Loading ...As Is by Krista Finch
This is life: noisy, dirty, dangerous. And it’s the best we get in this fast-paced, hard-nosed, crazy-making world. But is there more than chaos, commotion and calamity? Is there some majesty even in the dust?
In this unique compilation of journey notes, new author Krista Finch asks these questions, speaking honestly about herself and the world around her. With curiosity and passion, she digs into ordinary moments for the truth about awakening and reawakening. Brokenness and beauty. Ruins and restoration. And what she keeps finding in the clumps and clods is nothing short of glory. Welcome to life as is – unfinished but beautiful.
Krista’s a new author; her fresh voice will appeal to women and men alike. Check it out!
edwardgoode
I started reading the book As Is: Unearthing Commonplace Glory =by Krista Finch tonight. I read about the first 50 pages and had to put it down. Not because it was troubling or difficult to read or anything of the sort, but instead I felt like I was missing something by reading so much so quickly. The book is a collection of 1-2 page reflections grouped into sections. I read the first two and when I came to the end of the 2nd, I felt like I had read so much that I needed to let what I had taken in thus far begin to settle in for a while. My sense of the book to this point is that it is an exploration of the glimpses of heaven in the midst of real life, hence the title “As Is.”
As I read the first few sections, I heard about firefly chasing, children dancing before a camcorder, similarities to Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, and grace upon grace. While I have not finished the book (I have about 150 pages more to go), I already cannot recommend it highly enough for someone looking for a book to simply refresh the spirit and nurture the soul.
http://www.edwardgoode.net/2010/05/30/as-is-by-krista-finch/
May 30th, 2010
CindyW
I really, really wanted to love this book when I chose it to review for The Ooze. Its subtitle (“Unearthing Commonplace Glory”), its editorial blurb, even its cover art all promise thought-provoking engagement with the beauty/pain paradoxes of human life. In other words, it seemed to be my kind of literature. I also have a penchant for memoir and in the past year have loved reading the spiritual autobiographies The Long Loneliness and The Shaping of a Life, among others.
As Is is Krista Finch’s first book, and it bears many of the marks of a first book, particularly a first memoir: a lot of talk about being a writer, a lot of ebullient stylistic quirks. Reading it, I have the sense that I’d love to sit down for coffee with Finch, that I’d love to be good enough friends to suggest that she strike out a few adjectives and be careful with the alliteration and emphatic sentence fragments, then trade places and hear her critiques of my writing.
The book claims to be a series of “journey notes,” brief sketches of profound spiritual intimations drawn not from heady philosophy or theological arguments but from everyday life: encounters in the grocery store or the local gym, interactions with family, and realizations about the narrator’s own longings and joys. These notes are often very short–sometimes shy of 250 words–and they generally follow the format of vividly-described vignette + one- or three-sentence spiritual conclusion. In fact, they feel to me a lot like brief blog posts or reflections jotted in a diary. I can imagine that some readers, especially those without a lot of time to read, will appreciate the episodic rhythm, since they’ll be able to read a chapter or two in five minutes between other tasks and then mull over the stories.
I read the book all in one go, and this reading experience probably affects my conclusion, but I wish these short vignettes were longer and more sustained. Indeed, the book’s strongest chapters are those few that exceed a page and a half, as I often found myself bristling at pious conclusions that seemed too easily earned. I also wished for a more clear narrative development–it seemed to me that the many brief sketches hint at a larger sweep of story, but the apparent lack of chronology and development undermined the strength of a whole that these parts could have created.
Finally, I wanted more specificity. Many of the segments provided tiny glimpses of connection and interest, but they tended to leave me with more questions than answers: why is the speaker so insecure and perfectionistic? why is her romantic relationship, abstractly and mysteriously described in one chapter as “look[ing] different from the outside,” so different? why should I trust this speaker, identify with her, find comfort in the conclusions of her own life? I think, along with more sustained reflections and a stronger narrative progression, the book would have been strengthened by more particularity in the life stories. Anne Lamott, one of Finch’s heroes, establishes connections with her readers through this sort of sustained, concrete vulnerability, which earns her readers’ respect for both her irreverence and her shared life-lessons.
