Book Review: "Humility and How I Attained It" by I.M. Phake

Recently another book by I.M. Phake, entitled Humility and How I Attained It, has hit the best seller list and, to my dismay, Christians are divided in their reviews of it. Some of his biggest fans, myself included, were hoping this book would please everyone. After all, what fault could anyone possibly find with a book about humility?

The book is impressive even before page one. In the foreword I.M. Phake announces he will be donating 1% of the proceeds from the sale of Humility and How I Attained It to feed the hungry in Africa. He praises God that he is not like others who use the proceeds from the sale of books to line their own pockets. 

Now for the book itself. I highly recommend Humility and How I Attained It. Chocked full of practical wisdom, those who have loved his previous works will enjoy this very readable tome. Chapter titles include such treasures as "Speaking: How to Modulate Your Voice to Sound Humble," "Clothing that Exudes Humility" and "Hanging Out With the Homeless: Where to Go to be Seen."

Mr. Phake gets off to a strong start in chapter one where he demonstrates, often by  personal example, when and how to teach others the fine art of humility. He explains how, with a bit of practice, he learned to turn every question asked of him into a teaching opportunity. Phake has found that while most are teachable, there are a few people who will interrupt, sometimes even argue, when he speaks. For those, Phake gives the reader ten practical tips on how to use the time others are talking to mentally prepare counter arguments.

The advice Mr. Phake gives about transparency in chapter three is invaluable. By humbly admitting guilt for being a less-than-stellar citizen of the globe when it comes to the consumption of animals and their by-products or leaving a carbon footprint, he writes, one can almost completely avoid the embarrassment of confessing missteps. (Phake prefers to use the word "mistake" or "misstep" to what has been traditionally called sin as these words are much less offensive to people considering attending church.) 

A real problem, and one that Phake addresses at length in chapter four, is that non-religious people are all-too-often unaware of Christians' good deeds. It is therefore important to talk freely at home, in the workplace and around town about monies donated and charitable deeds performed. If people are to emulate those who are humble, they must know of the sacrifices made—and who better to tell them than the one who has the facts straight.

Phake uses his disappointment in the American church to springboard into what I consider his strongest chapter, "Humility and the Church." Sadly, the hypocrisy of church members has reached a level he can no longer tolerate. While Christ says in the Bible the greatest two commandments are first to love God and second to love others, Phake finds the church void of both. In fascinating detail he shares his attempts to confront church leaders about this problem as well as multiple other problems. Readers will be stunned by Phake's honesty as he names person after person who, after all his work, hurt his feelings. Sadly, and telling as to the seriousness of the lack of humility in the American church, after years of visiting around Phake has totally given up on finding a church home.

But lest you think Humility and How I Attained It is deep and dour, take heart! I.M. Phake's sense of humor rings throughout the book. In multiple chapter, to illustrate his points, he shares silly, inane or downright stupid things people around him have done. And because Phake feels honesty is the best policy, he shares real names and locations. This adds a sense of authenticity to Humility and How I Attained It that is often lost when such important details are masked.

Lastly, at the end of the book, after his appendix entitled "An Alphabetical Listing of the Correct Positions for All Real Christians to Take on Relevant Issues," Phake gives readers an email address where he can be reached for comments. In the past some have used this address to privately critique some portion of his work. Phake's open letters in response have received tens of thousands of hits on the internet and have been, in many ways, almost as popular as his books. To be able to enjoy these letters hot off the press, "like" Phake's author fan page. You will not be disappointed!

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