I received a free copy of, On Getting Out of Bed, by Alan Noble, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Anxiety and depression are no joke. Yes sometimes it does make it hard to get out of bed, but you do it anyway, because you have to, A very well written book on a subject many do not want to talk about. We all say "im Ok", even if we are not.

This is a must read for anyone who has or knows others who have anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses.
Mr. Noble uses a Christian perspective with bible scriptures for reference.
I don't think I've ever read a book that kind of "slaps" you in the face.
On Getting Out of Bed is raw, honest and jarring, yet comforting at times.

I have had anxiety for most of my life and I am pretty good at "faking" it but after reading this I feel it will be easier reaching out to someone. I am now more aware of how I "feel" after reading this. I highlighted something on almost every page. I think you want this book in print so you can make notes and have it to re-read when needed. It has so many reminders that we tend to forget when you are in the middle of what I call the "mind scramble"
Here is one of the many things I highlighted but this particular point really spoke to me.
"We each suffer our own ghost," and mostly alone.
I recommend this book, pick up an extra copy because we ALL now someone who suffers as well. Thank you, Netgalley, for allowing me a copy to review. All thoughts and comments are totally my own opinion.
V

I hate to give low ratings, but unfortunately I just did not connect with this book. I had a hard time trying to figure out what the author was trying to do with this book. It felt like a bunch of fancy words that lead nowhere. I wish I could have gotten more out of it as the concept of the book is good, just no connection for me while I read it.

I've really liked what I've read by Noble before and was optimistic about this one, but I was still surprised by how good it is. Noble manages to be both challenging and encouraging; some of what he writes will probably provoke some resistance. Even so, he's deeply sympathetic to mental/emotional struggles and existential crises. He sees clearly and articulates feelings that most of us would rather dance around.

In getting into dark places and calling out our...thinking? attitudes? ... about these experiences, he points a way forward. It's very grounded and there's little false hope here, yet it still finds its true hope in a transcendent reality, made visible by the small steps (steps to the block, in Eliot's thinking). With smart readings of Eliot, McCarthy, and more, Noble uses both literature and scripture to work through the big question: why we need to get out of bed.

It's a wonder of a book, and one that I'll likely be sharing.

This is a beautiful little book about mental health from a theological perspective. It takes the chemical aspects of mental health struggles seriously, suggesting that it may be helpful or necessary for those struggling to go on medication or even spend some time in a hospital. While the contributions of trained mental health professionals are lauded, the book doesn’t stop there. Noble encourages a holistic approach to encourage and support people who need help with practical tasks like getting out of bed in the morning. Science, theology, and community work together to lift up the suffering.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a literary writing style, with many allusions to novels and poets woven throughout the book. This works well for those who are particularly discouraged or are just starting to consider how faith and mental health are intertwined. Those more well versed in the subject may seek a more in depth analysis that covers more scientific data, or an in depth Bible study on suffering in the book of Job, for example.

Lovely and encouraging book about a difficult subject that christians are sometimes afraid to talk about. I liked the simplicity of concepts such as getting out of bed at times requiring great faith, and the notion that to get out of bed and essentially, stay alive, are in themselves a powerful witness to God's goodness. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

What an absolute treasure this book is. Balanced, challenging, and incredibly encouraging, *On Getting Out of Bed* provides such a healthy and helpful perspective on how to persevere in a world where perservering sometimes feels utterly impossible. Oftentimes we veer too far in one direction or the other regarding how to cope with mental illness and general depression, treating doctors, diagnoses, and prescriptions as cure-alls or rather extolling the suffer to grab tight on those bootstraps and start-a-tugging. But Noble strikes the perfect note: reminding us that mental health is health and thus should be treated as such, which includes both the thoughtful use of God's grace in medicine and therapy as well as a reorientation of the thoughts and choices of the afflicted.

Noble's encouragement throughout this book is just that: encouragement. Take heart, he reminds us, even when the darkness is total and the world feels like it is just too much, because God made us and God is good towards us. If you will, the imperatives of this book are always rooted in the indicative; what we are to do is always seen in light of and based upon what God has already done and promises to yet do.

I will return to this book myself and will have copies to share with others, beginning with my children and my wife (even though there are serious McCarthy spoilers, for which since he uses them to such laudable ends, I guess he can be forgiven).

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review. And honestly, I was thoroughly blessed by this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC. I liked the concept of this book, but found it hard to read. It had some gems in it but I think overall there are better books on the topic.

A short book (right around 100 pages) that's a pretty easy/quick read... and yet all the way through, and even at the end, I found myself wondering "What is this about? Is there a point? What is the author trying to say?" The title is very interesting but unfortunately the book itself was disappointing.