The raw material, the premise, some of the insights, and Finch’s passion for writing all add up to a lot of promise, but the execution leaves me wishing for greater depth. This is not a book I would recommend to my friends, but I do look forward to seeing Finch’s writing continue to develop and to seeing what else comes out from the press she and her husband inaugurated with the publication of this book.
http://lafleurepuisee.blogspot.com
May 31st, 2010
Doc Whitehouse
As Is…It’s the title of Krista Finch’s musings on life as it is, with all its busyness, velocity, brokenness and beauty.
“Life is a broken jumble of failure, defeat, and unsettled-ness” (p. 35)
And yet…
Finch has uncovered awareness of life as it is–something of which many of us are unaware. We aren’t in touch with nor do we think about the best parts of life. Caught up in the daily grind of work, family, bills, dishes, laundry, what have you, we often neglect our inner selves. We lose our muchness and forget who we really are in the midst of all the noise. Drowning out the noise, however, is a nearly impossible task. Finch reminds us that despite our best efforts, we may only be able to take in a few brief moments. But even in those moments, we can be fully alive.
This book doesn’t exactly beg to be a treat on which you nibble day by day, though it should be read that way. As Is would make a great source for daily reading, devotion or musing and may spark in the reader something new to consider. Finch’s writing is low on the God factor (making her appealing to readers such as myself) but remains holy in its depth of awareness and understanding. Although I blew through this book to make some deadlines and move on to other books I need to read, I highly recommend savoring As Is over the course of time. And then putting it on your shelf to come back to later.
“And this is life…life unfinished, noisy, as is. The very best we can hope for here and now” (p. 32-33)
Jun 1st, 2010
Chris Wiles
As you read the book As Is by Krista Finch, you come away feeling as though you’ve known the young writer for many years, and the book’s near-instant intimacy feels less like a book and more like good conversation over coffee (or tea, for us non-coffee types).
The title of the book is quite equally a summary of its content. The stories and poetry of the book are united only by their ability to describe the nature of everyday life. The following quote is both representative of both Finch’s content as well as her excellent writing style.
“…if we’ll take what life gives, grace will find us – in all her fierceness and splendor, dressed in chain mail and armor, ready to pin a sprig of lilac on our collars. But she only comes to those of us who find ourselves in the places where brokenness and rejoicing coexist. Places where bitter death tolls harmonize with strains of celebration. Places where broken bones dance to the trumpet’s blast.” (p. 35)
The book is classified as a “spiritual memoir.” Being more descriptive than prescriptive, the following is not meant as a critique as much as some things that readers of this blog may wish to be aware of.
What you’ll find:
a series of brief vignettes, loosely arranged into various sections, each of which is introduced through poetry.
a colorful writing style that employs both warmth and humor. She later cites the influence of Raymond Carver (p. 131), at which point I understood where her penchant for alliteration and adjectives came from.
stories that are completely independent of one another, though holding in common the common theme of raw simplicity and “commonplace glory.”
What you won’t find:
explicit spiritual/theological teaching or advice. The book is classified as a memoir, and is to be read as such.
a book that is more of a photo album than a film reel. The subject matter changes literally every three pages. For this reason, the book is better read in pieces than trying to read through it like a novel.
“varnish.” Finch writes with refreshingly raw honesty. I, for one, appreciated such an approach, allowing readers to understand that Christianity is not necessarily a clean, polished, have-it-all-together kind of life. Still, more sensitive readers may want to be aware that in at least two places, Finch uses what might be called “swear words,” which I mention now only to remove potential complaints later.
Conclusion:
Some readers may also note that in one brief section, Finch described her issues with denominationalism (these readers will also be quick to notice the few Rob Bell quotes that appear in the book). I’d like to politely remind her that not all us Calvinists are the rabbit-cage-fed, punch-you-in-the-throat types, but at the same time I can respect her spiritual journey. Her work is entirely descriptive, and never prescriptive, so I was able to hear her viewpoint without feeling forced to share it.
And the fact that the work is descriptive rather than prescriptive also means more subjectivity in its evaluation. How well the book is received will depend greatly on how well readers can appreciate the book’s style, and how well they can relate the author’s journey.
