Blue Like Jazz
Encyclopedia
Blue Like Jazz is the second book by Donald Miller
. This semi-autobiographical work, subtitled "Non-Religious Thoughts on Christian
Spirituality
," is a collection of essays and personal reflections chronicling the author's growing understanding of the nature of God
and Jesus
, and the need and responsibility for an authentic personal response to that understanding. Much of the work centers on Miller's experiences with friends and fellow students while auditing courses at Reed College
, a liberal arts college
in Portland, Oregon
.
The book's popularity is due to its personable style and content which most appeals to twentysomething and thirtysomething, post-modern Christians in the emerging church movement. His writings have often been compared to fellow Christian memoirist, Anne Lamott
.
The book is slated to be made into a movie by director Steve Taylor
. On his blog on 16 September 2010, Donald Miller stated that despite a strong screenplay, a stellar cast, and rave reviews, the project was being put on hold indefinitely due to lack of funding. Two fans created a site called "Save Blue Like Jazz" where they urged fans to help raise money to fund the movie through a website called Kickstarter
. This campaign raised over $340,000, more than doubling the original goal of $125,000 by October 25th, 2010.
and spent some time in Nashville, Tennessee
to get a few scenes. The cast consists of actors, such as Justin Welborn
, as seen in The Crazies, Marshall Allman
, who more recently joined the cast of True Blood
,and Claire Holt
who starred in Mean Girls 2
. While filming, the crew opened up some scenes to the public. They used mainly college students and people who were available as extras.
Don Miller (author)
Donald Miller is a best-selling American author and public speaker based out of Portland, Oregon who focuses on Christian spirituality as "an explanation for beauty, meaning, and the human struggle".-Biography:...
. This semi-autobiographical work, subtitled "Non-Religious Thoughts on Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Spirituality
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
," is a collection of essays and personal reflections chronicling the author's growing understanding of the nature of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
and Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, and the need and responsibility for an authentic personal response to that understanding. Much of the work centers on Miller's experiences with friends and fellow students while auditing courses at Reed College
Reed College
Reed College is a private, independent, liberal arts college located in southeast Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1908, Reed is a residential college with a campus located in Portland's Eastmoreland neighborhood, featuring architecture based on the Tudor-Gothic style, and a forested canyon wilderness...
, a liberal arts college
Liberal arts college
A liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...
in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.
The book's popularity is due to its personable style and content which most appeals to twentysomething and thirtysomething, post-modern Christians in the emerging church movement. His writings have often been compared to fellow Christian memoirist, Anne Lamott
Anne Lamott
Anne Lamott is a novelist and non-fiction writer. She is also a political activist, public speaker and writing teacher. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, her nonfiction works are largely autobiographical...
.
The book is slated to be made into a movie by director Steve Taylor
Steve Taylor
Roland Stephen Taylor , is an American Christian singer, songwriter, record producer and film director.-Early life:Taylor, the eldest of three children, was born in Brawley, California. Taylor's father, Roland Taylor, was a Baptist minister. When Taylor was six years old, the family relocated to...
. On his blog on 16 September 2010, Donald Miller stated that despite a strong screenplay, a stellar cast, and rave reviews, the project was being put on hold indefinitely due to lack of funding. Two fans created a site called "Save Blue Like Jazz" where they urged fans to help raise money to fund the movie through a website called Kickstarter
Kickstarter
Kickstarter is an online threshold pledge system for funding creative projects. Kickstarter has funded a diverse array of endeavors, ranging from indie film and music to journalism, solar energy technology and food-related projects.-Model:...
. This campaign raised over $340,000, more than doubling the original goal of $125,000 by October 25th, 2010.
Film adaptation
Blue Like Jazz: The Movie will release on April 13 of 2012, according to Miller's blog. The movie is roughly based upon the book but has more of a contemporary vibe. The crew started filming in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
and spent some time in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
to get a few scenes. The cast consists of actors, such as Justin Welborn
Justin Welborn
Justin Welborn is an actor and singer best known for his roles in the films The Signal, Dance of the Dead, and The Final Destination.- Filmography :- Television :- Video :*2008 - MGS: Acquiescence - Stunt...
, as seen in The Crazies, Marshall Allman
Marshall Allman
Marshall Scot Allman is an American actor. He is known to television audiences for his role as L. J. Burrows on Fox's successful television series, Prison Break...
, who more recently joined the cast of True Blood
True Blood
True Blood is an American television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, detailing the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional, small town in the state of Louisiana...
,and Claire Holt
Claire Holt
Claire Holt is an Australian actress, best known for her role as Emma Gilbert on the television show H2O: Just Add Water.- Early life :...
who starred in Mean Girls 2
Mean Girls 2
Mean Girls 2 is a 2011 American teen television film directed by Melanie Mayron. It is a stand-alone sequel/spin-off to the 2004 film, Mean Girls. The film was released on January 23, 2011 by ABC Family with a DVD release set for February 1, 2011. The film stars Meaghan Jette Martin and features as...
. While filming, the crew opened up some scenes to the public. They used mainly college students and people who were available as extras.
Quotations
- “I was watching BETBetBet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
one night, and they were interviewing a man about jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
music. He said jazz music was invented by the first generation out of slaverySlaverySlavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
. I thought that was beautiful because, while it is music, it is very hard to put on paper; it is so much more a language of the soul … The first generation out of slavery invented jazz music. It is a music birthed out of freedom. And that is the closest thing I know to Christian spirituality. A music birthed out of freedom. Everybody sings their song the way they feel it, everybody closes their eyes and lifts up their hands.” - "The most difficult lie I ever contended with is this: Life is a story about me."
- "I think every conscious person, every person that is awake to the functioning principles within his reality, has a moment where he stops blaming the problems in the world on group think, on humanity and authority, and starts to face himself. I hate this more than anything. This is the hardest principle within Christian spirituality for me to deal with. The problem is not out there; the problem is the needy beast of a thing that lives in my chest."
- "My most recent faithFaithFaith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
struggle is not one of intellect. I don't really do that anymore. Sooner or later you just figure out there are some guys who don't believe in God and they can prove He doesn't exist, and some other guys who do believe in God and they can prove He does exist, and the argument stopped being about God a long time ago and now it's about who is smarter, and honestly I don't care."
External links
- Donald Miller's site on Blue Like Jazz
- PastorBookshelf compilation of links to reviews and more
- Blue Like Jazz, the movie Official film site