I liked the character exploration and the writing was propulsive. I would read more from this author.

With a description like "a book of mischief and improvisation," I had no idea what to expect from Amy Leach's The Salt of the Universe. What I found was exactly that--an utterly delightful and unpredictable collection of lyric essays. Though the collection as a whole is informed by Leach's upbringing in the Seventh Day Adventist church, many of the essays focus not on condemning the group's suffocating dogma but praising the glorious, multi-faceted world of people, nature, music, and literature Leach found after leaving.

Often, when a writer speaks out against a high-control, cult-like group, it's in the form of a fiery diatribe. The Salt of the Universe couldn't be further from a fiery diatribe: Leach's style is experimental, playful, and brimming with joy, so much so that the essays take on the qualities of praise songs. I was particularly impressed by how Leach constantly recognizes and honors the humanity of adherents to Seventh Day Adventism, including it's founder, Ellen White. As she writes in an early essay, "Adventists are a lot like people." As people, Adventists are layered, nuanced, and contradictory, and Leach deconstructs the ideology by illuminating its absurdity rather than attacking the people who believe it.

The Salt of the Universe is not an easy book to describe or categorize, but it is an easy book to recommend. Philosophical yet fun, meandering yet meaningful, serious about not being serious, Leach's collection is a testament to freedom in all its forms, perfect for readers of nonfiction and poetry both.

Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for the ARC!

Leach has a talent for being playful with the English language and a sense of humor that I appreciated at the beginning. Spiritual journey stories is one of my favorite genres, no matter which religion (or none) is being discussed. However, I lost interest quickly as the author’s meandering, stream of consciousness structure was more akin to reading an unedited journal. Her disatisfaction with her Seventh Day Adventist church felt more voyeuristic than relatable. I’d love to see her turn her experience into a humorous and more relatable novel with a character driven and plot driven structure. Thanks to Netgalley for approving my request for this book. I’m sorry I can’t give it a better rating.

Amy Leach is a genius. I can pronounce this because I have read her third and latest book, The Salt of the Universe, and I cannot make heads or tails of it. I’m not even sure what this book is. Is it a memoir because it looks at the author’s past? Or is it an essay collection or a collection of randomness, of inconsequential detail? What is this book going on about? I think it’s telling that in this book’s final pages, Leach herself writes: “[I]f you didn’t like this book, try reading it again but out loud, as loud as you can. Though if you still don’t like my book after shouting it to yourself, that’s okay, I understand. Sometimes I am not on my own wavelength either.” For a minute there, I was worried because — not to brag — I’m intelligent. I graduated with high honors from one of Canada’s most challenging university programs: Carleton University’s Bachelor of Journalism program. Still, sometimes, I’ll walk into a room and find that I’m the dimmest light in it. People are sometimes way more intelligent than I am, so I can only conclude that that is true with this book and this author. Some things are above my pay grade. The Salt of the Universe is one of them.

Essentially, The Salt of the Universe was supposed to be a book about fundamental Christianity and how the author left the Seventh-Day Adventist Church because it was too out there as a religious denomination. Leach details how the movement’s founders forbade congregants from drinking coffee, tea, or pickles. I understand: no coffee would be enough to drive me over the edge. However, Leach starts riffing on inconsequential things, such as the fun “fact” that hippopotamuses migrate from Africa to Uruguay. I think that’s what I read because I was being bludgeoned by the text’s randomness and inability to make a lot of sense. It might have helped to take the author’s advice and scream the book out loud. At the very least, I could have become more brilliant if you believe the logic employed here. Now, I’m trying not to slight the author in the least. After all, this is her third book published, so she’s doing something right. Still, I often didn’t know what the author was talking about as she would go from point A to point E by zipping to point M and backtracking to point B. And, my gosh, Leach loves her run-on sentences that go on and on and on and on and on and on — like so.

Getting back to the point, what I thought this book would be about and what it is about are two very different things. This isn’t a book about leaving the church, though Leach admits to doing that here, which is probably why she feels compelled to drop the odd f-bomb here and there entirely uncensored. (This is a way of saying that vulgarity is rather unladylike. But that’s just me.) In any event, this book meanders on all points, like someone driving in the right lane on a freeway before veering off and crossing the grassy meridian, right into opposing traffic before rolling over into the ditch and bursting into flames. I’m trying to grasp if this read has a unifying logic, but I can’t find one. So, I’d like to tell you what this book is about, but I can’t do it. Amy Letch is too much of a genius for me. Either that, or I’m too dumb for Amy Letch. I sincerely hope it’s the former, so someone can go ahead and give her a MacArthur Fellowship. If it’s the latter, I might need Ritalin — as was suggested as a course of prescription in my hyperactive youth — after all.

