{"product_id":"better-than-normal-virtues-for-an-off-script-life-paperback","title":"Better Than Normal: Virtues for an Off-Script Life - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eMaryann McKibben Dana\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNormal is a myth--and recognizing that truth can free us all.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn a world obsessed with fitting in, \u003ci\u003eBetter Than Normal\u003c\/i\u003e dares to ask a revolutionary question: What if the problem isn't people who don't conform, but the idea of \"normal\" itself?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAuthor and pastor MaryAnn McKibben Dana delivers a powerful critique of society's restrictive expectations while offering a transformative vision for human flourishing. Drawing from her experience as a mother navigating mental health challenges with her children, she reveals how forcing people into ill-fitting boxes creates cycles of shame, stigma, and othering that diminish us all.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis isn't just another self-help book--it's an exploration of how culture shapes our understanding of worthiness and belonging. And it's a study that extends far beyond mental health to encompass anyone living outside society's narrow bounds--neurodivergent individuals, LGBTQ+ people, racial minorities, those with disabilities--populations that collectively represent the majority of us. McKibben Dana demonstrates that liberation comes not from adjusting to dominant culture, but from creating spaces where all people can thrive authentically.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe book explores six transformational shifts that move people and communities from scarcity to abundance: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eembracing curiosity over certainty, \u003cbr\u003ecourage over comfort, \u003cbr\u003epresence over productivity, \u003cbr\u003eauthenticity over artifice, \u003cbr\u003ebeauty over blandness, \u003cbr\u003eand community over competition.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMcKibben Dana's vision extends far beyond individual transformation to encompass congregational renewal and cultural change. And her pastoral wisdom, honed through years of preaching and parenting, reveals how letting go of rigid normalcy doesn't just liberate those who struggle; it empowers everyone to live more creatively, empathetically, and abundantly.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eBetter Than Normal\u003c\/i\u003e serves as both mirror and map, reflecting the ways current systems fall short while charting a course toward genuine flourishing. For those ready to put down the script of normalcy and move into the radical possibilities of human dignity, this book is a catalyst for the collective work of transformation. Normal is a myth--and recognizing that truth might just free us all.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMaryAnn McKibben Dana \u003c\/b\u003eis the author of \u003ci\u003eHope: A User's Manual\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eGod, Improv, and the Art of Living\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eSabbath in the Suburbs\u003c\/i\u003e;\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eand a weekly newsletter called \u003ci\u003eThe Blue Room\u003c\/i\u003e. She was featured on PBS's \u003ci\u003eReligion and Ethics Newsweekly\u003c\/i\u003e for her work on Sabbath and was recognized by the Presbyterian Writers Guild with their Distinguished Writer Award. She currently serves as associate pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Herndon, Virginia. \u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 160\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.41 x 8.54 x 5.82 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e April 14, 2026\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42737225105504,"sku":"9780802884831","price":32.9,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0598\/1922\/9280\/files\/j3ZiLThzri9780802884831.webp?v=1777881339","url":"https:\/\/bijoucc.myshopify.com\/products\/better-than-normal-virtues-for-an-off-script-life-paperback","provider":"CARIBBEAN CONNECT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}