Overview

We find ourselves at a transitional time in culture, encouraged from the youngest age to apply defining labels to ourselves. Sometimes it seems that everybody is fighting for the smallest pigeonhole. An alternative paradigm, celebrating complexity and multiplicity in personal identity, may be found in a surprising source: Alanis Morissette's 1998 album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie. In this book, critic Brett Alan Dewing makes a case for the album as a masterpiece that challenges popular thinking on the nature of our very selves. Through a close reading of the entire album, its deceptively chaotic structure is shown to be a carefully planned form that orders surprisingly rich thoughts on who and how we are, always brimming with lessons both therapeutic (through Morissette's engagement with the Internal Family Systems model) and practically theological. Dewing interweaves his analysis with examples of his own battle to not let the world steal his complexity.

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Reviews

""I am delighted to see Brett Dewing's significant poetic gifts put to use in a different genre! I Too Once Thought . . . is by turns incisive literary criticism, startling theological analysis of a supposedly 'secular' artist, and a disturbing challenge for Christians to listen sympathetically to the depths of insight, pain, and spirituality often present in what we might be tempted to dismiss as 'popular' music. You will never listen to Alanis Morissette the same way again."" --John P. Bowen, Professor Emeritus of Evangelism, Wycliffe College, University of Toronto ""I have to say, what Brett has achieved with this book really scratches my music and epistemology itch. Certainly, you suffer this same condition? Anyone who can unpack Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie into layering, liturgy, and litany has my support. I miss the days when smart writers gave us worthy analysis of all aspect of culture. Thankfully, Brett is bringing the goodness back--even if it's one album at a time. I hope Alanis is grateful--this is top-shelf 'breakin' it down.'"" --Charlie Peacock, author of Roots and Rhythm: A Life in Music ""I am delighted to see Brett Dewing's significant poetic gifts put to use in a different genre! I Too Once Thought . . . is by turns incisive literary criticism, startling theological analysis of a supposedly 'secular' artist, and a disturbing challenge for Christians to listen sympathetically to the depths of insight, pain, and spirituality often present in what we might be tempted to dismiss as 'popular' music. You will never listen to Alanis Morissette the same way again."" --John P. Bowen, Professor Emeritus of Evangelism, Wycliffe College, University of Toronto ""I have to say, what Brett has achieved with this book really scratches my music and epistemology itch. Certainly, you suffer this same condition? Anyone who can unpack Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie into layering, liturgy, and litany has my support. I miss the days when smart writers gave us worthy analysis of all aspect of culture. Thankfully, Brett is bringing the goodness back--even if it's one album at a time. I hope Alanis is grateful--this is top-shelf 'breakin' it down.'"" --Charlie Peacock, author of Roots and Rhythm: A Life in Music

Author Information

Brett Alan Dewing is a critic, poet, playwright, and teacher living in Pennsylvania. Along with I Too Once Thought . . ., he is the author of multiple self-published poetry collections, plays, and criticism. His reviews may be found at www.b-a-dreviews.com.

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