The Church of 80% Sincerity (Hardcover)

by David Roche (Author) "I PREFER GRACE TO MIRACLES..." (more)
Key Phrases: San Francisco, Sister Frieda, Doctor Torrey (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. The church of the title is not a formal organization but a concept—the church of choice for recovering perfectionists, Roche writes in a powerful little book that's part memoir, part inspirational handbook. You can be 80 percent sincere 100 percent of the time, or 100 percent sincere 80 percent of the time. It's in that 20 percent area where you get some slack and you can be yourself. For Roche (now in his 60s), being himself has meant coming to terms with a face so severely disfigured by a benign congenital tumor that he's been spat at and called a monster. He was rejected from a seminary because, he was told, his appearance meant people would not respect you as a priest. The loss of the fathers of the Holy Cross is the general public's gain. A performer and motivational speaker, Roche is frank and witty and incapable of resorting to sentimental pap. He's used to people staring at him, and he admits he's been tempted to respond to pestering, obnoxious boys by saying, Well, my face is like this because when I was a little boy like you, I touched my wee-wee. He's well aware that people find him inspiring, but he doesn't try to hide his flaws, and that makes him more inspiring. (Feb.)
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Review
“The church of the title is not a formal organization but a concept—“the church of choice for recovering perfectionists,” Roche writes in a powerful little book that’s part memoir, part inspirational handbook. “You can be 80 percent sincere 100 percent of the time, or 100 percent sincere 80 percent of the time. It’s in that 20 percent area where you get some slack and you can be yourself.” For Roche (now in his 60s), being himself has meant coming to terms with a face so severely disfigured by a benign congenital tumor that he’s been spat at and called a monster. He was rejected from a seminary because, he was told, his appearance meant “people would not respect you as a priest.” The loss of the fathers of the Holy Cross is the general public’s gain. A performer and motivational speaker, Roche is frank and witty and incapable of resorting to sentimental pap. He’s used to people staring at him, and he admits he’s been tempted to respond to pestering, obnoxious boys by saying, “Well, my face is like this because when I was a little boy like you, I touched my wee-wee.” He’s well aware that people find him inspiring, but he doesn’t try to hide his flaws, and that makes him more inspiring.”
--Publishers Weekly

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade (February 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399533907
• ISBN-13: 978-0399533907
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #169,841 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Many reasons to read this book, February 5, 2008

By	Jo Anne Smith - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a big fan of David Roche's stage work, I was thrilled to learn that he has authored a book. The Church of 80% Sincerity lives up to all expectations - it's smart, funny, honest, inspiring, tough, touching and powerful. A line in the Publisher's Weekly review says it well: 'Roche is frank and witty and incapable of resorting to sentimental pap.'

This book is both personal and universal. For those of us who sometimes feel that we don't 'fit in' or struggle with self-acceptance, Roche's take on living with a severely disfigured face is heartening, hopeful and, oddly enough, offers real, practical guidance. And in the process of sharing his slightly skewed perspective on what it means to be human, Roche completely reframes the disability paradigm. He doesn't 'overcome' his challenge, living with a non-conforming face, instead he integrates the experience into his larger human self, and gets on with life.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Church of 80% Sincerity by David Roche, February 7, 2008

By	Esmerelda (Bloomington, IN) - See all my reviews

I met David Roche when he spoke at my church last Easter Sunday. The audience laughed and wept at his talk which was filled with humor and pathos. Mr. Roche, who has had a severe facial disfiguration since birth, has spent his life making sense of his own "monstrous" appearance. The result has been the development of a one man show, a work of performance art, that he calls "The Church of 80% Sincerity." He has now written a memoir and philosophy book titled the same name as his show.

Mr Roche tells his story in a non-linear fashion with chapters on miracles and prayer and cruelties. He tells of his early love for Jesus via the Catholic Church which severely disappointed him when he sought to follow God. He tells of moments of grace as well as cruelty at the hands of strangers. He tells of his loves and careers and family.

This slim book feels light but it is actually quite weighty and it feels, suddenly, very very important. Mr. Roche writes that he was given a gift in having to wear his deformity on his face. He has been forced to understand it and deal with it in ways that the rest of us do not. Most of us have to uncover our defects because they are buried deep inside.

This book will appeal to anyone who loves books on spirituality, good memoirs or simply just a lovely honest story about the unfairness of life and the ability to find peace within that life.

I highly recommend The Church of 80% Sincerity.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Life's Gems, March 17, 2008

By	Nancy Grisso "Stepfordmomto2" (Tehachapi, CA USA) - See all my reviews

The Church of 80% Sincerity shares the moving, laugh out loud funny, and sometimes heartbreaking stories of motivational speaker David Roche's life. Told through antidotes and life lessons you see his life from shame to self-acceptance. Born with a severe facial deformity, David has traveled through life with grace, humor and ok, a wee bit of sarcasm. Over time and with the love of his life, he has learned to accept his gifts as well as his flaws.

Being unable to live up to the rules of the Catholic Church that he was raised in David decided to make up a church that is quite real to him. In the Church of 80% Sincerity, 80% is as good as it gets. You can be 80% Sincere 100% of the time or 100% Sincere 80% of the time. It's in the 20% area that you can get some slack and be yourself. There are no ideals. You do not try to change people by having them conform. Try to accept people as they are and adjust beliefs and practices to conform to the reality of being human.

I rarely call a book a gem, but this truly, to me, is one. There are so many wonderful lines and stories that each time you go back and reread it you get something different. Very much a keeper.