The Culture Club (Book: Utopian Dreams) July 6, 2008

This is the next study session in a series of culture studies where something from the media (e.g. a book, a film, a music album) is discussed from a Christian perspective but the session is for people of all faiths and people of no faith at all who want to explore the message behind the media.

This session will take place in a Cafe Church-type style in Madison's Cafe within the church buildings. It will start with a short informal time of worship followed by a discussion of the book and ending with a final song by 8:30pm.

There is no charge for this event.

BOOK INFO
=========

From the author, Tobias Jones, of the bestselling "The Dark Heart of Italy" comes a different kind of travel book, a diary of one year spent living in communes and amongst unusual dreamers.

Utopian Dreams offers one writer's attempt to retreat from the 'real world' in order to better understand the available alternatives to our modern manners and morality. Instead of cynicism, loneliness and depression - is it possible to be idealistic, to find belonging and companionship with others who share your sadness, or even, perhaps, your happiness?

Tobias Jones undertakes a pilgrimage to spiritualists and temponauts, a journey to unusual orphanages, retirement homes, detox communities and old-fashioned farmyards. His book is an exploration of the meanings of community and solitude, a voyage to places where the soul, the spirit and the sacred are central concerns. Above all, it dares to ask one unfashionable, counter-intuitive question - do communities simply work better when religion, rather than secularism, is the choreographer?

Publisher book page @ http://faber.lateral.net/media/files/medialibrary_38995.pdf?rnd=1176464899

BBC interview with the author @ http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/rams/starttheweek_20070108.ram (starting at 10:30)

Damaris article @ http://www.damaris.org/content/content.php?type=5&id=541

Sample chapter @
http://faber.lateral.net/media/files/medialibrary_38995.pdf?rnd=1176464899

Previous Sessions
===============
Previous sessions have looked at "Breaking and Entering" (film), "Little Miss Sunshine" (film), "Evan Almighty" (film), "Babel" (film), "The Zahir" (book), "Paradise Now" (film), "Life on Mars" (TV series), "Collateral" (film), "Arthur and George" (book), "Moulin Rouge" (film), the Robbie Williams album "Intensive Care", "Lost in Translation" (film), "Whale Rider" (film), "The Incredibles" (film), "The Da Vinci Code" (book), the U2 album "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" and "Chocolat" (film)