I for one greatly enjoyed the book. Finch writes from an obviously female perspective, the book may be read by both men and women, and the very nature of the book’s content invites readers from various parts of the spiritual journey to share in the experience of “commonplace glory.”
Ten percent of the book’s sales go to support International Justice Mission and the fight against slavery.
You can visit the author’s website at http://www.kristafinch.com, or buy the book from Amazon.
Chris Wiles is an avid writer and speaker. You can read the original post at http://thornscompose.com/2010/06/07/as-is-krista-finch-review/ or follow his blog at http://www.thornscompose.com.
Jun 7th, 2010
Chris Enstad
I picked up a copy of Krista Finch’s book unsure of what to expect. This is a book of short reflections, poems, memories and even homilies that Finch, a writer living in Nashville, has collected and shared with us. I thought, at first, that this might be like a blog in book form… things of interest to people who were interested in Krista Finch, but of little use to me up here in Minneapolis.
I was wrong.
This book is beautiful. It is sublime. Finch (why do I want to refer to her as Krista instead?) has given us a midrash on life by diving us deep into the cracks and dust and up into the mountains of a life lived observing. No, make that a *faithful* life lived observing. No, make that a *normal*, *faithful* life live observing God in the big and the small and in a way that resonates with how I think most people of faith truly are. Not quite perfect, not quite imperfect, striving to figure out what life is all about, and unsatisfied with what our consumer culture is feeding us both physically and spiritually.
Finch is not just a softy either. Her edges stand out in authentic ways from how she reacts to being cut off in traffic to her journey through the land of forgiveness.
By the end of this book I came to be thankful that I had come to know Krista Finch in this way. And that she misses her Grandpa Arlie, loves _To Kill a Mockingbird_, strives to be a good wife and friend, and has some deep thoughts about faith and life give us the glimpses of heaven that God brings to us in the voice of our neighbor.
Jun 8th, 2010
ShawnaAtteberry
As Is: Unearthing Commonplace Glory is Krista Finch’s first book published through the publishing press she owns with her husband, Swerve Press. As Is is a memoir of finding places of glory in the everyday messiness of life. Finch sets out to see heaven on earth:
Life is noisy, dirty, dangerous–and that is with its best foot forward. But there is more than only chaos, commotion, and calamity. We catch glimpses of the glory when we look in the impossible and preposterous places.
I really wanted to like this book, but the alliteration and lists that have a nice lilt to them in the beginning get old quick. There are several chapters, or sketches (the Table of Contents is called Sketches in this book), that get overwhelmed with her lists. It’s almost like Finch wants to write poetry throughout the book, but then changes to prose. Each section of the book begins with a poem then is followed by short vignettes on different topics. Most of the sketches are just over a page long and skim the surface of the topic she’s talking about. The book is loosely structured, which makes it hard to follow as it’s not in chronologically order and doesn’t have a strong narrative structure. Finch jumps around her life without giving a lot of surrounding detail or connecting narrative to help us transition from one sketch to the other. Although we see glimpses into Finch’s life, the reader doesn’t feel like you get to know her. For example in “This Lounge Chair Thing” she mentions three miscarriages and a cancer scare in another long list, and that’s it. She never elaborates on either the rest of the book. We don’t know what happened. It’s mentioned and then she goes on.
There are nice sections in the book where Finch gets away from lists and adjectives and gives a little more narrative and detail that make that story shine like this paragraph where she describes why we are “hesitant hopers”:
Because hope is an odd cat. That’s probably why we don’t entertain her very often. Everything around us tells us not to invite her in. Hospitals can’t heal, wars don’t end, bonds won’t mend. We’ve asked hope to come, and she has left us high and dry. Why would we summon that kind of company…? …Hope just doesn’t look like we think she will look. She changes her hair color and gets a new wardrobe just when we start to recognize her (p. 116).
I look forward to seeing how her writing develops, but I wouldn’t recommend this book. It would probably be best for those who like to read in short spells. It might be an easier book to read slowly, taking your time. It’s not a good book to read straight through. If you’re interested in short blog-style chapters that are easy to read in five minutes here and there, you might enjoy this book. If you expect a memoir to have more narrative where you feel like you get to know the author, then this book isn’t for you.
I received a copy of this book from The Viral Ooze Bloggers agreeing to post a copy of the review on my website.