I don’t want to be cranky about this book because I didn’t understand it. The point is, there doesn’t seem to be any point to this. It just goes off into random places — thoughts of the author’s youth, concertos she wished she could play on her violin, the five or six languages that she can profess to speak, and so on — and it’s up to the reader to decide to go on this journey with Leach or not. I hope I’m not deterring anyone from taking a chance on this, so here’s my recommendation: find a copy of the book at your local library or go into one of those bookstores with comfy couches and chairs. Read precisely one chapter of this short read. Any chapter will do. See if it catches your fancy. If it doesn’t, no harm or foul, you can put the book back on the shelf for the next person. If you do, holy mackerel, you’re brilliant and probably have a Ph.D. or something! Congratulations on understanding this! Me? I have to sit and sigh and wonder why the sky is blue, and the grass is green. I’m sure there are answers to those questions, like an answer to the mysteries behind this book and what they might mean. I’m sure someone more intelligent than I might figure that out.

This book is a strong stream of consciousness and provides some perspective through social commentary. The voice was too jumbled for me to take anything away as a reader.

One of my favorite poems is Mary Ruefle’s “Short Lecture on the Nature of Things,”:

"(Turn vase into a hat and wear it) / You think the vase has become a hat; it has not. / My body has become an upside-down flower."

This whole book echoes this poem over and over. Leach reflects on her Seventh Day Adventist upbringing with grace, perspective, and lots of humor. A book of whimsy, a theology of joy! An affirmation of what I know from my own experience - that growing away from the smallness of dogma towards the infinity of unknowing is much fuller of gathering than loss.

Minus one star because it started to get slightly repetitive, and there were some metaphors that caused some discomfort. Her unwavering silliness and optimism started to grow tiring, though that may be more a reflection of myself than a critique of the book. However, these flaws did not distract from the thesis - that The Point of us as people is to always be as people-y as possible, to give in to the music, because, to quote Leach quoting Eliot, “You are the music / While the music lasts” (Loc 1366).

. . .for the overchurched among us. . .

Having been a "born and raised" member of a very rule-y religion, this book reached out to me from the bookshelf, drew me close and wrapped its metaphorical hands around my real neck and stage whispered in an academic accent (provide your preference here) "she's talking to you - read me!" - and I did. The minute this is in print, I'm getting a copy for me and friends.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not looking to leap out of my religious choices (imposed 67% by life choices of generations past, parents devout, and personal alliances seasonally and pendulum affected). I have been very conscientious, I have been wholly lapsed, and I have been comfortably ambiguous. This author brilliantly gets me. She gets my children - most of who have jumped entirely out of religion's grasp (for now) - because of the rule-yness, the in-or-out mindset and the untimeliness of some of the culture concerns in religious organizations of today - particularly the one with which we are affected.

On the other hand - and Amy Leach does The Other Hand so brilliantly! - she doesn't discount a whit the joys, delights and blessings of regularly exercised faith, hope and charity. In fact, she adds to it with frilly giggles, lacey delights and heart-y guffaws. There are hilarious aspects of religious life - especially those in which ones are anxiously engaged from age 0 to 130 - if - IF - one can see the funny, and not punish those enjoying or providing the mirror and its uber-truth view.

No one "shoulds" on others as thoroughly as Religious Folk, especially of the Christian brand (but maybe all brands could be included here). I read this book as Amy Leach's Great Big Grand statement: Don't Should On ME! She gazes out to her readership with raised eyebrows - 'You with me?' - I'm shout-replying: Yep! Me, too.

Other bonuses: MUSIC! Lots of musical considerations, along with animal and botanical love, and an obsession with language that provided many paths down which to travel on philosophical bends.

A delightful read - truly a smorgasbook, can be done in bits and pieces, over time (I recommend the Sabbath (however you do that), after services. Get out of your serious suit, have supper, do the dishes, and carve your place out on the couch and check it out.

*A sincere thank you to Amy Leach, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and independently review.* 52:50

Salt of the universe is witty, intelligent and also silly at times. I initially went into this thinking it was a straightforward memoir and so found the flow of writing hard to engage with. But when I wrapped my head around that it was more a series of essays, it because easier to digest.

I did feel a little disconnected with it at time as I am an agnostic Australia that was brought up largely without religion, however I still enjoy learning about people’s religious upbringings.

I think I am probably not the target audience for this book and so do not want to overly criticise the content. However, I did find the writing witty and very stream of consciousness, which is a style I often enjoy.

Thank you net galley for the free arc in exchange for an honest review

"The Salt of the Universe" is wildly witty with its essays on a multitude of things such as Shakespeare, greenbriers, mockingbirds, and willow trees. Leach poses playful arguments against the limits of fundamentalisms. This is a highly intelligent, philosophical read, one that is perfect for lovers of language and fans of Diane Ackerman, Annie Dillard and Lewis Carroll. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

What a wonderful time to be spent in the charming, clever and fierce company of Amy Leach ! Any extract is an added value to any teaching, so, I will recommend the full book to my students ! It is very interesting and it can be read in chuncks, so anyone can read and absorbe the wonderful messages of the book, with no need to excuse oneself with the standard I cannot read for a long time. A book to cherish and save in your library to transmit to your grand children !
All opinions are mine, thank you to the author and Netgalley.