Present over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist
When I first started reading this book, I didn't find Shauna Niequist's writing at all relaxing. Her description of her busy, hurried life with her husband and family, her stellar career and her travelling and speaking engagements made me feel rather frantic myself! She was probably heading for a burn-out if she continued to pursue that kind of life, so I wasn't surprised that she started looking for a more peaceful life. Much of the book is written in the present tense which didn't have a calming effect.
However, as Shauna started to live a less frantic life, I found that her writing settled down as well and I liked the quotations, Catholic references and bits of philosophy that she includes. This is a helpful book for everyone who wants to live a less stressful life, not just those who are trying to combine careers with motherhood. Her account of how she was seeking approval from others and suffering from exhaustion and her journey towards peace, grace, gratitude and finding God's love will resonate with many readers.
This book reminded me of a quotation from one of my favourite books, The Purple Veil by Somerset Maugham: 'One cannot find peace in work or in pleasure, in the world or in a convent, but only in one's soul'.
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