Conquering Fear

September 14, 2009
Soon after his international bestsellerWhen
Bad Things Happen to Good People
appeared in 1981, Kushner stopped being a congregational rabbi in order to devote full-time to writing and lecturing. Conquering Fear
, his 12th book, is the latest result of this concentration. It is a popular theology primer designed to help readers grapple with common problems of suffering, significance, disappointments, guilt, forgiveness and conscience. Although traditional Jews object to Kushner's view of suffering as reflecting God's limited capacity to control the hazards of life, his books have won general acclaim. The fears that Kushner tackles include terrorism, natural disasters, rejection, growing old and death, among others. His recommendations for coping require trust, religion, hope, courage, faith; he also urges living with purpose and differentiating between God and nature. Some readers may find Kushner's prescriptions to be inspiring; others will see them as banal platitudes. A useful idea he offers about fear of terrorism is “be alert but not frightened, vigilant but not paranoid.”Perhaps his least helpful advice is about the fear of death: “The most important thing to remember is not to be afraid.”

September 1, 2009
Rabbi Kushner, author of the international best seller "When Bad Things Happen to Good People", now focuses on specific fears that impact our livesterrorism, natural disasters, aging, job loss, death, change, and the destruction of humanity. Some may say that these events are brought on by sinful acts; however, Kushner, who does not believe in a vengeful God, points out that the words "do not be afraid" are mentioned in the Old and the New Testament more than 80 times. Kushner writes that fear can paralyze us, make us tense, and often keep us from taking action. He explains that a small dose of fear is healthy and that we can gain mastery by recognizing legitimate fears, dismissing exaggerated ones, and avoiding letting it keep us from activity. Prayer, meditation, and helping others are the keys to alleviating excessive fear. VERDICT A short, easy-to-read book filled with a great deal of wisdom and words of hope along with some practical measures for reducing fear. Kushner's message is inspirational and transcends all religious creeds and spiritualities. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 6/1/09.]Phyllis Goodman, West Chester Lib., OH

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2009
Kushner, author of the perennial best-selling When Bad Things Happen to Good People (1981), explores the myriad fears that plague us, from terrorism to loss of a job to death, and how to conquer those fears with faith and hope. He begins by noting how often sacred texts and religious scholars encourage believers not to be afraid and then moves on to more current popular books exploring increasing fears of modern life and how to cope. Kushner offers his own experiencesas an individual and a rabbiand perspectives on coping with the loss of loved ones, career disappointments, and struggles with faith in the face of remembrance of the historic atrocity of the Holocaust and the recent atrocity of the 9/11 terrorist attack. In separate chapters, Kushner examines specific fears, such as the role of religion in providing comfort but also sometimes proving to be the source of fears. Despite the widespread tendency to see natural disasters as Gods punishment, Kushner asserts that God is moral, Nature is not, and that God instead of sending disasters sends the strength to deal with them. Fears on a more personal levelof losing love, work, youthcan be conquered by facing up to them, developing resilience, and relying on faith. The inspirational authors latest is likely to strike a chord with a wide range of readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)