I was hoping to get some insight into the Religious Right, but came away with not much of substance. There was an innocuous essay about a sitcom called Full House, which was mildly funny. Knox McCoy lives by the credo "Only God can judge me." In this book he provides a list of words he mispronounces, lots of advertising of his Bible Binge podcast, and a s-word ton of Hamilton references. He also riffs on pop culture in meme-speak so über current I'm afraid it will curtail his book's shelf-life. Maybe this is considered avant garde by those who enjoy "a language that is more a collection of Jesus bingo phrases than a reflection of authentic feelings" owing to its hardly daring mention of dinosaurs, science, and LGBTQ rights.

I really enjoyed this book; the message rings especially true in times where society is divided, entire groups of people are hurting, and a global pandemic has been raging for the last three months. The first 3/4 of the book were a good time, very much in the same vein as Knox on The Popcast with Knox and Jamie. However, I think the book really hit it's stride, made me slow down, re-read sections, and ponder my own beliefs in the last 45 pages. These were the vulnerable chapters about faith, some in a more cultural context and some that were very personal (what exactly is the purpose of prayer and how do we know we're doing it right?). I can see myself reading this last bit as I reconsider some of my beliefs or examine why I believe what I do. Most importantly, Knox convinced me that even during these heavy times, some reconsideration is a noble, worthwhile effort.

3 1/2 stars

All Things Reconsidered is not a traditional self-help book. It’s author, Knox McCoy, is not here to say, “You should live your life the way I do. Here’s why and a 657-step plan to help you do so”. Neither does he say, “Trash all your stupid, outdated beliefs and start from scratch”.

Knox McCoy is here to say, “We all change and grow as we’re exposed to new things throughout our lives. Our beliefs should change and grow with us. Let me give you some examples from my life that will make you laugh until you choke and Dr. Pepper comes out of your nose.” (Not that that happened to me personally. Except that one time.)

I’m a huge fan of Knox’s podcast, The Popcast with Knox and Jamie, so I was fully on board for this book. I pre-ordered it and counted down the days until it arrived, expecting to totally love it when it did. And… I don’t totally love it. I totally like it a lot. But I don’t love it.

The high points:
1) The basic premise of the book is both timeless and timely. Taking a hard look at why we believe the things we believe and deciding if these beliefs still serve our current season of life is always important, but even more so in these difficult times.
2) Using examples from an author’s own life to illustrate the points he’s making is a great way to connect emotionally with the reader and drive those points home. This author takes that to a whole new level with stories of a nude pal picking up tacos in a drive thru and a nuclear-level pantsing. It worked: I won’t soon forget those stories or the point they made.
3) The footnotes are truly hilarious.

The low points:
1) At 30 chapters, a foreward, an introduction, a two-page section on How To Read This Book, a conclusion, and acknowledgements, the book is too long. The important points are lost in too many words.
2) Similarly, a few of the chapters don’t serve much of a purpose in the overall theme of the book. Rather than emphasizing something substantial, they seem self-indulgent. (The chapter on Lebron James vs. Michael Jordan is the perfect example of this. It doesn’t say much beyond ‘this is my book and I wanted a space to argue why I think Lebron is the superior athlete’.)

Despite its shortcomings, I absolutely recommend this book, as the concept of reconsidering our beliefs is an important one. Just be prepared to skim or skip a few chapters.

The Popcast with Knox and Jamie is my favorite podcast. Listening to that podcast enhanced my reading of Knox's book because I could hear his voice in my head as I read. The idea of reconsideration is so timely, and Knox offers a range of topics to reconsider--from the silly to the serious.

Lots to reconsider lately so this new book by Knox McCoy could not have come at a better time. While this book reconsiders some items o’ whimsy (I’m looking at you, participation trophies), it also speaks to some very timely topics in today’s world.

It is a great read in print (epic footnotes that made me laugh out loud several times) or on audio (narrated by an author who knows how to narrate). Go buy a copy today! There is also a giveaway on Goodreads if you want to try to win a copy.

An excellent book regarding the reconsideration of subjects large and small. I've been waiting for a collection of essays this funny and thoughtful for a while. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

I received this advance copy of Knox's book knowing that I had already purchased a physical copy. As a fan of his podcast, I am in for the long haul on content put out by him. However, getting to read this in the season that we currently find ourselves in made all the difference. His ability to span the levels of seriousness within reconsideration was so insightful. It was helpful to start out with silly things and move toward more serious life-changing reconsiderations. It helps you see that in both we are using the same muscles of reasoning. In a time where I find myself reconsidering many things, this book helped give me permission to be brave and reconsider.

