Prayer and the Art of Volkswagen Maintenance (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Miller is a young man with only a few years' professional experience in ministry, but his youth is a key feature in this book of travel memoirs. A record of a classic road trip, Miller's tale is full of serendipitous adventures and thoughtful Christian reflection, offering an unusual mix of travel mishaps in a broken-down (and often breaking down) VW van; youthful, somewhat macho bantering between friends; and the sort of deep-thought wanderings into meaning and significance that are the meat of college-age existence. The book's strongest point is the way in which it conveys the character of Miller and his companion--two young "Republican hippies." As we travel along with them, they can be fun, profound, annoying, hilarious and, at unguarded moments, surprisingly tender. Their insights are sometimes deep, sometimes naive, sometimes simple and sometimes just goofy. Their religious insights are similarly mixed in depth, but the two are remarkable and winsome in their aim at complete honesty. The narrator often allows himself to be portrayed in an unflattering light to faithfully recapture the experience. This book is an appealing Sunday afternoon read, a reminder that life is meant to be experienced and not just gotten through. (Feb.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Take two Americans in search of life's deeper meaning, one beat up Volkswagen camper van, and a journey from Texas to Oregon. Here is the story of a road trip they'll never forget. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 289 pages
• Publisher: Harvest House Pub (January 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0736901604
• ISBN-13: 978-0736901604
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #243,716 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A diamond in the rough, August 1, 2000

By	William Krischke (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Above, Miller says that he attempted to write a christian book with a secular pen. I agree with him that he has succeeded in doing this, and praise him for it. Prayer and the art of Volkswagen Maintenance is a rarity. It is a truly well-written Christian book. I was very happily surprised.

It is a novelized journal of a pilgrimage-trip, and Miller does an excellent job of moving back and forth between plot narrative and inner reflection. Sometimes, the close attention to detail is tedious, but it's livable. Touches of Annie Dillard, Ernest Hemingway, CS Lewis and John Steinbeck can all be found here. Miller has a gift for dialogue and many passages are really funny, maybe because they feel real.

A nice blending of fun, troubles, and thought and reflection like we all know is possible, but have a hard time capturing. Bravo.

A passage:

"Pretty big church, is it?"

"Yeah, it is. We've got about 200 people there."

A smile comes to my face as Paul's definition of large collides with mine. "Two hundred people would make for a good Sunday school class in Texas. I hate to break it to you, but unless a church has a gym and a bowling alley, they're really not fulfilling the work of the Lord. A church has to have a gym and a bowling alley because people play basketball and bowl and if they do it at church they are more likely to accept Christ. Widows and orphans especially, they play basketball a great deal."

"Is that right?"

"Sure it is."

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the SAME book as "Through Painted Deserts" by Donald Miller, September 15, 2005

By	Paradigm Books & Music "paradigmbooksandmusic" (Spring Hill, TN USA) - See all my reviews

Okay, after reading the amazing book titled Blue Like Jazz, I wanted to buy all of Don Miller's other books. Prayer and the Art of Volkswagen Maintenance was his very first book (written well before Blue Like Jazz) and has been out of print for some time. For a while there, you could not find it for under $40-50. But, I have good news! After I purchased Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller, I quickly discovered that it is in fact "Prayer and the Art of Volkswagen Maintenance" that has been reprinted with a new title under Don's current publisher! He explains it on the front dedication page to his mother. Hooray! Now you know, and you can get his first book for much less then the out of print version.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny & Insightful -You can't help but enjoy the ride..., January 20, 2000

By	C. Curtis (Eugene, Oregon) - See all my reviews

As a FORMER Volkswagen owner, tie-dye wearing camp counselor, and CURRENT coffee addicted, 30-something Northwesterner...I HAD to get this book. I read it aloud on a plane ride (seemed appropriate since we were headed for Texas) to the delight of fellow sleepy-headed travellers. I laughed along with passengers B&C, dogeared my favorite pages (pps. 44, 111, 118, 123, 272, & 289) and enjoyed vicariously the physical and spiritual odyssey of two guys, a van and one heck of a road tip!

My thanks to the author for his honest attempt to process & put words to the deafening struggle for understanding our minds wrestle out in the quiet confinds of our souls. "Searchers" will find themselves relating to Miller's quest for answers to the "big" questions in life and empathize as they unravel themselves among the mechanical details of everday living. You'll enjoy the ride!