Upside: Surprising Good News About the State of Our World [Paperback]

Bradley R.E. Ph.D. Wright (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2011

Many Christians have an impending sense of doom about our country and the world. But are their fears based on reality or myth? In this book Wright examines issues of concern to Christians, including poverty, sickness, sexual morality, the environment, and the global church. Did you know that global poverty has been cut in half over the last several decades? That infant deaths have decreased dramatically in recent years? That Christianity is a growing and influential force in Asia and Africa? Maybe the world isn't in a downward spiral after all. In an age of pessimism, this book offers good news to Christian readers looking for glimpses of hope.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bradley R.E. Wright, PhD is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Connecticut. After receiving tenure, he switched his academic focus from crime to religion in order to research American Christianity. Brad received his PhD in sociology from the University of Wisconsin, the top-ranked sociology graduate program in the United States. He has a popular blog (brewight.com) based on his research. His first book, Christians are Hate-Filled Hypocrites...and Other Lies You've Been Told received the 2011 Christianity Today Book Award. He's appeared on numerous national media outlets including USAToday.com, Foxnews.com, Moody's Chris Fabry Live!, and the Drew Marshall Show. Brad is married with two children and lives in Storrs, Connecticut.

Product Details

• Paperback: 255 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (July 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764208365
• ISBN-13: 978-0764208362
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #558,383 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Upside, August 15, 2011

By 

Sarah Young (Minneapolis) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Upside: Surprising Good News About the State of Our World (Paperback)

I recently heard a well-known pastor say, "The world is broken and it's getting worse." Not long ago, I would have agreed without hesitation. But after reading UPSIDE by Bradley R.E. Wright, PhD, I found myself disagreeing, and even upset that the idea is so common in our culture.

At the suggestion of his editor, Wright wrote a book that answers the question, "Is the world getting better?" As an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Connecticut, he was more than qualified to examine the data and come to an objective conclusion. (And UPSIDE is not the only book he's written that examines and challenges widespread and commonly held beliefs. Wright also wrote CHRISTIANS ARE HATE-FILLED HYPOCRITES . . . AND OTHER LIES YOU'VE BEEN TOLD.)

To be honest, I chose to review this book because I didn't believe it was possible to write a book that said our world is actually improving rather than getting worse. Not to mention I was sure that even if he could write that book, it wouldn't have an ounce of credibility. Choosing this book was essentially my way of saying to Wright, "Oh yeah? Prove it." Surprisingly, he did.

Wright followed the data--he didn't exaggerate the improvements or tone down the negatives. He briefly traced the reasons people are so pessimistic about the state of our world and showed there has been significant improvement in most of the areas people worry about on a regular basis. He did an excellent job showing that, even though things have gotten worse in certain areas in recent years, it's important to look at change over time. That's what his research focused on--how is today's data different from past data? Have things improved, or gotten worse?

And Wright tackled all the issues--the economy and finances, education and IQ, happiness and stress, health, crime, war, freedom, faith, marriage, families, and the environment. He wasn't able to cover every topic in great detail, but he did go over the most significant issues. Some readers will probably not be convinced of the improvement because he didn't really cover the specifics of the US government, but he did talk about freedom and democracy across the globe. His broad and general scope helped me keep perspective about what really matters and just how much it matters.

Wright's writing style reminded me of a good college lecture. When I realized just how many statistics he would cover in the book, I cringed, expecting the writing to be as dry and boring as the environmental science textbook I plodded through a few years ago. But he surprised me with a friendly, easy-to-read style that brought back memories of my favorite college classes.

And--who knew?--this book of statistics was actually funny. Granted, it's the kind of humor I attribute to my dad--quips that make you grin and groan at the same time. Groans or no groans, Wright's humor helped me push through the charts and percentages--even the endnotes.

I wasn't expecting it, but UPSIDE really changed the way I listen to the world around me. It's given me a whole new perspective on the way the media and people in general depict the state of our world and why. I may even have to go back and read CHRISTIANS ARE HATE-FILLED HYPOCRITES . . . AND OTHER LIES YOU'VE BEEN TOLD.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my review. My opinion of this book is my own and was not influenced by the publisher or author.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good if you like statistics, August 25, 2011

By 

Sally McC (Western New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Upside: Surprising Good News About the State of Our World (Paperback)

If you enjoy reading pages of statistics and looking at charts, then this is definitely a book you'll enjoy. Wright has compiled statistics from various sources in all the areas listed above, and tells us that life in the USA has improved considerably over the past 100 years. In many ways, we know this to be true. We know the benefits of indoor plumbing and instant communication. Children are more likely to live past their first birthdays, and fewer women die in childbirth. We work fewer hours for higher pay, and we're a lot less likely to suffer severe injury or die on the job.

The problem with Upside, however, is the statistics. Wright does very little primary research of his own, choosing to use previously published data. Since most of the data was compiled prior to the financial meltdown on 2008, we are left skeptical. If the same surveys were done today, would they tell us we are still improving, or would there have developed a downward trend starting from that time? Furthermore, we don't know the benchmark for some of these results. For example, yes, we realize we receive a better education than in many countries. But how many children have graduated high school having slipped through the cracks? Are the SATs on the same level of difficulty now as they were twenty to thirty years ago? The section on war makes no mention of recent conflicts such as the first Gulf War or the Bosnian War of the early 1990s.

I was also disappointed by the small amount of qualitative data in the book. The front cover states, "Surprising GOOD NEWS About the State of Our World." Since we hear so many bad news stories in the media I had hoped for some examples of good news, the so-called 'feel good stories.' In the chapter on education for example, it would have been interesting to read about a high school that has improved over the years. Maybe there are towns that have been brought back from the brink and revitalized. My favorite parts of the book are what Wright says are stories of "altruism," examples of individuals and organizations doing their part to make a little bit of the world a better place. I would have liked to have read more of these.

Ultimately, statistics are good for giving us an overall view but they don't take into account the personal situation. We're earning more money? Try telling that to the father who was laid off from his high end management job and is now trying to make ends meet on minimum wage. Cancer survival rates are improving? Tell that to the woman who lost her mother and aunt to breast cancer and has now found a lump? These statistics are of small comfort. We need to find the Upside of our individual lives and focus on that.

I received my complimentary copy of Upside from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What if the glass is fuller than we thought?, August 18, 2011

By 

lstalnaker - See all my reviews

This review is from: Upside: Surprising Good News About the State of Our World (Paperback)

This book is a great combination of enjoyable reading and practical ways to view statistical evidence and apply it to our world today. So many times we focus only on the negative aspects of life and this world. We leave out related statistics that may help us to see everything in a bigger, better picture and enjoy the progress we have made over the years. Dr. Wright combines these two things to create a book that is really worth reading. We are always going to have problems in this world, but it helps to keep them in perspective and see how far we have come in finding solutions to previous problems that plagued our world and at one time seemed unsolvable. I also like the way Dr. Wright sometimes formulates and other times does not, the connection and meaning of the statistical relevance of the numbers he presents. For those of you who like numbers and facts this is a great book for you! I totally enjoyed it and will be passing it along to a coworker of mine for her to read.

I was provided a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my review no other compensation was given

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