If you are a cinéaste who loves to explore spiritual elements in films, this book is for you. Beautifully written and organized, the book led me at first to just skim the list of films included, then dig deeper to find the spiritual treasures in movies I've seen and now must-watch. A must-have for every lover of the cinema!

To begin with, as a longtime fan of Kathleen Norris, I’m always excited to read any new book she writes. And I’m a recent Gareth Higgins fan, following his work on The Porch. So seeing them collaborate on this new project, A WHOLE LIFE IN TWELVE MOVIES: A CINEMATIC JOURNEY TO A DEEPER SPIRITUALITY was exciting from the start.

The format of the book is to identify twelve phases of human growth and development and discuss each phase by pairing it with a movie. Then each author interprets the movie, based on what they see on the screen and their own personal experiences. In addition to these probing essays, there are questions for discussion at the end of each chapter and suggestions for further movie viewing on the specific topic.

This is a good book when read straight through; an outstanding book if paired with actually watching the movies.


With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Brazos Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

A wonderful book for the spiritual seeker and cinaphile alike, I highly recommend this book. It's a mix of movies you've likely seen and ones you've likely not, which makes it a satisfying journey through old and new experiences. You're sure to find something that resonates with, challenges, or enriches your spiritual life in these pages.

Have you ever left a great movie and just wanted to talk about it, what it meant to you, how it made you feel, what the other person felt? A Whole Life in Twelve Movies by Kathleen Norris and Gareth Higgins does a marvelous job of shining a light on how movies can reflect a part of our lives and inspire us to go deeper. The book highlights 12 movies that have been meaningful to the authors and they challenge you to go deeper.

The format of the book is great as a read-alone book but also has tremendous application for friends who like movies and enjoy sharing too. I may well encourage my small faith community to make this our next focus!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Norris and Higgins has done a beautifully connection between movies and journey to deeper spirituality. This is a hard work to do but they made it. I hope that all of you can get blessings from reading this book.

A Whole Life in Twelve Movies is built on a curious and amazing concept, and the structure of the book ensured an engaging read.

Kathleen and Gareth discuss the respective film and topic (an important pillar of life for each chapter) and leave us with questions to answer.

Nice selection of themes, films and tender discussions.