In Saving the Subject, Cameron Fathauer moves beyond the standard “triumph over tragedy” memoir to offer a rigorous philosophical and theological framework. Utilizing a subject-object dichotomy, he argues that we are “subjects” (whos) created by God for relationship, not “objects” (whats) to be used for utility. Whether you are a high-achieving professional facing burnout, a caregiver navigating trauma, or an individual anxious about the AI revolution, this book provides an “unthwartable identity” that remains intact even when the brain or body is broken.
Most memoirs are like a smooth, paved road through a park; you can enjoy the scenery without effort. Saving the Subject is more like a rugged mountain trail. There are steep, rocky climbs (philosophy and horror) that will leave you winded, but there are also breathtaking overlooks (personal testimony and grace) that you simply cannot see from the road below. It is not an easy walk, but the view from the top is one that a paved road could never reach.
It’s not a self-help book disguised as theology, and it’s not a theology book disguised as memoir. It’s a first-person philosophical argument for why you exist, and it’s written by someone who almost didn’t.
Who should read this book?
Anyone who suspects that the contemporary metrics of human value—productivity, intelligence, wellness, performance—are missing something essential, and who wants to see that suspicion tested philosophically rather than merely asserted inspirationally.
Anyone willing to follow an argument across genres: from a toddler’s first word to Kaczynski’s manifesto, from a basketball gym in Columbus, Indiana to the Garden of Eden, from a law review article on the foundations of normativity to a CT scan of a fractured skull.
Readers who require strict disciplinary boundaries or who are uncomfortable with Christian theological commitments presented without apology will find it challenging, and not always in the ways the author intends.
But readers who are willing to take seriously a book that insists personhood is irreducible—and that proves it, at least in part, by existing—will find here a work of uncommon ambition, uncommon honesty, and uncommon nerve.
The doctors said Cameron Fathauer would never think at this level again. This book is his answer. It shouldn’t exist. It does. Read it and reckon with what that means.
Here are the three best places to purchase “Saving the Subject” online:
(1) Barnes & Noble (Paperback & Hardcover)
(2) Thrift Books (Paperback and Hardcover at a discounted rate!)
(3) Amazon.com (Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle/Ebook) (Shipping is slow for Amazon right now due to early sell outs)
Local bookstores:
Viewpoint Books in Columbus, Indiana (in stock 09/05/2024)
Initial Book Tour (2024)
August 30, 2024. Kiwanis Club of New Albany – Book Talk and Signing (RSVP only).
Friday, September 6, 2024. Community Book Release Celebration at Schad Law, P.C. in New Albany, IN (open house; 4:15pm to 6:00pm )
Wednesday, September 18, 2024. 9 Years Later: Cameron Fathauer Returns to CNHS for Special Book Signing Event – Columbus, IN. Click here for more details and RSVP.
Monday, October 18, 2024 – Faith & Work Forum – Indianapolis, IN
Tuesday, October 29, 2024 – “Identity, Trauma & Authority: How a Brain Injury Changed My Thinking on Law and Life” (Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, Indiana)
November 7, 2024 at 12:00pm– Louisville Bar Association CLE Webinar
November 14, 2024 – Book Talk and Wine at Mt. St. Francis in Floyds Knobs, Indiana.
November 14, 2024. Indiana State Bar Association – CLE Accredited Book Talk (Webinar)
November 21, 2024. Indiana Trial Lawyers Association – Book Signing in Indianapolis, IN.
December 5, 2024. CASA Floyd County Holiday Party book signing and speaking event in New Albany, IN.
