The review about this product
I think that the biggest criticism one could make against Donald Miller's books is that they lack structure. Many of his books feel like reading through the ramblings of someone's private journal. However, in this latest book Miller really tries to structure chapters so that each one flows into the other, and so that at the end the book the reader is left with something meaningful and structurally fluid.
In all of Miller's books he interweaves personal stories and events into meaningful lessons. It is his forte. But after so many books, that structure begins to seem contrived and, frankly, annoying.
In this book he continues on to write about his life, specifically his attempt to edit his life in light of the success he had with his previous books. He writes that his life was dull and lacking direction after his initial success. As a result, he decides to change course. He does this by engaging in a series of "initiating events," which are events that someone undertakes in order to change the trajectory of that person's life. Thus, he treks up the Inca trail to Machu Picchu and he rides his bike across the United States. He concludes that life doesn't happen to people who just sit on the couch and wait for it to happen, that instead it is the people engaging life that are truly living.
In summary, the book was interesting and a lot more structured than his previous books. As a reader, I walked away understanding his message. However, I don't think that more books should be written about his life - that is, about his friend Steve or his other friend James or about a movie he watched or a book he read. Let's change the subject.
