 Austin Carty, contestant on CBS' Survivor and Christian speaker, talks about his new book, High Points and Lows, releasing from Plume/Penguin on Jan. 26.
You devote some time to your watching of Saved By the Bell in the book. As far as I could tell, that's the most embarrassing confession - or did I miss something? "Embarrassing?? Are you kidding? Saved By The Bell is one of the most important television programs of our time. Kidding, obviously. But I think there is something to say about how popular that silly show was. There is a window of adults-I'd guess it at those currently between 18-40-who used to watch that program feverishly. And while I clearly believe SBTB to be among the most shallow pieces of pop culture of the past quarter century, I like the idea of using it as a prism through which to filter two far deeper questions about today's culture: (1) why are we so wrapped up in materialism? and (2) why are we so afraid to commit in our romantic relationships?" What was the idea behind the book?
"The idea was to present ideas about life and Christian faith in a very honest way. There is a lot of Christian writing that I greatly admire, but other than a handful of authors, I haven't been reading very much that speaks to life (and the Christian experience) in ways that relate to my own experiences. As such, I wanted to write a book that detailed-in casual, story-like form-many of the ugly, embarrassing things that I have done in my life. And I wanted to take those examples and try to dig through them to find how they could help me better understand what it means to have a genuine connection to friends, family, and God. What reader are you aiming for?
"I suppose I'd say anyone who has struggled with his/her selfish nature and consequently, has felt burnt out or confused about how he/she could possibly fit in with popular Christianity." In the book you hit on a non-programmed type of sharing your faith. What inspired you to take this approach?
"I always felt very uncomfortable about 'cold-calling' people about Jesus. Something about it just never sat right with me. And I don't mean that from a standpoint of having been afraid to speak out about Jesus - that was never my issue (I don't think). Instead, I just knew in my gut that my motivations were wrong. It wasn't until I stumbled into the world of network marketing that I was able to finally put my finger on my problem: I wasn't sharing Jesus, I was selling Him. Since then, I've learned that, unless God is the instigator of my conversations about faith, I am throwing darts at a brick wall. And more importantly, I am coming off like a self-righteous salesman. I still love to discuss my faith, but now, as opposed to my earlier days, when I tell others about my love for Jesus, it is sparked by compassion and love, not guilt and fear."  You don't dwell too much on Survivor in the book. Was that intentional? Would you have been free to discuss more?
"It was intentional in the sense that it wasn't really relevant to much of what I had to say. There is plenty in the book regarding my time on Survivor (friendships I made, experiences I underwent, opinions on reality TV, etc.) but I only included it when it really helped color the message I wanted to get across. I feel so extremely blessed to have had an opportunity to participate on the show (and I have nothing but good things to say about it), but I really want my writing to stand on its own. Therefore, I really only included references to Survivor when it helped me make my greater point."
What was your motivation for going into the game?
"Well, for starters, a chance at winning a million bucks was pretty appealing. Also, I really wanted to find out what kind of character I had, what kind of grit and determination (it took), and I knew that battling those elements was as strong a test as any. Everyone says its harder than it looks. Is it?
"Whoever told you it is even harder than it looks told you the honest truth - it is HARD. Shockingly hard. I talk about this a good bit in the book in an essay called 'Man-to-Man Chats,' in which I discuss what it was like to be abandoned on a separate island ('Exile Island') in the blinding rain for 48 hours with only one other person, no shelter, no food, no water, and no fire. That miserable 48 hours taught me a great deal about what faith and doubt and prayer in the face of adversity looks like." Anything else you'd like to share about the book?
"It is a real labor of love, and contains a lot of personal pain and joy, and I hope that readers will be able to see some of their own hopes and fears and struggles and breakthroughs in it."
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