There is a lot books about faith and spirituality. There are many books that are memoirs of how someone has changed how they view things in the world. And there are many books from people who have a sense of humor about the world. Knox manages to combine the three genres into one, given all of us the chance to find humor in the changes of our lives and faith. Those who become stuck in their ways will never be able to help the world change for the better. For anyone who wants to get unstuck in their views on things serious or inconsequential I would highly recommend All Things Reconsidered.

This is an interesting and enjoyable read. I like Knox McKoy's podcasts and I also enjoyed his first book, so I was excited to read this one as well. Knox possesses a keen ability to examine the world through a lens that's both poignant and humorous. The issues and topics he chose to reconsider gave me an opportunity to reflect on my own beliefs. It's important to know what we believe and why. It's also important to acknowledge that not everyone sees the world the way we do. Knox does an excellent job of explaining his point of view within the context of his own experience and humbly shares (in a way that only Knox can) the how and why behind his reconsiderations.
I applaud Knox's boldness in approaching some weightier, more controversial topics, especially since his audience is probably comprised of a wide variety of world views. Some will cheer when they read those chapters and others will not be pleased. For me, I don't have to agree with everything Knox says or writes to appreciate the hard work he invested in completing another book.
My main hang up with this book is the footnotes. They popped up in random places, maybe because I read it on a Kindle. Also, I haven't seen Hamilton so I didn't understand the references or the significance of those references within the larger context of the essays.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions stated here are my own.

Knox McCoy is one of my favorite podcasters and I loved his first book, The Wondering Years, was a delight. I received an early electronic copy of All Things Reconsidered as part of a preorder incentive. I found it a little difficult to get started because of the format. However, the majority of the book was so enjoyable. Another benefit of preordering the physical book was a few audio chapters. As much as I enjoy holding a book in my hands, I think I would have enjoyed this one in audio form more because of McCoy's inflections and cadence. I recommend this book if you are currently reconsidering your beliefs or actions, or if you enjoy pop culture.

As an introvert and enneagram 5 I feel SEEN and KNOWN. So much of my own experience is in here. Don't worry, though, extroverts, as there's something for everyone. I'm scarred for life after his chapter on Uncle Joey. Definitely check this book out so you can be scarred, too.

I really, really love and appreciate this book! As someone who has gone through a long season of reconsidering a LOT of things, this struck like a thousand chords in me. It’s the perfect balance of thoughtful and hilarious. It's light and funny in some moments and deeply uplifting and challenging in others. I also just super appreciate the fact that the author doesn’t insist that we walk away from the book believing the same on every issue as he does or mirroring his reconsiderations…but simply that we learn to see reconsideration itself as the worthwhile and, frankly, vital thing that it is. We *should* be thinking and changing and growing for our whole lives! There are truths I cling to that will never change—but there are facets of my faith, my politics, my beliefs about the world around me that have and are changing as I (hopefully) am growing and learning.

Anyway, enough making this review about me. Mostly, I just think this is a book for our time…for the days we’re living in now. And I really appreciate Knox McCoy's reflective, inspiring and personable approach.

(Also...that forward by Jamie Golden—loved it. And I hope we get more writing from her in the future too.)
(Also...if podcasts are your jam, please do yourself the biggest favor ever and check out both The Popcast and The Bible Binge with Knox McCoy and Jamie Golden.)
(Also...I just wanted to add a third “also.”)

Every artist who has their first hit is then faced with a challenge.
How do you release a second offering?
It has to be similar enough to the first one to still sound like the hit that people have come to love, but not be so similar that people find it repetitive to the first presentation.
This happens all the time with music, but can also be true for books.
This was a fear I faced when presented with the opportunity to read Knox’s second book.

With the same fun-loving humor we know and love from Knox, along with the thoughtful and poignant storytelling we were introduced to in The Wondering Years, All Things Reconsidered balances on that line between comfort in what we know and newness that keeps us coming back for more.
Reading this book was like having a conversation with an old friend – you might have been there for some of the stories, but the retelling is still hilarious and learning something new from someone you’ve known is delightful.
Also, don’t miss the footnotes!

