“Roose went to Liberty as an undercover writer, not as a seeker, though much of his book’s considerable charm comes from the fact that he liked a lot of what he found...[a] vivid, sunny and skeptical portrait of life among the saved.”

— New York Times

“A sometimes startling view of contemporary evangelicalism through an outsider’s eyes is reason enough to read this book. But there's also Roose's humor, often at his own expense, to keep readers turning the pages...a compelling read.”

— Books & Culture

“The setup for this book sounds like a joke...But Kevin Roose, a strong and thoughtful writer, pulls it off without caricatures or condescension, and with a whole lot of humor and soul-searching.”

— The Minneapolis Star-Tribune

“There is no doubt that Roose’s journey through Evangelicalism is a long strange trip for anyone raised with a secular background, but what makes The Unlikely Disciple remarkable is that it doesn’t take the cheap shot or make the easy joke.”

— The Daily Beast

“Telling a story only an outsider on the inside could report, Roose shines in his ability to present fundamentalist Christian life with crystal-clear detail. His fresh eye and knack for levity ... serve to effectively illuminate life at Liberty. The Unlikely Disciple deserves a big ‘Amen.’”

— Christian Science Monitor
(includes audio interview)

“The Unlikely Disciple is by turns appealing and appalling, laugh-out-loud funny and sobering, serious and silly — just like a semester at college. Kevin Roose has produced a book that is fair, empathetic, thoughtful, touching, consistently entertaining, and a harbinger of more good writing to come. Way to go, Rooster!”

— The Providence Journal

“The Unlikely Disciple serves as a refreshing cease-fire in the wearying culture wars, likely holding surprises for anyone — theist, atheist, or somewhere in between — who gives it a chance.”

— The Onion A/V Club

“...An intimate narrative that reveals the complicated reality of student life at Liberty, where even faith is not a given. Roose’s open-mindedness about believers makes room for common ground, building a sorely needed footbridge across the God Divide.”

— Psychology Today

“Sharp and balanced”

— Details

“Roose may be young...but he writes like a seasoned veteran”

— Publishers Weekly

“This highly readable, entertaining, and thought-provoking narrative offers an insider’s account of fundamentalist Christian culture from an outsider’s secular perspective...Humorous anecdotes are interspersed with thoughtful analysis.”

— Library Journal

“[Kevin] tells his story entertainingly … level-headed, nuanced, keenly observant.”

— Booklist

“Engaging participant journalism.”

— Kirkus Reviews

“Roose can’t forget he’s at Liberty first as a journalist. He’s a very good one, too, streets ahead of others his age at observation, with an ear for the argot, a nose for irony, a full kit of descriptive tools, and wise to his millennial generation’s enthusiasms, its sense of entitlement, and MySpace self-involvement. Determined not to prejudge, he’s open to being changed himself.”

— The American Scholar

“[Roose] is a wonderfully direct and engaging writer, whose combination of curiosity, empathy and openness – not to mention a full tool box of writerly skills – has brought us an insightful look into American evangelism and the American culture wars in general.”

— Toro magazine (Canada)

“This is a remarkable book. It’s fascinating, funny, and nuanced – just what the culture wars need. Hallelujah for Kevin Roose.”

— A.J. Jacobs
Author of The Year of Living Biblically

“This is a brilliant book. Absolutely brilliant. Roose’s wisdom, humanity, and love kept me going. And I laughed. A lot.”

— Rob Bell
founding pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church and author of Velvet Elvis and Sex God

“What happens when a Brown undergrad goes undercover at Liberty University? If he’s a writer as insightful and open-minded as Kevin Roose, he ends up learning as much about himself as he does about the evangelical Christians he lives with. The Unlikely Disciple provides a funny, compassionate, and revealing look at Jerry Falwell’s ‘Bible Boot Camp,’ and the surprisingly diverse band of true believers who make it their home.”

— Tom Perrotta
Author of Little Children and The Abstinence Teacher

“Kevin Roose is a delightful writer, and this is a humane book. Read it and I predict you’ll have less paranoia, more exposure to ‘the other,’ and a larger dose of Roose’s generous and hopeful faith.”

— Brian McLaren
Christian activist and author of A New Kind of Christian, A Generous Orthodoxy, and Everything Must Change

“Keenly observed, funny, and compassionate. Kevin Roose parachutes us into a seldom-glimpsed and little understood pocket of America, then guides us through a story of religion and country more resonant than any of us could have imagined.”

— Robert Kurson
author of Shadow Divers and Crashing Through

“Kevin Roose has produced a textured, intelligent, even sympathetic, account of his semester at Liberty University. He eschews caricature and the cheap shot in favor of keen observation and trenchant analysis. The Unlikely Disciple is a book of uncommon wisdom and insight. I recommend it with enthusiasm.”

— The Rev. Dr. Randall Balmer
Professor of American Religious History at Barnard College and Author of Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: A Journey into the Evangelical Subculture in America