Jun 11th, 2010
Kyle Kirkley
I really do hate to be that guy. You know the one. He tears down what has been sincerely built. He pokes holes in what has been lovingly sealed. He is the cynic, the doubter, the hater. But, alas, today I am he. Upon reading Krista Finch‘s As Is, I truly believe that Finch has honest nuggets of truth and hope to share with the world, but I just can’t get past the formulaic, clichéd execution by which those nuggets are delivered. Perhaps I was hoping for too much – the next Ann Lamott or Annie Dillard – a new woman of wisdom and surprising insights with shocking powers of articulation. Instead, As Is reads like a recipe: take a simple moment, examine for life lessons, expound on personal morality and hope, rinse and repeat (or is that shampoo directions?). This pattern is charming for the first few pages, but soon it starts to wear thin. I would have loved for this book to have a more cohesive thread – thematic or narrative – to pull me through the many poignant moments. Even choosing fewer topics and expanding on them in greater depth would have been a vast improvement in my opinion. Finch is clearly a talented writer and has valuable introspection to share with her readers. From all the evidence in As Is, she has poured her heart and soul into this book. Unfortunately, though, that sincerity was not enough for me.
This review also appears at http://kylekirkley.wordpress.com
Jun 13th, 2010
joshuapcooper
Krista Finch’s first book, As Is: Unearthing Commonplace Glory is a delight. Finch is a masterful wordsmith who carefully crafts poetry and short memoirs, which mines the conflict and tension we feel in our lives, as her opening poem rightly suggests: “…that was a long time ago; there’s no time for chasing lightening bugs now” not with the long laundry list of things that we do which redirects our attention from perhaps deeper, more meaningful spaces (p. 9). I was hooked by the opening poem which, I believe, sets the tone, rhythm, and content for the rest of the book. I had this sense that if I enjoyed the opening as much as I did that I would enjoy the rest of what was to come. As Is is witty and honest; and if we are honest with ourselves we will find many points of connection in Finch’s short stories.
As Is should be read devotionally. I found myself reading 2-3 chapters (which are very short) a day in order to let the story “sink in” and give myself time for reflection. The one thing I really appreciate about this book is that it forces us as readers to slow down and reflect – even meditate – on what is being said. Reading this book in 1-2 sittings is not recommended and may even disappoint if attempted.
This review also appears at http://joshatwestern.blogspot.com
Disclaimer: In accordance with local and federal laws, I disclose that I was given a free copy of this book for review by The Ooze Viral Bloggers. No compensation has been received for this review.
Jun 15th, 2010
jen_rose
“I suppose that’s what wonder does. It stops us, catches us, takes our breath and holds it in our throat on the threshold of a sigh and a gasp. I can’t remember the last time I experienced that… I want more. I want less. I want the glow of birthday candles to kindle something like wonder in me.” ~ Krista Finch, As Is (pg 12)
I like memoirs. It doesn’t have to be an exciting story either, like the stuff of action movies. Ever since the day I sat on a comfy chair in Borders and devoured so much of Blue Like Jazz in one sitting that I had to buy it just to see how it ended, I’ve been fascinated by real life stories, both the miraculous and the mundane.
In the same way, I was drawn to As Is: Unearthing Commonplace Glory by Krista Finch, for the quirkily beautiful cover art, the back cover blurb (“This is life: noisy, dirty, dangerous.”), and the fresh and artistic style found in the writing on her blog. With all this in mind, I was eager to dive into the “journey notes” that make up this different sort of memoir. Though it unfortunately didn’t live up to the hype I built in a story-hungry mind that’s always on the lookout for the next Anne Lamott, it does provide something like a literary walk in the park, and, bumps in the path aside, is a promising introduction to this young author’s career.
The first thing to have in mind entering this book is that this isn’t a usual memoir. Finch doesn’t present pages and pages of life story or a developed narrative. In fact, except for the loosely themed sections/chapters that all begin with a free verse poem, there’s not much structure at all. The table of contents is actually called “sketches,” and perhaps that’s a more accurate way to describe these writings. They come in short bursts (usually 1 – 2 pages each) that sketch out an image, story, or idea before wrapping up and moving on to the next.
