredity and Experience Create the Individual, which was aNew York TimesNotable Book of the Year, andThe Power of Place: How Surroundings Shape Our Thoughts, Emotions, and Actions. She has written for many magazinesls#