“These charming essays possess memoir’s most important quality: lack of inhibition. In High Points and Lows, Austin Carty invites readers to share his most intimate misadventures in faith, doubt, television celebrity, and Southern American coming-of-age. This collection is a generous gift to readers of all backgrounds and beliefs, imbued with wonder, compassion, playfulness, pop culture and self-deprecation. If St. Augustine watched cable television and drove a Dodge pickup, one wonders if The Confessions wouldn’t read like this.” --- Koren Zailckas, NY Times Bestselling author of Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood
“This is a fun book to read, in addition to all it says about the struggles and joys that accompany growing up in Christ. I’m going to get my college-aged grandchild to read it. It’s that good!” --- Tony Campolo, Professor of Sociology, Eastern University, author of Red Letter Christians
"From Bayside High to Beyoncé, Austin Carty leaves no pop culture stone unturned in this valuable book about the nature of family, the complexities of the Christian faith, and the minor tragedies of teenage life. It's funny, irreverent, and wise. If Carty ever starts his own denomination, I am so there." --- Kevin Roose, author of The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University
High Points and Lows is deceptive: Carty lures you in with his easy wit and entertaining stories; but then he nudges you into a deeper truth about Jesus and faith. If youth and singles pastors could make the gospel as relatable as Carty has, I suspect there'd be a lot more butts in the pews. --- Susan E. Isaacs, author of Angry Conversations With God
"Austin Carty has a unique gift in Christian circles: he's refreshingly honest, genuinely funny and uncommonly humble. Here is the life of a believer — mountaintops, valleys and the occasional desert island. Christian colleges would do well by making it required reading for every freshman class. Faith is messy because life is messy. But it's a beautiful mess." --- Cathleen Falsani, author of Sin Boldly: A Field Guide for Grace and The Dude Abides: The Gospel According to the Coen Brothers
"Reading High Points and Lows left me thinking, “Isn’t it nice to learn from others?” It sure is! And, you will learn, laugh, wonder and thank God for life as you read Austin Carty’s stories. As he carefully weaved each story I found him connecting with my heart and challenging me to be different…what a gift." --- Doug Fields, Saddleback Curch
"I'm not sure if Jesus sat in a rocking chair drinking sweat tea as he talked theology, but maybe the Pharisee's would have loosened up a little if he had. This is sweet-tea theology, down home southern
style, and whether you are a small town carpenter or a southern baptist preacher, you'll find a little something of God in here. No doubt, Austin's story will help many a lonely hitchhiker thumb their way to heaven."
--- Shane Claiborne, author of The Irresistible Revolution and Jesus For President
