Denise (Naked Relationships
) follows in the footsteps of Deepak Chopra and Marianne Williamson in this self-help book with a spiritual and New Age bent. The author omits concrete advice or exercises in favor of letting her personal philosophy, heavily influenced by her strict Christian background, take center-stage. Denise's theme is that all people are innately good, but are kept from that realization by fear and the need to impress others. Painful experiences and addictions can numb shame, but once individuals learn how to drop their masks, they will recognize their essence, which is goodness. Fear is the only impediment; the author writes, “I have no fear that is not rooted in the fear of falling short or not being good enough, not measuring up, failure, however you want to word it.” While Denise's reminders—to align with love rather than fear, reconcile to our true selves, and find stillness and be present to invoke love in ourselves—are valuable if familiar, the biblical foundation of several of her premises and her copious references to God may not feel comfortable or reassuring for readers who don't share her background. (Dec.)
