Reconnected: How 7 Screen-Free Weeks with Monks and Amish Farmers Helped Me Recover the Lost Art of Being Human by Carlos Whittaker Book Review

In Reconnected, Carlos Whittaker set out on a journey to rediscover God and himself. He realized that he was being consumed and controlled by technology. What inspired him to do so was a simple notification that stated his screen time was an average 7 hours and 23 mins a day. This is about 49 hours. He decided he wanted to do an experiment and to learn how a monk and the Amish live their lives. He explored how they connect to God and to others and what we can learn and apply to our lives. 

 

 

 

He learned that monks pray a lot and he had a daily schedule to follow. They have meals in silence. He had to write and journal daily with a pen. He explained how he was scared a lot. This was when he realized that he would be spending a lot of time alone in his own thoughts. He shared how each monk had to discover their own gifts and where they fit into the community and their identity. He learned the importance of walking more and how it can even bring health benefits. He encouraged readers to walk without technology and he relayed how alone we can feel without any distractions. He shared how we can sit and contemplate the majesty of God and enjoy His creation. We can learn to really read the Bible and grow closer to God. 

 

 

He traveled with the Amish and stayed on a farm filled with acres of land. He at first saw how the Amish eats their meals. They take their sweet time and don’t get in any hurry. Dinner lasted four hours and breakfast 45 minutes. Americans on average eat their meals in under 12 minutes and we keep trying to get done even sooner. This causes stress on our bodies and weight gain. The Amish feel like a meal is meant to be intimate and we are supposed to share stories. They all come together to cook a meal or clean up. They have no technology at the table. They would make sure their tasks were completed by meal time and they would stick to the schedule. They would be busy doing farm chores during the day. They explained how their church would be twice a year in their barn. The church would rotate to each other barns. 

 

 

I would recommend this awesome book to anyone who is ready to reconnect with God. They are tired of being bound by technology and they are being held back from real relationships and community. I liked how he looked at monks and Amish and how they live in their community. It was really interesting learning more about both cultures and how they live day to day and how that compares to us. 

 

 

 

 

“I received this book free from Thomas Nelson for my honest review.”

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like to purchase a copy, check it out on Amazon.com:

 

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Reconnected-Screen-Free-Farmers-Helped-Recover/dp/1400246466/