Review of From Religion to Reason:

[Kutloano Makhuvhela]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "From Religion to Reason:" by DR. CAROLYN C. SHADLE.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Nowadays, it is either you are a believer or an atheist. Not that you are forced to be either, but you can tell that almost everyone is curious and expects you to pick a label and stick to it. Most people go about their lives, using either of the choices as their identity. They deeply identify with it, and they make sure that everyone they come across knows what they are. But it shouldn’t be that way. There is more to people than what those labels have to offer. From Religion to Reason: My Journey by Dr. Carolyn C. Shadle proves me right. This memoir follows the life of Dr Carolyn as she navigates the question of whether she is a believer (theist) or an atheist. She questions other things like race, gender, politics, and inclusivity.

The author opens the book with a preface. Here, the author starts by talking about what compelled her to the faith of Christianity. In not so many words, she talks about how the world as a whole, but more specifically her country, the United States of America, had changed in regards to faith, that it has leant more towards it than away from it. She quotes President Eisenhower when he said that prayer is part of democracy. The author then paints a picture of the evolution that happened whereby nonbelievers were afforded the same space and respect as others, and you can say secularism was embraced in the country.

The author then starts by taking us back to her childhood, to how it was. The author shares the moments of being raised in an all-white neighbourhood, where she had fond and pleasant memories of Sunday School. The author goes into detail to show what it was like growing up in her world, where it was still a little bit conservative. The book moves forward, and now she is a little bit on her own in the world and starts figuring things out by herself. The rest of the book takes the reader on the author’s journey through the Civil Rights Movement, how she navigated those moments, how her studies defined her life and much more.

You will have to read this book to see how the author transformed over the years to being someone she is right now, who is free-spirited, outgoing, welcoming, and still as curious as ever. The author wrote it all in a tone that was as calm as the river in its middle stage. I loved the most how the author wasn’t preachy in everything she talked about. She was not lecturing either. She just told it as it was and how it affected her at the time. When opening this review, I made it seem like it was about theists versus atheists, but that was something amazing about this book because it wasn’t about that at all. It was about more.

The author took us on a journey to show us that there was more to the spectrum than we thought there was. One word to describe the feeling I got while reading the book would be ‘relaxed’. Reading the title of the book, it is easier to think you know where the author will end up, but that is not the case. The ending will blow your mind and make you question all the things you thought you knew. There were many points the author raised that a lot of people might not agree with, like the now infamous, especially in the U.S.A. during this Trump presidential administration, D.E.I., but I think the author was brave to tell it as she saw it.

What I disliked were the errors I saw. They were far in between, but they were enough to spoil my reading. When I reached page fifty-three, the page count went back to one, and this confused me greatly. I wish the author could fix it to improve the reading. Aside from that, there wasn’t anything to dislike about the memoir. It was honest, free, and good.

Because of all I have said above, I rate this book four out of five stars. I recommend it to people who love reading memoirs about ordinary people, and by that, I mean non-celebrities, because we are all extraordinary in different ways. Last thing to mention, the author mentioned a lot of books she read that changed her life, and I like that she listed them at the end of the book. So that’s another bonus reason why you should read this book. The organisation was superb because it was divided into seven parts. So, if you want to reread, you would just go to your favourite parts seamlessly.

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From Religion to Reason:
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[George Bastem]

It sounds like a refreshing and open-minded take on personal growth and belief, without the usual pressure to pick a side. The relaxed, honest storytelling makes it even more appealing, though the formatting issues seem like a small drawback.

[Mark Lazarus]

This sounds like a thought-provoking memoir that goes beyond simple labels and explores personal growth, societal changes, and deep questions about belief and identity. I like that the author approaches these topics with an open mind rather than trying to convince readers of one perspective. The historical and cultural aspects seem especially engaging, and I appreciate that she shares the books that shaped her thinking. However, formatting and editing issues can be frustrating, so that might take away from the experience. Still, if the storytelling is strong and the themes resonate, I’d consider giving it a read.