Camping With Kierkegaard

A Book Review

In his excellent new book, J Aaron Simmons presents an accessible discussion of existential philosophy wrapped in a metaphorical and literal trip to the mountains. Often the term accessible causes one to think the content is not deep nor engaging. In this case, that could not be more wrong. Simmons takes us on a journey of discovery and finding a centering in who and where we are. The place Simmons goes to for refreshment is the mountains and that is the idea behind Camping With Kierkegaard. The mountains resonate with me, but my wife would rather think of being at the beach with Kierkegaard and that is a point which Simmons makes in the book. We go to the places that speak to us to find our center, not to the places that others find centering.

Through engaging anecdotal storytelling, Simmons illuminates the beauty of Kierkegaard and of finding our own centering and peace. The journey is not always comfortable nor consistent, but we must try to walk our own journey in community and individually. I highly recommend Camping With Kierkegaard.