William T. Cavanaugh

Very well written at a popular level. Switches modes fluidly between interrogating and appropriating the likes of Balthasar and Augustine, to utilizing tangible contemporary and pop culture illustrations.

Only weakness is his drifting in and out of awareness of the nature of his own thesis, especially when engaging Milton Friedman's thought. He is never really at direct odds with Friedman, and sometimes he's aware of this, then he'll turn around and imagine a conflict where none exists.

His observations about the limitations of capitalism, the nature of our consumerist culture, and the way the Eucharist opens up a real space for an alternative, or a more specific and true sort of consumption (where progressivism can't) is brilliant.

Overall: readable, engaging, and smart.… (mere)

As the stars suggest, I thought the book was "okay." Cavanaugh tackles an extremely important topic for Christians today - and arguably the most pressing issue for the American church today. He provides a handful of helpful insights on how desire, economics, and God interact. His explanation on how we become detached from production, producers, and even our products (basically all of chapter 2) is especially observant. However, I felt that he fails to provide enough substance, or practical advice on how we are to respond to the pervasive influence of consumerism on our thinking and actions. Further, I felt like he should have delved deeper into the issues of how consumerism have permeated church practices today. All in all, it was a good book with plenty to chew on, but most of what he said is fairly commonplace in the conversation on consumerism's influence. I would have liked a book that takes things to the next level.… (mere)