Franciscan priest Rohr (The Naked Now) is a big-picture kind of thinker when it comes to characterizing the human journey. Life has two halves; life follows the pattern of a hero/heroine's journey; life is disorderly and inherently tragic. Elders and mystics are more inclined to such sweeping and subtle observations, and Rohr, born in 1943, fits in both categories. Rohr writes about spirituality in broad terms, but is deeply grounded in the writings and thinkers of his Catholic religious tradition. His discussion of familiar theological concerns—the necessity of suffering, the opportunities provided by mistakes—is fresh because imaginative and vigorous. His metaphors ("discharging your loyal soldier"), paradoxes (see the book's title), and arguments are not, however, easy to follow or even easy to summarize. They will frustrate some readers, but delight others who are attentive enough to follow the connections Rohr makes. This small, provocative book will make a particularly good gift for a thoughtful, spiritually open man. (May)

"...provocative..." - Publishers Weekly

"...a trustworthy guide to the spiritual life." - BlogCritics.org

"Understanding the spiritual aspects of aging is as important as appreciating the systems and biological processes that age us. Richard Rohr has given us a perfect guide to what he calls the 'further journey,' a voyage into the mystery mystery and beauty of healthy spiritual maturity." - Mehmet Oz, M.D., host of the 'Dr. Oz Show'

"Falling Upward calls forth the promise within us and frees us to follow it into wider dimensions of our spiritual authenticity. This 'second half of life' need not wait till our middle years. It emerges whenever we are ready and able to expand beyond the structures and strictures of our chosen path. With Richard Rohr as a guide, this mystery can become as real and immediate as your hand on the doorknob." - Joanna Macy, author of World as Lover, World as Self

"In Falling Upward, Richard offers a simple but deeply helpful framework for seeing the whole spiritual life - one that will help both beginners on the path as they look ahead and long-term pilgrims as they look back over their journey so far." - Brian McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christianity and Naked Spirituality

"The value of this book lies in the way Richard Rohr shares his own aging process with us in ways that help us be less afraid. We begin to see that, as we grow older, we are being awakened to deep, simple, and mysterious things we simply could not see when we were younger." - Jim Finley, Merton scholar and author of The Contemplative Heart

"This is Richard Rohr at his vintage best: prophetic, pastoral, practical. A book I will gratefully share with my children and grandchildren." - Cynthia Bourgeault, Episcopal priest, retreat leader, and author

Richard Rohr reads his own work with conviction in his voice. Rooted in Roman Catholic mysticism, Rohr explains why one must fail first in order to understand what it means to rise up. Thus, we are told that there are two halves to one’s life—the first half striving for success and oftentimes failing and the second half learning from the past failure. Rohr’s voice is calm and soothing, with a steady pace. As one listens to what he has to say, one gets the feeling that he wants to share with others what he has learned later in life. Whether one agrees with him or not, there are some gold nuggets to take away. T.D. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine