Bell takes his widest angle yet on the nature of life, mixing those questions with humor, humility, family history and—surprisingly—a hefty dose of quantum physics. It's an odd combination, but (as the title suggests) it's all connected, and it all speaks to living as a human being on this vexing, beautiful planet.

He is an expert at identifying and making sense of paradoxes, whether referencing the continuity of generations or the fragility of maintaining relationships.

Pastor Bell...attempts to cover a lot in this semiautobiographical look at the meaning of life—and that’s part of the problem. Written in Bell’s signature poetic style, the work is at its best when examining his family of origin and its history of unacknowledged grief, which has had far-reaching generational effects. Bell’s subsequent storytelling about his career arc, including his ministerial rise and fall, lacks the intensity of the early part of the book and proves less engaging.

Former evangelical Christian pastor Bell...persuasively preaches a gospel of embracing one’s story in this enjoyable mix of memoir and sermon.

Unfortunately, the author’s halting, fragmented style makes the text difficult to read, and his conclusions are hardly groundbreaking.