He does this by telling his own story which is the majority of the book. He gives some facts and figures but concentrates on his own story hoping it will help readers understand rural and urban areas. He grew up in Bentonville, Arkansas (a dry county). He studied and worked in suburban Wheaton, Illinois (where Christians served beer and wine at every gathering). He is now in Manhatten. While I appreciate learning the best way to catch crawfish and the right way to board a Manhatten bus, I would have preferred stories from a variety of people, not just O'Brien.
O'Brien ultimately has good suggestions, even if it does take him a while to get to them. We should learn from each other, having intentional conversations leading toward seeing life from another person's point of view, he says. We need to remember the sinful nature of man and recognize our own bent to perceive people the way we want to. As Christians we are to be quick to repent for our wrong perceptions.
O'Brien focuses all the narrative on the concept of "unity" and its hard work in our communities. It's an important book for congregational leaders.
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I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review here.