These vignettes pack a lot of poetic writing into small spaces and draw beauty and truth from everyday moments. Still, they only dance on the surface of the story, and I found that frustrating. There are lots of little glimpses, sketches, and stories, but not a narrative flow, a bigger story where we can get to know the author better. I gathered some facts — she’s married, she loves fine wine, her favorite movie is To Kill a Mockingbird — but never really felt like I knew her. She does well with capturing glimpses of grace in other people, but I really wish she’d opened up more, gone a little deeper. I know it’s hard (especially for the first book), but, well… that’s what memoirs do. They let you live in another’s skin for a little while, through the beautiful and ugly stuff, and let you come back to your own life realizing there are others a lot like you.
All nitpicking aside… perhaps I’m expecting too much. There are simply beautiful bits of prose (see quote at the top), and I enjoyed her poetry. She has a fresh voice and an artistic approach that is sometimes lacking in the more focused books from this genre. There is something charming and refreshing about meandering along in the author’s mind, skipping from thought to thought, like flipping through a journal or a writer’s notebook. And since it’s an indie release (this is the first book published on Krista and her husband Jason’s imprint Swerve Press), the presentation has a unique, DIY feel to it like nothing you’d find from a bigger publisher.
I definitely plan to revisit As Is, but not on such a quick timeline. I cleared this one in a day or two, but there’s an injustice to reading this all in one go. So next time, I’ll be reading slower, in smaller chunks to fully appreciate her style and the truths she telling.
My best recommendation is to first, spend a little time on Krista’s blog to see if her style clicks for you. If it does, then it might be worth picking up a copy on her website, or the Kindle version from Amazon. This isn’t a particularly deep read that will change your life, but it’s a pleasant one with some lovely writing, and fans of indie authors and unique literary style should find something to love in her “commonplace glory.” I’m looking forward to the future, both for her career as she continues to grow and develop, and for future new talent from Swerve.
~ Jen Rose
http://divinest-sense.blogspot.com
Jun 20th, 2010
AmyB
Krista Finch, in her spiritual memoir “As Is: Unearthing Commonplace Glory,” seeks to identify God’s presence amidst the boring, messy, and ultimately beautiful parts of life. These are the moments we we normally forget to invite God to and as a result continually fail to see his faithful presence. Finch’s descriptions and observations are easy to relate to, made particularly charming in her presentation.
Although this book could be read in a few short sittings, it is better enjoyed in snippets. A story or two at a time, savored and explored. Each one a reminder of the beauty, fear, and mess inextricably mixed with glory too often neglected.
My favorite story of the book closes with a quote that resonates with me. Finch states, “…hope is an odd cat. That’s probably why we don’t entertain her very often. Everything around us tells us not to invite her in. Hospitals can’t heal, wars don’t end, bonds won’t mend. We’ve asked hope to come, and she has left us high and dry. Why would we summon that kind of company; the kind of company that shows up late, brings rude friends, or ignores our requests altogether? Hope just doesn’t look like we think she should look. She changes her hair color and gets a new wardrobe just when we start to recognize her.” (p. 116).
That’s just what I found in this book; hope. Hope that God is active in the little details, the things overlooked and considered unworthy. Glory is found in those very moments.
Amy Borjas
http://www.stoppingspot.blogspot.com/
Jul 11th, 2010
kragtbakker
As Is Review at LarynAndJanel.com
Jul 13th, 2010
kragtbakker
From LarynAndJanel.com
“This is life: noisy, dirty, dangerous. And it’s the best we get in this fast-paced, hard-nosed, crazy-making world. But is there more than chaos, commotion and calamity? Is there some majesty even in the dust?
In this unique compilation of journey notes, new author Krista Finch asks these questions, speaking honestly about herself and the world around her. With curiosity and passion, she digs into ordinary moments for the truth about awakening and reawakening. Brokenness and beauty. Ruins and restoration. And what she keeps finding in the clumps and clods is nothing short of glory.”
