Thin Places

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In this insightful essay collection, an award-winning writer explores America’s quest for meaning through her personal and reportorial lens. As a child, she experienced a profound connection with Jesus Christ at summer camp, which puzzled her nonreligious family. However, as a teenager, she lost her faith, leaving her confused about its origins and disappearance. In her search for purpose, she humorously assigns herself to various modern "gods" such as yoga, talk radio, and even Beyoncé. Kisner's curiosity about the underlying systems of contemporary life is a recurring theme in her work. Her celebrated essay “Thin Places” delves into an experimental neurosurgery for severe obsessive-compulsive disorder, raising philosophical questions about illness, self-identity, and spiritual transformation. She grapples with the emergence of her own OCD at the same time she lost her faith, prompting deeper reflections on her experiences. The essays are both intimate and expansive, shedding light on unique aspects of American life while connecting them to the author's past and present concerns. Through her exploration, Kisner invites readers to consider the complexities of belief, identity, and the search for meaning in a rapidly changing world.