By Bread Alone: A Baker's Reflections on Hunger, Longing, and the Goodness of God

Kendall Vanderslice combines her personal story with her journey as a theologian and her life as a baker in a book that was deeply moving. The way she talks about community and hospitality is truly beautiful. I appreciate her honesty about her struggles and her faith. I cannot stop talking about this book to my friends and family!

Ah, this book. Just what I needed to read in this season of my life. It hits close to home, as I'm sure many readers will experience - the struggle for community, of singleness in the church, of hungering for God, and all of the very big and very real emotions that come with that. Vanderslice is a wonderful writer, a thoughtful theologian, and a compelling storyteller as she weaves church history, bread baking, theology, and her personal experience together. Vanderslice's organization Edible Theology and this book is an amazing resource for both individuals and communities searching for ways to connect - because truly, what better way to connect with others on a deeper level than around the table, preferably with a loaf of good bread and a bowl of soup? I can't wait to share this book with my church community!

This book was such a joy and encouragement to read. It helped give words to my experiences that eating with others matters and the idea that bread has physical and spiritual importance in our lives. Kendall shares her story in such a relatable way that you feel like you are sitting across the table from her when reading. And then upon baking her recipes you can't help but share your creations with others, while sitting across the table from them. "This book is about bread, and about the Bread, and about the muddled space between the two" (pg. xxiii). Read and eat!

I knew that a book about bread and theology would be right up my alley but I didn't realize just how much I would love this book. Kendall and I have had very different lives, but the stories of longing for God, longing for bread, recognizing the theological importance of bread, and our journey to the Anglican church are so similar that I wept many times reading this book. It moved me very deeply and I can't wait to wake up tomorrow morning and start a new loaf of bread while praying the Liturgy for Bread Baking!

I have THOROUGHLY enjoyed both of Kendall's books and can't wait to see what else this young writer comes out with in the years ahead!

By Bread Alone is a well written book that clearly illustrates what trusting God looks like in an authentic and tangible way. Kendall's transparency is an encouragement to all who have questioned God's plans for their lives and then taken steps forward in faith. She weaves theology, history, and bread-making into a beautiful story that enriched me in all three areas. The emphasis on community, friendship, faith, and family was a reminder that we all need in this fast paced world we live in.

Grateful that Kendall shared her story, tender parts included, and grateful to have some words for parts of my life that fully resonated about being a single woman in a Christian context. This book is a sweet invitation, and I think the yeast and hope and truth it offers will continue to work in my life for a very long time.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading By Bread Alone: A Baker's reflection on Hunger, Longing, and the Goodness of God. It was hard to put down. I enjoyed the recipes and have tried several of them. I have followed the author Kendall Vanderslice for several years. Excited to see what is next in her journey.

Penned with vulnerable words that’s baked in hope, one can begin to reclaim what bread and The Bread of life has to offer to us all today, tomorrow, and life ever after.