Man Seeks God

Weiner (The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World) offers listeners a touching and humorous account of his search for a personal God. The journey takes him to Turkey to study Sufism; Nepal for Buddhism; China for Daoism; Israel for the Kabbalah; the Bronx, NY, to work alongside Franciscans operating a homeless shelter; Washington State for instruction in Wicca; and Las Vegas, NV, to attend a Raelian (a UFO-based religion) convention. Along the way, he encounters a cast of characters—from a guru named Wayne to a Franciscan who was originally a player on Wall Street—and a variety of situations, from cross-dressing to trying to dance a dervish. He also tries to come to grips with a lifelong battle with depression. All of this is delivered with warmth and humor, which also are apparent in Weiner's narration. In the end, Weiner settles on no single religion but acknowledges that the effort deepened his spiritual understanding.