Book Review: Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist

Living in the Present

This year, my Word of the year (WOTY) is ‘present’. Like last year, I want to dive into this word, turn it over, inspect it, and slowly incorporate it into my life. One of the ways I did that last year was to read six books about my word, as it relates to God, his Word and life. I am not so sure that will happen this year. I have sought books on the topic of ‘present’ and have found less than I’d like. So, I will still look for them, and share what I’ve learned, but it will be fewer. If you have one on ‘present’ (in every sense of the word: now or gift), please suggest it in the comments for me.

Present Over Perfect

Present Over Perfect is a memoir. I wasn’t expecting a memoir, from the book page information before ordering it. Niequist talks about a three-ish year period of her life, from the time that she realizes that she is exhausted, rung out, done in through to understanding the need to prioritize, take responsibility for her life and decisions, and slow down. She shares the fears of giving up and what that will change professionally, while acknowledging that by not doing that, her personal and family life have suffered. The book is a series of what seem to be journal entries or blog posts that are fairly short and easily digestible.

This book takes a meaningful look at what living out God’s calling in our lives looks like, the balance that is required to fulfill all the various callings, in the author’s case that’s author, speaker, mom, wife, friend. It can easily be whatever career and learning to balance the requirements and our drive for success; in that way, this book is easily relatable.

Organizaiton of the Book

The book is divided into six parts; however, the sections don’t really seem to group together in time nor in topic. Each journey/blog/chapter is a standalone, but none of the parts seem to have a theme that ties them together. Several ideas and themes run throughout the book, but that makes it more repetitive than emphatic.  

Because of the repetition and the lack of unifying themes, it is not easy to apply the author’s ideas to life. The reader must cherry pick rather than see a plan or a few concrete things to try in their own life. Even a review of ideas/main points at the end of the book would have offered guidance. The sales page says, ‘I’ll walk this path with you,…from frantic pushing and proving, and toward…the one you were created to be…’, yet leaves us half way through the book thinking we should have been taking notes to keep the points of the 42(!) chapters in mind. The author dumps issues and tells stories throughout but I don’t see that she is walking with me (the reader), but reflecting over her changes. The reader isn’t invited into the story or encouraged to consider points of change or reflection in their own lives.

God in the Book

As a book that sets God at the center of change in our lives, I expected that Bible verses would guide the change or be the reason for change. Instead, what I found were truths about God and godly living throughout, but few verses. This is a real disappointment when the book sells itself as a ‘vision for an entirely new way to live,’ yet doesn’t give us the foundation from the Word of God. The truths are there, but not organized and not clearly referenced. God is in every chapter, but as an experience or example of who He is rather than someone who walks this change with you.

3/5 Stars

I’m afraid because of the repetition, lack of organization, and missing biblical guidance, this becomes simply a memoir, a recollection of a meaningful time to the author, but not the reader. Shauna Niequist tells many cute stories and I wanted to like this book, but found it hard to mine for keys to being present in this world while not being of the world.