I was interested in this book based on the jacket copy above. I found it to be a mostly pleasant read but I wish it had delved deeper into the noise and the dirt. Most of the chapters were completely rooted in the day-to-day of a middle-class life rather than anything particularly dangerous or chaotic or calamitous. I was hoping to read someone’s exploration of where the majesty and glory is in a world where babies get brain tumors, earthquakes destroy lives and oil spills ruin ecosystems and livelihoods. This book was more about “[digging] into ordinary moments” and the more serious issues were occasionally added as asides without deeper exploration.
She refers to the book as a “compilation of journey notes” and I think that is a fair description. Each chapter is generally only one or two pages, relating an experience or thought that she had, followed by a short conclusion she had reached after the fact. At times this felt too moralistic, but made for light and usually interesting reading. It was easy to read a chapter or two even when I didn’t have a lot of time to devote to it. In some ways it felt like a blog that you could tuck in a pocket and pull out whenever you wanted (for those of us without fancy phones and gadgets, that is still a novelty).
As a designer, I appreciated the work that went into the book, and its small size felt comfortable to hold (design was by Sharp Seven, who’ve done a lot of interesting work on a lot of great projects, including Jesus for President and Conspire Magazine). And as an independent writer myself, I applaud Krista and her husband for their courage in stepping out and braving the world of publishing. They’ve even set up a publishing company called Swerve Press. If she continues in this vein, I’ll be interested to see what her future projects bring to the table.
Links:
Swerve Press
Krista Finch
International Justice Mission – 10% of proceeds are donated to IJM
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book.
Jul 13th, 2010
Monster
The Book
“As Is, Unearthing Commonplace Glory”, was written by Krista Finch and released by Swerve Press in 2009.
Quote
“In the commotion, God still speaks to me, which is all I want in the first place. To hear and be near Him…it is in the mess that He whispers loudest…. (page 104).
The Good
The book was simply written and (mostly) free of pretense. As the title implies, Krista looks for and finds grace in the messiness of life. It would make a nice graduation gift to a college student.
The Bad
The author works a little too hard to achieve authenticity. She uses the word “shitty” on page 1 just so we can see how real she is (remember John Kerry’s use of the F-Bomb in a certain Rolling Stone interview?) This struck me about like the acid washed jeans fad from the late 1980s. It’s calculated shabbiness.
I also did not find in the book a cogent theology of grace. Part of the problem is that the chapters are too short to fully develop the subject matter. Almost all of them start by introducing a mini-crisis (can’t find a used copy of a Madeleine L’Engle book) and end with a too-neat solution (oh good, I found one – what a life changing experience – I think I’ll have a good cry). Genuine insights do come through in some places, but the abrupt, often saccharine pieces are more suitable for the local newspaper’s “Reflections” column than for a book length project.
Finch is also too far removed from her subject matter to offer us compelling meditations. In one chapter she drives by a woman pushing her retarded adult son in a wheelchair. I did not have a particular problem with the insight she offers, but it comes off a little too safe. The person who should have written that chapter is the woman pushing the wheelchair. She does not have the luxury of driving away from the life that Finch views from the safety of her car. I suspect that Wheelchair Woman has earned the right to use words like “shitty”.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that the book is quick and enjoyable (like an inspirational “Reflections” column), but a little too cute. I think there’s a writer in there somewhere, and she will likely improve with time, but books on messy grace have been done before and done better by others. Ultimately, Finch’s inexperience is the book’s greatest weakness. She has not raised kids, endured severe financial hardship or cared for a dying loved one – in short, she has not lived enough of life to offer us real grace.
Jul 14th, 2010
SGill4613
I absolutely enjoyed reading Krista Finch’s book “As Is: Unearthing Commonplace Glory”. I found it to be enjoyable as I read a chapter or two each morning as a devotional. Too often devotional books are meant to inspire for the day. I found Finch’s book offers refreshingly honest reflections on her life experiences which are not always what we want them to be. Thoughtful, full of insight and true to her self, this is a book I fully recommend!
Jul 27th, 2010
Dan
As Is: Uncovering common place glory. The subtitle says it all. I couldn’t describe this book in any other way. The author, Krista Finch, shares stories that throughout the book reminded me of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. Of course the stories were different and the voice was uniquely the author’s, but my enjoyment of the book was the same feeling I had reading Anne Dillard’s book years ago. The story was sweet and thought provoking. I recommend it to all my friends.
Aug 2nd, 2010
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