:: in.a.mirror.dimly ::

Donald Miller offers a thought-provoking and humorous journey into the elements of story-telling and their intersection with everyday life in his latest work A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. Adopting his self-deprecating, everyman style that made Blue Like Jazz a hit, Miller begins by recounting his success, failure, and subsequent depression with his matter-of-fact, ho-hum style.

“I wrote a memoir several years ago that sold a lot of copies. I got a big head about it and thought I was this amazing writer or something, but I’ve written books since that haven’t sold, so I’m insecure again and things are back to normal” (9). Yes, Miller is back, and things are back to normal.

Beginning at this low point, Miller takes the reader on two simultaneous journeys: one into the basics of story-telling for the fictional Don being created for a movie based on Blue Like Jazz and one for the day-to-day choices of the real Don. While planning the narrative for fictional Don, Miller confronts the unremarkable nature of his real life and seeks help in the definition of a story, “A character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it” (48).

From seeking his estranged father, to raising money for well construction in Africa, to launching a mentorship program, Miller begins to face conflict and to determine the ambitions of his life. Along the way he weaves in simple, straight-forward stories of his lessons and a series of beautiful reflections that dramatically alter a black and white narrative into a full color scene.

For fans of Blue Like Jazz, for whom Miller could make tying his shoes sound fun and engaging, A Million Miles will not disappoint with Miller’s trademark one-line zingers and easy style. Writers will find it a useful, though not detailed, introduction to the basics of story-telling. Those seeking a book brimming over with fresh ideas on every page or a more compelling narrative than Miller serves up will most likely be disappointed by the way Miller circles around a few main points and fleshes out ideas slowly. In fact, the first page or two will probably go a long way in telling most readers whether they’ll love it or hate it. I expect to find readers with both reactions.

From where I sit, A Million Miles is not only a worthwhile read, it’s also a book worth owning. Miller tells stories I want to reread, even if it’s the next thing he did after tying his shoe lace. I think people are drawn to Miller because he lays it out there and we can relate to him.

It’s as if his readers can breathe a sigh of relief when they put the book down. Miller struggles to write, frets over his weight, expects too much from love, and even has moments where he’s hyper-aware of being alive (well, at least I share that last one with him). It’s a hard book to put down and it just may help readers make better choices, face up to some conflict, and live better stories.

You can find out a bit more about Miller and his latest book by following these links:

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An excerpt of A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

Check out where Donald Miller will be on his book tour