The Vertical Self by Mark Sayer

The Vertical Self takes a good look at the identity of people today, Chrisitian and nonChristian alike. At first I had problems getting into the book and some of the early examples seemed too simple and made up. As I got into it, though, I found insight on the identity, or lack of, our culture seems to be facing. For the most part, I liked the book. The author is very insightful into the culture and observant of the many people he passes on the street. His observance of the people, knowledge of their behaviors and responses to their actions give him the credibility to write such a novel. Some of the examples he uses, such "Jim is yada yada yada" I am unsure whether I like them or not. Although they do provide excellent insight and connection to readers, I could have enjoyed a simple explanation instead. His use of popular images as examples of today's culture and identity add depth to the novel. The difference between vertical and horizontal is laid out in plain sight in this book, and does provide a good history of cultural self and relations to identity. I enjoyed the book and am glad I received it from booksneeze.com and would recommend it to any reader interested in learning more about the identity of today's people.