LIVING A LIFE THAT MATTERS - HAROLD KUSHNER

Like his readers, Kushner lives in a dual world: a world of commerce and competition, and a world where he desires to be a good person, and feels guilt when he isn't.

How does a person integrate these two worlds?

 As in his other books, Kushner draws on biblical stories that illustrate the universal and timeless nature of this conflict.

In Genesis, Jacob is a character at first wily and ambitious (he steals his brother's birthright, among other things) but also a character who has the famous wrestle with an angel.

 Kushner sees this image as being a perfect symbol of man's struggle with his dual nature.

Throughout the book he returns to his struggle of duality, which he believes is inherant to human nature.

We all desire to be good, while needing our competitive side to survive in this world. Kushner encourages that balance between the two is key to living a life that matters.

With that resolved, Kushner delves into why life has meaning in spite of our nature. He believes, as do many religious people, that every life has value to God, and even the smallest decisions we make can affect others' lives for the good.

There is a nice sentiment to his spirituality, and he is gifted at handling broad topics with grace --he references sources as diverse as the Old Testement, the movie "Witness," and the Jeckyll and Hyde story to illustrate his points, and does it without seeming heavy handed or moralizing.

Somehow religion makes sense when Kushner explains it -- even something as baffling as eating kosher makes perfect sense when he is done explaining it.