About the Book
Present Over Perfect Study Guide with DVD is the companion resource to Shauna Niequist's 2016 book Present Over Perfect. It's structured as a five-session video Bible study, designed to be used alongside the DVD content and, presumably, the original book. The study guide format means it includes reflection questions, group discussion prompts, and exercises tied to specific video sessions.
The core theme follows Niequist's personal reckoning with overcommitment, burnout, and the pressure to perform. She frames this as a move away from productivity-driven living and toward what she describes as a more grounded, grace-centered way of existing. The material is explicitly faith-based and written from a Christian perspective, though the themes of rest, simplicity, and letting go of perfectionism are ones that show up across secular self-help as well.
This is not a standalone read. It's a structured study tool meant to be paired with video sessions. That context matters a lot when evaluating whether an audio format makes sense here.
Narration & Audio Performance
Shauna Niequist narrates this herself, which is consistent with the original Present Over Perfect audiobook. Her narration style is conversational and measured, she reads her own material with the kind of familiarity you'd expect from an author who has been speaking on these themes publicly for years. There's warmth in her delivery without being overwrought.
That said, the study guide format creates a real problem for audio. Reflection questions, fill-in-the-blank prompts, and session-by-session exercises are meant to be written in, referred back to, and used interactively. Hearing those read aloud removes their function entirely. The DVD component, video sessions, has no equivalent in the audio version. What you're left with in audio is essentially Niequist reading through discussion scaffolding, which is a different experience from what the product is actually designed to provide.
If you haven't sampled it yet, the Audible sample is worth checking to get a sense of the audio format and how the study guide structure is handled in this medium.
The Audible Verdict
This is a DVD-linked study guide with interactive written components. The audio format cannot replicate the fill-in exercises, group discussion structure, or the video sessions the guide is built around. Niequist's narration is fine, but the format mismatch here is significant enough that the print version, paired with the actual DVD, is clearly the intended and more functional way to engage with this material. If you want Niequist's writing in audio form, the original Present Over Perfect audiobook is the better choice.
Listen on AudibleIs This Book a Good Fit for Audio?
Study guides are among the weakest fits for audio, and this one is more format-dependent than most. The five-session structure is designed to sync with video content. Without the DVD, you're missing a core component. Without the ability to write responses or pause and reflect on printed prompts, the interactive element dissolves entirely.
This doesn't mean the audio is worthless, Niequist's reflections still carry meaning when listened to, but you'd be getting a fraction of what the product is designed to deliver. Listeners who have already completed the video sessions and want to revisit Niequist's narration might find some value, but for anyone coming to this fresh, the audio version is likely to feel incomplete and structurally awkward.
The original Present Over Perfect book, by contrast, is a straightforward narrative memoir and translates well to audio. If the audio experience is your priority, start there.
Popular Listener Questions
Is this the same as the Present Over Perfect audiobook?
No. This is the companion study guide, designed to be used alongside a five-session DVD. The original Present Over Perfect book is a separate audiobook. If you want Niequist's memoir in audio form, look for that title instead.
Is this audiobook author-narrated?
Yes. Shauna Niequist narrates this herself.
Do I need the DVD to use this material?
The study guide is explicitly designed to be paired with the DVD video sessions. Without it, the session-by-session structure loses its connective tissue. The audio version doesn't include the video content.
Is this appropriate for individual use or is it group-oriented?
It's structured as a group Bible study with discussion questions, though individuals can work through it solo. The group format assumptions are built into the session design.
Is this book part of a series?
It's a standalone companion to Present Over Perfect but is not part of a numbered series. Reading or listening to the original book first would give you useful context.
Similar Audiobooks
If you want Niequist's core message in audio form, the original memoir is the right place to start and translates far better to the audio format.
Bread and Wine
Another of Niequist's books with a similar reflective, personal tone. More narrative-driven and a better fit for audio than the study guide.
The Best Yes
Lysa TerKeurst covers similar ground around overcommitment and decision-making from a faith-based perspective. Works well as an audiobook.
Hands Free Mama
Rachel Macy Stafford's book addresses the same core tension between doing too much and being present. The audio version is more self-contained than a study guide.
Girl, Wash Your Face
Rachel Hollis's book targets a similar reader and works well in audio. Useful comparison point for listeners drawn to this category.
Audiobook Details
| Title | Present Over Perfect Study Guide with DVD |
|---|---|
| Author | Shauna Niequist |
| Narrator | Shauna Niequist |
| Genre | Christian Living |
| Year | 2016 |
| Publisher | Harperchristian Resources |
| Abridged | Unabridged |
| Cast | Single narrator |
| Author-narrated | Yes |
Ready to listen?
The original Present Over Perfect audiobook is the stronger audio choice, but if you want to explore this study guide, it's available on Audible, a free trial credit is a low-risk way to assess the format for yourself.
Open on Audible