The Sabbath World: Glimpses of a Different Order of Time Book

This book is like liquid smoke or powdered milk--not exactly one thing or another. The author wends her way between describing historical developments, analyzing social trends, and sharing reflections grounded in her own experience (while telling us as little as possible about her life, it felt like). Near the end, Shulevitz writes, "The conventions of spiritual autobiography require me to conclude by telling you how I keep the Sabbath now, as opposed to when I began this book." I almost wanted to laugh: "Please," I thought, "if you're feeling so constrained by the conventions of spiritual autobiography, which you're barely writing anyway, don't put yourself out just for us readers!" I did enjoy the book, but it defies categorization--it's a meditation or musing more than it is a history, sociological treatise, or spiritual autobiography. So if you're looking for any of the latter, you are likely to be disappointed; however, if you're looking for liquid smoke, then this book is perfect.