A Time to Gather - by Bruce Feiler (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

One of our great decoders of human connection chronicles the astonishing rise of new rituals around the world--and offers a road map for restoring togetherness with gatherings you'll love

Since time immemorial, humans have turned to ritual to connect us in periods of change. Until today. Birth rituals and coming-of-age rituals have plummeted; fewer than half of Americans are married; only one in three is buried. "It took us ten thousand years to establish cultural norms around how we mark collective life transitions," writes Bruce Feiler. "It took us fifty years to dismantle them." Can this threat to society be reversed?

To find out, Feiler went on a round-the-world ritual road trip, attending--and participating in--life rituals in sixteen countries on six continents. These spectacles, some rarely seen, include a mass baptism in the Vatican, a tribal bride price negotiation in South Africa, an adolescent tooth filing in Bali, six weddings in Las Vegas, and ten funerals in Ireland.

Beyond the decline in traditional rituals, Feiler discovered that we are in the midst of a ritual renaissance that is pushing back against apathy, loneliness, and digital saturation. Fed up with top-down scripts, everyday people, from boomers to Gen Z, are reimagining collective rituals at a remarkable pace, inventing fresh ways to gather around life, love, health, and family--and forging thriving communities in the process.

As he did with Life Is in the Transitions, Feiler also collected stories of a hundred ritual designers and built a first-of-its kind database of ideas to make gatherings more effective--from creating sacred space to mediating conflict to generating "wows" that guests will talk about forever.

From a master storyteller uncovering a thrilling phenomenon hiding in plain sight, A Time to Gather is both a stirring adventure and practical manual. It's a landmark guide to modern ritual; a tool kit for turning everyday moments into unforgettable celebrations; and an invitation to reconnect and rejoice--together.

Review Quotes

"Great things happen when people come together with intention. In A Time to Gather, Bruce Feiler travels the world to show us why rituals matter, and how the right ones can elevate our lives. It's an incredible read for anyone passionate about human connection." --Will Guidara, author of Unreasonable Hospitality

"This marvelous new book overflows with joy, curiosity, and compassion. Bruce Feiler, who has the talent for making complicated things more understandable and mysterious things seem less far off, offers us a gift: a reminder that healing often begins when we come together. A Time to Gather is a profound guide to the power of community and the grace that emerges when we choose to show up for one another." --James Martin, SJ, author of Learning to Pray and Work in Progress

About the Author

Bruce Feiler is the author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including Life Is in the Transitions, The Secrets of Happy Families, and Walking the Bible. His three TED Talks have been viewed more than five million times, and he teaches the TED Course "How to Master Life Transitions." A native of Savannah, Georgia, Bruce lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Linda Rottenberg, and their twin daughters.