Devotion - by Dani Shapiro (Paperback)

About the Book

In this spiritual detective story, Shapiro explores the varieties of experience she has pursued--from the rituals of her black hat Orthodox Jewish relatives to yoga "shalas" and meditation retreats--and the surprisingly joyful quest she undertook to find meaning in a constantly changing world.

Book Synopsis

"Devotion's biggest triumph is its voice: funny and unpretentious, concrete and earthy--appealing to skeptics and believers alike. This is a gripping, beautiful story." -- Jennifer Egan, author of The Keep

"I was immensely moved by this elegant book." -- Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love

Dani Shapiro, the acclaimed author of the novel Black and White and the bestselling memoir Slow Motion, is back with Devotion: a searching and timeless new memoir that examines the fundamental questions that wake women in the middle of the night, and grapples with the ways faith, prayer, and devotion affect everyday life. Devotion is sure to appeal to all those dealing with the trials and tribulations of what Carl Jung called "the afternoon of life."

From the Back Cover

Settling into the responsibilities and routines of adulthood, Dani Shapiro found herself with more questions than answers. Was this all life was--a hodgepodge of errands, dinner dates, e-mails, meetings, to-do lists? What did it all mean? Having grown up in a deeply religious and traditional family, Shapiro had no personal sense of faith, despite her repeated attempts to create a connection to something greater. Set adrift by loss--her father's early death, the life-threatening illness of her infant son, her troubled relationship with her mother--she recognized the challenge at the heart of her anxiety: What did she believe?

Devotion is a spiritual detective story, a literary excavation to the core of a life. At once poignant, funny, intensely personal, and completely universal, it is the story of a woman whose search for meaning in a constantly changing world ultimately leads her home.

Review Quotes

"Brave, compelling, unexpectedly witty. . . . Stunningly intimate journey. . . . Thanks to Shapiro's excruciatingly honest self-examination and crystal clear, lyrical writing, the journey--as secular swami Steve Jobs once famously said--is indeed the reward." -- People (4 out of 4 stars)

"The one book that anyone over, say, 35 needs to read right now." -- Jesse Kornbluth, Huffington Post

"I was immensely moved by this elegant book, which reminded me all over again that all of us-at some point or another-must buck up our courage and face down the big spiritual questions of life, death, love, loss and surrender." -- Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love

"Dani Shapiro takes readers on an intense journey in search of meaning and peace. Her story of hope is eloquently told and unflinchingly honest." -- Jeannette Walls, author of The Glass Castle Jeannette Walls, author of The Glass Castle Jeannette Walls, author of The Glass Castle Jeannette Walls, author of The Glass Castle

"Dani Shapiro's novels and nonfiction are always rich in honesty and intelligence, about the psyche and lost hearts and families, about messes and shame and what calls us to transcend." -- Anne Lamott, author of Grace (Eventually)

"This is a beautiful, wry and moving story about one intelligent woman's journey into her own life, to the corners where intelligence doesn't always help." -- Amy Bloom, author of Away

"I was on the verge of tears more than once in the course of Dani Shapiro's impeccably structured spiritual odyssey. But Devotion's biggest triumph is its voice: funny and unpretentious, concrete and earthy-appealing to skeptics and believers alike. This is a gripping, beautiful story." -- Jennifer Egan, author of The Keep