Favorite Line:
"The world is wide enough for us to disagree with each other without resorting to petty dismissiveness."
"Reconsideration is the difference between a faith that is for display purposes only and one that can lead you out of captivity."
"It’s no longer enough to just react to an issue or idea before moving on. It’s our obligation to dig a little deeper to more completely understand it."

As a big fan of Knox and The Popcast I knew I would enjoy his second book as much as his first. He once again balances humor and serious talk in a wonderful way. I enjoyed hearing his perspective on topics ranging from Uncle Joey and Big Bird to prayer and heaven. This book is a delight and entertains while still making you think and perhaps reconsider some beliefs in your own life. Well done!

I'll start with the positives: Something in approximately every third chapter caused me to laugh out loud. The third section of the book is the strongest in terms of writing and thought out chapter arcs.

The negatives: To understand the tone of the entire book, you truly need to regularly listen to and enjoy Knox on The Podcast with Knox and Jamie. Otherwise, it's unlikely to come across the right way. I would not suggest this book to anyone who hasn't listened to The Podcast, and would urge them to first listen before reading. If I didn't listen to The Podcast regularly (every episode for several years now), I would have put the book down after a few chapters and moved on to another title. The majority of the book feels like it doesn't belong, like the author is desperately trying to find the content and wrap up a chapter with the last 1-2 sentences, and yet... it doesn't work. The footnotes take away more than they give, in my opinion, but I was reading a Kindle version and they would likely be less distracting in paperback.

Based on this from the book description - "After exploring how pop culture shaped his life and carved out the foundations of his faith in his debut book, The Wondering Years, Knox McCoy began to think more deeply about those foundations and how they had evolved, changed entirely, or stayed the same. The result of this soul-searching led to a book about the necessity of reexamining our ideas and identities throughout our lives and how we grow as a result.") - I was disappointed with 2/3 of the book.

One of my favorite podcasters is back at it with a book of reconsiderations. Knox doesn’t use flowery language or lofty concepts that are hard to decipher. He writes from the heart and addresses subjects that would intimidate many. He never pretends to have all of the answers, but rather poses questions that make the reader think. While I enjoyed the subject matter of his first book a bit better, I thought this was a solid book and I can’t wait to read what he writes next!

I love Knox McCoy's work with Jamie Golden on their podcast, and I really enjoyed Knox's first book, so I was looking forward to book #2. I laughed out loud several times during book #1, but that didn't really happened with this one. While the stories are good, he uses too much flowery language and rather convoluted sentence structure for my taste. I've had to reread sentences a number of times to figure out what he's trying to say. That could be because much of this material is more serious than that in his first book. Also, I'm having trouble following along with his (many) footnotes. This is probably because I'm reading on my Kindle, and the footnotes occur at random spots, often in the middle of sentences one or two pages after they've been cited. Having said that, though, I did enjoy this book, and I could hear Knox's voice in my head while I read it, which added greatly to my enjoyment.

I loved this book. All at once I was laughing out loud and thinking deeply about my beliefs in life. I originally picked up this book and Knox’s previous book out of love for the Popcast and Bible Binge podcasts and curiosity on whether his books could live up to his podcasting. While I enjoyed his first book I didn’t absolutely love it but this one won my heart. I just couldn’t stop reading and loved every minute of it. Funny and deeply thoughtful his own stories of reconsideration really make you think about why you believe what you do and whether you should reconsider those beliefs.

*I received a ARC copy of this book via Netgalley as part of the Best Friends Of the B Word launch team. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

I am a huge Popcast fan and was all in on reading Knox's new B-word. It was exactly as expected...fun, thoughtful and hilarious all at the same time. He provides light but thoughtful commentary on how we view things in life. It was easy to read, easy to laugh with and heartwarming. It reads just like listening to the podcast. I can only imagine how fun the audio will be!

I loved this book! I read McCoy's first book (The Wondering Years) when it came out, but I think it's even possible that this exceeds the first. There is a cohesion between the three sections of the book that I felt really created a logical connection throughout the work. Knox McCoy's writing is down-to-earth, and his commentary (i.e., the footnotes) had an honesty that made them a fun addition instead of a pain to read (as footnotes can often be). The cohesion and commentary were fantastic, but what will make this a fan for nearly any reader of nonfiction is the relatability of the text and the material it covers. Many people have had complicated interactions and experiences with faith, something McCoy is candid and thorough about in his book. In addition to that, he seamlessly incorporates questions of pop culture and life experience in his reconsiderations. This is a great contemporary nonfiction piece.