Death by Suburb: How to keep the Suburbs From Killing Your Soul by Dave Goetz is a straight shot look at maintaining spirituality in the midst of competition and commercialism that so often define suburbia. From Wheaton, Illinois, (an affluent suburb of Chicago) Goetz describes his experiences of seeking God instead of seeking status symbols and outlines eight practical applications for the reader. These take home points range from the need for times of quiet reflection, how to best serve others above oneself and developing deep and meaningful relationships.

Although written from a Christian perspective with examples drawn from Catholic and Protestant theologians, this is a work that provides sensible advice to people from any faith looking for less chaos in suburban living. Anyone who has struggled with time management, control issues, stress, balance, overwork, or friendship problems could find helpful words in this book. Goetz is an amusing and talented writer and Death by Suburb is a highly enjoyable book. ( )