— 1 —

I’ve been a fan of Greg and Jennifer Willits since their podcasting days. It’s been a delight to see them get bigger and better…now they have a show on Sirius/XM and also a new book, The Catholics Next Door: Adventures in Imperfect Living.

— 2 —

I wasn’t sure what to expect from their book. Would it be a how to? Advice? Just silly stuff? Or would it be a memoir type of book?

And, even more importantly, would I love it as much as I wanted to?

— 3 —

As it turns out, YES.

— 4 —

It’s equal parts laughter, insight, and advice. You get perspective from a couple who admits their imperfections with a smile and a humility I can’t help but admire.

— 5 —

Every chapter, except the parent-specific chapters, is written in a back-and-forth conversational style. Greg might start, Jennifer will pick it up, and Greg continues a few paragraphs later. I often felt like I needed to pass the chips and refill some coffee as I was reading…it’s reading that’s casual and relaxed, even though it deals with some of the heaviest topics in Catholicism (read as: NFP).

— 6 —

There’s a lot packed into 141 pages. There’s sex, marriage, kids, parenthood, sacraments, prayer, schooling, and technology, to name a few.

Some of these stories will be familiar to those who have followed the Willits through the years, but there are others that, if you don’t or can’t listen to their daily radio program, will be new to you.

— 7 —

Bottom line: highly recommended. It’s a quick read and you’ll leave it a better person.

You’ll find more Quick Takes over at Conversion Diary.