Man Seeks God: My Flirtations with the Divine

I'm pretty conflicted about this book On one hand, I think that Weiner's authorial voice is both compelling and humourous, as I discovered reading The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World; on the other, I found much of his approach to the material (as well as many of his underlying assumptions) to be simplistic at best and factually incorrect at worst. In his attempts to find "God" through his travels, he somehow manages to uncritically parrot many of wrong [...]

It is obvious that Eric Weiner likes to travel. In this book, he writes about his experiences visiting half a dozen diverse spiritual journeys, some into far-way places. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. And it is no coincidence, as I was very satisfied by two other travel-happy books by Eric Weiner: The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World and The Geography of Genius: A Search for the World's Most Creative Places from Ancient Athens to Silicon Val [...]

As a person who has unabashedly turned away from the “given” religion of my childhood, I am interminably curious about those who not only presume to dedicate their lives to one pervasive thought process, but more specifically those who presume that theirs is the one true answer to the BIG questions and that the rituals of others should be considered silly, if not insane. Why is it completely reasonable to always pray in one direction, while eating a baked good covered in wine as your savior [...]

Бих определила тази книга като пътеводител на религиозния стопаджия. Авторът в никакъв случай не иска да убеди когото и да било в съществуването на (някакъв) бог, освен себе си. Историята е повече като пътепис, и то добре написан, та накратко с тая книга се разходих и по небет [...]

Eric Weiner always makes me want to do things after reading his books. The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World kickstarted my Iceland obsession, and this book made me want to read more about religion in a broader sense. It may finally be time to wade through Joseph Campbell and The Power of Myth.In Man Seeks God, Weiner explores eight religions through attempts to experience them, not just interviewing people but putting himself through retreats, services [...]

Човек търси Бог, намира само себе си: knigolandiafo/book-review/c Купих си “Човек търси Бог”, защото съм чувал тонове препоръки за първата издадена у нас книга на Ерик Уайнър – “География на блаженството: Един мърморко търси най-щастливите места на света”. Защо реших да се насоча към д [...]

Właściwie to nawet 4,5. Przez jakiś czas, a dokładniej przez rozdział o buddyzmie uważałam, że autorowi umyka coś bardzo ważnego, że brak mu cierpliwości; że gdyby przestał oczekiwać czegokolwiek od tych religii, prędzej odnalazłby odpowiedzi na swoje pytania. Ale teraz sądzę, że może właśnie tak miało być i w sumie to dobrze. Każdy z nas jest inny i niezależnie od tego jak wygląda nasz Bóg albo czy w ogóle jakiegoś mamy (lub szukamy) ważne jest to co działa. Poz [...]

A few years ago, I read Eric Weiner’s book, The Geography of Bliss, in which he traveled the world to find the happiest places on earth. In this book, his search is even more personal. He is looking for “his God.” He chooses eight religions, decides how to focus on each one (living with Franciscan monks, for example, to explore Christianity), and spends time with teachers and practitioners of the various faiths. He finds in them many great similarities, along with the profound differences [...]

This should have been an interesting book. I read the author's first book: "The Geography of Bliss" which was delightful and informative. In it, he recounts his research into the countries which are deemed by social scientists to be the happiest places on earth. It was a fascinating look at which cultures promote happiness and it was funny, witty, intelligent and memorable. This book doesn't even come a close second. I am always interested in spiritual quests and understanding the different (esp [...]

My son Nissseem, 12 years, saw me laughing, reading a book. His curiosity got the best of him. I hand him this book "Man Seeks God". Nisseem is taught to be always open-minded and appreciate variation of ideas and opinion. Yet he couldn't keep reading, and when I asked why he stopped Nisseem said the author is sarcastically sacrilegious. I took the book back and this time I was annoyed with the author trivializing and superficializing things. For instance, on p. 3, he claims that agnostics strik [...]

Weiner starts out on his quest for the divine after a nurse asks him during a hospital stint "Have you found your god yet?" He then flirts with eight different religions: some mainstream (Catholicism) and others not (Witchcraft and Raelism) in an attempt to fill what Pascal calls his "god-shaped hole" in the human soul. I didn't think this one was quite as good as Weiner's Geography of Bliss, but I really liked the writing and the honesty and doubt he writes about in each of his explorations wit [...]

Consider this a 3.5 star review. There were things I really liked, and things I really didn't like, but overall I'm glad I read it.Former journalist Eric Weiner had gas and went to a hospital, where a nurse asked, "Have you found your God?" After a good fart (I presume), Weiner, a gastronomical Jew, decides he needs to fill the god-shaped hole in his life. So he travels the world exploring different faiths until he finds one that fits his hole.What I didn't like about the book was the fact Weine [...]

Having journeyed with Eric Weiner as he pursued the Geography of Bliss, I knew my travel companion for Man Seeks God was a slightly surlier and more cynical fellow quester though Mr. Weiner never embraced his religion of origin while I did inhale only to exhale in my late teens. Mr. Weiner and I both recognize the weakness of our "spiritual but not religious" stance's being a bit too convenient and the fallacy of that liberal lie that all religions are equally true and good. Eric Weiner's first [...]

Once again, NPR journalist Eric Weiner, flits around the globe attempting to find the answer to an unanswerable question. In his previous bestseller book The Geography of Bliss, Eric traveled the globe to find where in the world people were the happiest. Here, In Man Seeks God, Eric put himself up against the big one, Religion.While laying in a hospital bed from a minor malady, Eric was approached by a mysterious nurse who whispered in his ear, "Have you found your God yet"? Immediately alarmed, [...]

I was disappointed in this book. Eric Weiner's search for God starts as he is waiting to see a doctor while doubled over with stomach pains. A nurse noticing his pain and fear says to him "What's wrong haven't you found your God?" His pain turns out to be bad gas, but causes him to realize he feels that something is lacking in his life. So he picks out several religions and gives each a week or so trial. He includes Buddism, Taoism, Catholicism, Judism (especially the Kahabbala-spelled wrong of [...]

Witty, humorous and at times annoying and a little bit of a drag. Weiner has a near death experience which is just gas-that figures, and embarks on a spiritual quest. I can sympathize as my chest pains were all muscular, so I know what of he speaks but it's still rather comical. Weiner has to be the most neurotic person I've ever met-bibliographically speaking. We hear all about his OCD and impatience and depression and suicide thoughts. Sounds like a confession. We encounter a strange cult foun [...]

In Man Seeks God: My Flirtation with the Divine, author Eric Weiner explains, "Since no off-the-shelf spiritual category seems to fit me, I find I must invent one: Confusionist." The memoir, which is slightly reminiscent of Eat, Pray, Love, but with many more humorous twists, devotes individual chapters to the author's adventures in learning about religious practices like Sufism, Buddhism, Catholicism, Taoism, Wicca, Shamanism, and Kabbalah. As a journalist for NPR Weiner traveled the world, but [...]

Eric Weiner is on another quest. In his first book he looked for the world's happiest places, now he tackles a more controversial subject of religion. Weiner, the self proclaimed gastronomical Jew of no particular religious leaning goes shopping for religion, which takes him across the globe in order to better get to know different belief systems, eight in this case, from traditional to relatively new and vastly unorthodox. The armchair traveler and the autodidact in me love Weiner's books. Ther [...]

After enjoying Eric Weiner's Geography of Bliss, my son that I might like this book. Indeed, I like the author's personal exploration of some of the world's religions in his search for God. Although this is not a scholarly adventure, Weiner does impart knowledge about various religions including Sufism, Catholicism, Wicca, Judaism, and others. But, this is also a personal journey, and Weiner's insights about these beliefs as well as his own introspective thoughts about the Divine offer the reade [...]

This is a very good book about a man who tries out 8 different religions: Sufism (a form of Islam), Buddhism, Franciscan (and order of Catholicism), Raëlism (a UFO-based religion), Taoism, Wicca (a form of paganism), Shamanism, and Kabbalah (a form of Judaism). He does this by traveling to other countries and states and attending seminars, conferences and gatherings. He also interviews leaders in each religion. He learns a lot, and so does the reader. I really liked this book and I learned a lo [...]

Ilka and I just finished translating it into Bulgarian today.It's still too early to discuss it coherently. The one-word verdict: recommended. Three more: to novice seekers.04.04.2014: The Bulgarian edition is out. :)14.04.2014: I quoted some of my favorite passages--in both English and Bulgarian--in my personal blog:kalvinagi/?p=457

Eric Weiner was confused spiritually and God, he's so confused he decided to learn about few major religions in order to get to know God in perpective of those religions. This is his journey. It's honest, witty, and funny. What I don't get is he seemed to be touching only the surface and not personal or deep enough as this was supposed to be his personal journey looking out for the divine, God or lord of the universe as he said it.

I don't usually do non-fiction but this made me laugh out loud and it was a great book to make you think :) Official Review:examiner/books-in-boul

The New York Times- December 10, 2011"Opinion: Americans: Undecided About God?"

It is always interesting to follow along on someone’s spiritual journey in life, although this path is too thin and lacks depth and intuition.

Entertaining, informative and thought-provoking.

"Добрината ви трябва да има ръбове, иначе не е никаква добрина."

В „Човек търси Бог” Ерик Уайнър ни повежда към осем духовни пътешествия, прекосявайки океан, континенти и няколко щата. Преброжда и няколко века, за да ни върне към миналото и да ни запознае с раждането на религиите, в които се е втурнал да търси Бог.Всичко започва след един [...]

I listened to this on audiobook, which was great because the author’s voice is instantly recognizable from his years as a correspondent for NPR. And there’s so much sarcasm in his writing that it’s fun to hear it directly from him. But Weiner is a professional journalist, and for all the humor within, this is some heady stuff, so at times I wished I had a physical book to re-read some passages and to take down my favorite quotes for later. I’d describe this like a far more intellectual B [...]

I have to admit I did not finish this book. Like many others who commented, I had also been captivated by the lighthearted Geography of Bliss. But as a Reform Jew who is interested in other faiths, I found it disappointing. It seemed that Eric takes picked the quirkiest offshoots of the most major religions . new age Sufi-ism as described by Eric bears no relationship to the Islam practiced by my any of my Muslim friends And the breezy manner of his writing was too superficial for me on this top [...]