Findings from the Hunting Party's Scout

Findings from the Hunting Party's Scout is a first-person, spirituality/personal growth title that provides an entertaining and easily digestible introduction to the world of spiritual exploration. It takes the best elements of Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love and Sue Monk Kidd's Dance of the Dissident Daughter and combines them in a jargon free, easy to read narrative featuring a married-with-children, working woman with whom readers will naturally identify. The uncomplicated depth of the story flows organically from spiritual adventures and familiar family events alike. However, unlike the main character in Eat, Pray, Love, Karyn O'Beirne does not wait for a personal, life-shattering event to embark on a journey within. A more subtle doubt and quiet heartache begins the exploration in Findings from the Hunting Party's Scout, while events of September 11th provide the urgency. Tears do erupt at especially poignant moments in Findings, but prolonged distress over relationships gone wrong is not the pimary focus, as it is in Eat, Pray, Love. In Findings from the Hunting Party's Scout, readers learn that spiritual expression and maturity do not necessarily mean an upheaval of familiar comfort. Another distinguishing feature in Findings from the Hunting Party's Scout, and unlike Sue Monk Kidd's story, is that Karyn O'Beirne is as equally uninformed as the reader when it comes to academic knowledge on spirituality. The revelations are learned from experiences lived not lessons related from a religious background or career. The reader is not told what to expect but is instead invited to join a novice as she experiences a realm that most usually only dream about. The harsh, and often cruel, religious conservativism of the past eight years has left many Americans uneasy, cynical and curious. They search for something more mysterious and tender. Therefore, Findings from the Hunting Party's Scout is appropriate for individuals who are actively exploring their own spirituality, in search of a kinder, gentler spirituality.