Overcoming Powerlessness

Title: Radical Gratitude
Author: Mary Jo Leddy
Published: 2007
Pages: 182

Reading Time: January 21-January 24, 2010.

Plot Teaser:
From one of Canada's most courageous religious writers and social activists comes this invitation to imagine gratitude as the most radical attitude to living life. Gratitude bridges the gulf between our spiritual and material concerns. The dissatisfaction bred into us by advertising and consumerism is soul-destroying and dispiriting. Gratitude arises in that space where our deepest longings find the glass of life to be half-full rather than half-empty. By coming to appreciate the earthy things around us that give true joy, we open the path to greater authenticity and discover what is most real in ourselves. "I believe that at least once in our lives, perhaps once in a year, maybe even once a day, we are recalled to our true selves and to the meaning of our lives. Such revelations are given to each of us in generous recurrence. These invitations can be missed, denied, accepted or rejected - life impresses but it does not impose."

How I Got It:
This was an unplanned addition to my original 40 books. A student lent it to me after we had a discussion about philosophy and personal perceptions of the world. I did not know what the book was about, or what to expect going in.

The Review:
It would be a disservice to call this a self-help book. Mary Jo Leddy strives to provide a different perspective on life, and challenges her readers to approach life with nothing short of absolute joy and gratitude. The title of the book comes from the idea that in a world where humanity is made to feel powerless and to always hunger for more, being thankful for what a person has is a radical act. While she takes on the issue from a religious point of view, her observations about society and consumerism are clear and refreshing.

First and foremost, this is a philosophy book. It is one person's snapshot of affluent societies and what has gone wrong in our dissatisfied civilization. Mary Jo Leddy essentially states that people are driven to feel dissatisfied with their lives, which in turn leads them to desiring more things to fill their lives. It is not a totally novel concept, but her voice is so crystal clear and pleasant that it comes off as a very potent reminder of the problems with a purely consumerist society. Her exploration of power relations between people, themselves, their jobs, and their governments feels timelessly relevant, and makes the book an enjoyable read.

Where the book may put some people off is its solution to all of these problems. While there is a strong call to simply feel grateful for what a person has, and to break free of the cycle of consumption and powerlessness, it comes with a decidedly Christian slant. Who should one feel grateful towards? In Leddy's eyes, the answer is simple: God and Jesus Christ. As a person who is on the fence when it comes to faith and supernatural beliefs, I thought the book did a good job of toeing the line between being absolute faith literature and societal criticism. Usually, the call to God comes at the end of each chapter, and it is fascinating to at least ponder Leddy's answer, whether one is a believer, an atheist, or agnostic.

Even though Radical Gratitude might strike some as being too faith oriented, it is impossible to deny Mary Jo Leddy's sincerity. Her genuine belief in a higher power guiding our lives is not something that is always easy to discuss, but when it is done with such meticulous clarity and respect for non-Christian readers as well, it quickly becomes admirable. And if you are not a person of faith and only want to read about the philosophical sections of each chapter, you can do that as well. The book is equal parts illuminating exploration and soul food.

The Verdict:
Christians and Catholics in particular will no doubt find this book powerful and liberating. With its relevance to modern day problems, and by providing spiritual solutions, it hits that religious sweet spot. The non-spiritual may want to try a chapter or two to see if the book is for them. There is enough intelligent and provoking argumentation for this to be worth a look in either case.

3.5/5

Up Next:
Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman.