Reviews

“Hallman is an uncommonly insightful and humane guide….His chapter about the Texan Christian Wrestling Federation is a small masterpiece of first-person reportage.” The San Francisco Chronicle

“Good writing and insightful observations…[Hallman] provides the best summary of persons of the Trinity I have ever encountered.” The New York Times

“Hallman’s writing and reporting are sharp, smart and even daring…a deeply complex and thoughtful work of social commentary and philosophical rumination.” The Saint Petersburg Times

“Blending first-hand reportage, biography, history and adventure, J.C. Hallman’s new book…is nothing less than the breathtaking portrait of God in America in all its diversity and color.” Tucson Citizen

“Hallman’s journey and commentary are fascinating.” The Cedar Rapids Gazette

“A gentle book, warmly ecumenical in accepting a variety of devotional possibilities…The Devil is a Gentleman is a Jamesian reading of the varieties of current American religious experience.” The Financial Times

“Illuminating…Hallman’s reporting is vivid, his prose sure and clear.” Kirkus Reviews

“Balanced and compassionate portraits…[Hallman] conducts and insightful journey into the hearts and souls of America’s spiritual fringe.” Booklist

“What makes this treatise different is that [Hallman’s] is insightful, balanced and compassionate.” Knoxville News Sentinel

“…from the somewhat familiar Church of Scientology into often misunderstood religions of Druids and Wiccans. Whether you have a secular or religious interest in other spiritual endeavors, this book is an intriguing read.” Quincy Herald Whig

“Maybe J.C. Hallman’s book should have been titled WWJD II: What William James Did — Part 2. Hallman’s book alternates between sketches of James’ life and ideas and Hallman’s own voyages into the back bays of our nation’s spiritual life… The Devil Is a Gentleman ventures into some bizarre territory…[including] a strangely moving account of the birth of a German shepherd puppy.” Dallas Star-Telegram

“Gentleman is, in my opinion, one of the better nonfiction books of the last, say, five years.” The Faster Times, Justin Taylor

“Unique in the existing body of literature on James…The Devil Is a Gentleman illustrates that most of us have need of something ‘numinous’ to ease the daily anxieties of our uncertain and often wearisome existence. James maintained that whatever the numinous might be, it is essential that it be involved in our lives at some base level for it to be meaningful.” Nova Religio, James Medd

“A ‘noble experiment’… [an] excellent stylist – Hallman…paints very vivid portraits of the people he meets.” Journal of Religion and Society

“Intriguing…clever and evocative.” Cultic Studies Review

“It is a strange but fascination mixture of religion journalism, William James biography, and soul searching….A highly entertaining read.” International Journal for the Study of New Religions

“Hallman does a good job of approaching these eight very different groups with a willingness to try and experience what’s going on and see why it’s appealing to the people in each group…an interesting read in comparative religions, and in the question of what makes a particular group or path of interest to a particular person.” Liminal Words

“Sensitive, almost poetic, ethnographies…The book is well worth reading.” Progressive Catholic Review

“I found this book to be fascinating, and it allowed me to explore things I might not have been exposed to, otherwise. This is certainly worth checking out.” Eternal Haunted Summer