Bandersnatch

An Invitation to Explore Your Unconventional Soul

By: Erika Morrison

Narrated by: Xe Sands

Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Break from the norm. Recover your identity. Express your creativity.

Contemporary Christianity seems to be suffering from an epidemic of sameness, uniformity, and monotony. Those trapped inside are often afraid to step beyond established norms and express their creativity, and those on the outside often see little that attracts them. Yet God, out of the abundance of his own creative force, made each one of us unique, peculiar, and irreplaceable. So why so much pressure to conform?

Bandersnatch explores this intersection of disillusionment by inviting listeners on a journey of liberation. It's organized around four creative terms viewed through the life of Jesus: avant-garde, alchemy, anthropology, and art. Each expression reveals a diverse facet of God's unorthodox creativity planted within us. Providing a fresh look at God's avant-garde nature and a new set of definitions by which to live, Erika Morrison gives us permission to break free from the expectations and labels that cramp our souls. Only in embracing our uniqueness can we create artful, holistic lives that matter to both heaven and earth.

A bandersnatch, while more commonly known as the wild, ferocious, and mythical creature of Lewis Carroll's creation, is also a person with unconventional habits and attitudes.

©2015 Erika Morrison (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Well-written Book on Non-Conformity

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I just finished listening to Bandersnatch and think it's an extremely well-written book that touches upon important topics pertaining not only to Christians but all humans, especially those of us sick of conformity in general. The author's style of writing is quite poetic and reminds me in many respects of Ann Voskamp's unique and beautiful prose.

Bandersnatch is a sort of ode to living a life that is outside the usual human-created systems of living and worshiping the Divine. It invites readers to treat all human beings with dignity, whether they're homeless or strung out on crack and fighting for their lives, and regardless of it they are part of the Christian faith or not.

The reason I gave the book 4 stars instead of five is because it didn't go deep enough, particularly about A.) how we can all be 'bandersnatches' and forgo the pressures that exist in institutions B.) what she meant by being an alchemist and how we can apply that to our daily lives and C.) what exactly a life artist is and how we can begin viewing our daily lives as art. In other words, the book didn't go deep enough and more importantly, how we can apply what she discusses to our lives starting here and now. There is a summary at the end of the book that sort of ties everything together, but I felt that there was still a lack of the topics being woven together; the book maybe should have only touched on the subjects introduced in the beginning chapters and gone more in depth with each plus how we can all change our lives and be less system-based and more intent on living our unique paths. A sequel(s) could then go over the other important topics ( alchemy, anthropology, being a life artist) and again in more depth.

I felt disappointed that as I mentioned the book didn't make the concepts more applicable to one's life and with suggestions as to how to stop adhering to human-made rules and regulations and such, but all in all, this is an important book that talks about how following one's path can lead to having not only a happier life but a closer connection to God.

Any additional comments?

I think a companion or workbook should be made that goes deeper into each of the concepts mentioned in the book, and that has tips on how to apply them to daily life. A community or course could also be made to help those of us trying to indeed be 'bandersnatches' stay true to our purposes without falling prey to the pressures of society.