taylorproie's review
4.0
NOTE REVIEWS ARE USUALLY ANNOYING. THIS FOR ME TO REMEMBER WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK. I'M NOT WRITING IT WITH ANYONE ELSE IN MIND SO IGNORE IF IT'S NOT HELPFUL FOR YA. :P
A Wrinkle in Time is probably my favorite book ever… so I want to know everything there is to know about Madeline L'Engle and I was PUMPED when I got all The Crosswicks Journals for Christmas.
"A journal is a notebook in which one can, hopefully, be ontological." She says this book as a letter of love to her mother, her children, and her friends who made her who she was. It's truly a journal with a lot of her thoughts--thoughts on icons, motherhood, trees, grief, family dinners, death, directing a choir, climate change, faith, writing.
I'm convinced that 56 is gonna be my prime and reading 50 something year old Madeline's thoughts solidified that for me. "It's amazing what passing the half-century mark does to free one to be eccentric. Can't wait for it. Let's get these 20's over with.
Writing for Children: I felt like I got a peek behind the scenes of the writing of my childhood favorite book because she thought a lot about writing for kids. She was particularly proud of A Wrinkle in Time. "If I've ever written a book that says what I feel about God and the universe, this is it. This is my psalm of praise."
- "I suppose I write for children because I'm not bright enough to understand the difference between a children's and adults' novel."
- "If it's not good enough for adults, it's not good enough for children. If a book that is going to be marketed for children does not interest me, a grownup, then I am dishonoring the children for whom the book is intended, and I am dishonoring books. And words."
- Sometimes I answer that if I have something I want to say that is too difficult for adults to swallow, then I will write it in a book for children. This is usually good for a slightly startled laugh, but it's perfectly true. Children still haven't closed themselves off with fear of the unknown, fear of revolution, or the scramble for security. They are still familiar with the inborn vocabulary of myth."
- L'Engle received a lot of criticism for her children's books because there is a lot of *real* life in them. "The older I grow, the more grateful I am for the fact tat there is far less overprotection of our children, at least in the book world, than there was a decade ago, even while I quite openly admit that Wilbur the pig, evil witches, ravenous foxes do leave their marks on children. But do we want unmarked children? Are they to go out into the adult world all bland and similar and unscarred? Is wrapping in cotton wool, literary or otherwise, the kind of guidance we owe them?"
- "If we are not going to deny our children the darker side of life, we owe it to them to show them that there is also this wild brilliance, this light of the sun: although we cannot look at it directly, it is nevertheless by the light of the sun that we see…We all need heroes and here again we can learn from the child's acceptance of the fact that he needs someone beyond himself to look up to."
She talks a LOT about faith. And as someone who has no idea about faith… having this author I admire say a lot of things I've been thinking and feeling was incredibly comforting. She described herself as an agnostic, an Anglican Christian, a doubter and a believer throughout the book.
- When asked by a student if she really and truly believed in God with no doubts at all she said, "Oh, Una, I really and truly believe in God with all kinds of doubts. But I base my life on this belief."
- "I found myself earnestly explaining to the young minister that I did not believe in God, 'but I've discovered that I can't live as though I don't believe in him. As long as I don't need to say any more than that I try to live as though I believe in God, I would very much like to come to church--if you'll let me.'"
- "My own response to the wild unpredictability of the universe has been to write stories, to play the piano, to read, listen to music, look at paintings--not that the world may become explainable and reasonable but that I may rejoice in the freedom which unaccountability gives us."
- "Paradox again: to take ourselves seriously enough to take ourselves lightly. If every hair, of my head is counted, then in the very scheme of the cosmos I matter; I am created by a power who cares about the sparrow, and the rabbit in the snare, and the people on the crowded streets; who calls the stars by name, And you and me. When I remember this, it is as if pounds were lifted from me. I can take myself lightly, and share in the laughter of the white china Buddha on my desk."
- "My minister friends gave me all kinds of theological books to read, mostly by German theologians. The more I read the farther I was shoved away from any kind of acceptance. I would read logical explanations of the totally mysterious scandal of particularity and thing: if I have to believe all this bunk, then Christianity is not for me. One line of the Book of Common Prayer made sense to me: the mystery of the word made flesh."
She's big on mystery. I'm big on mystery. I underlined a lot in this book and am going to keep going back to it for the bit of wisdom that are sprinkled throughout the whole book. If this is a review for any of ya, 10/10 recommend.
A Wrinkle in Time is probably my favorite book ever… so I want to know everything there is to know about Madeline L'Engle and I was PUMPED when I got all The Crosswicks Journals for Christmas.
"A journal is a notebook in which one can, hopefully, be ontological." She says this book as a letter of love to her mother, her children, and her friends who made her who she was. It's truly a journal with a lot of her thoughts--thoughts on icons, motherhood, trees, grief, family dinners, death, directing a choir, climate change, faith, writing.
I'm convinced that 56 is gonna be my prime and reading 50 something year old Madeline's thoughts solidified that for me. "It's amazing what passing the half-century mark does to free one to be eccentric. Can't wait for it. Let's get these 20's over with.
Writing for Children: I felt like I got a peek behind the scenes of the writing of my childhood favorite book because she thought a lot about writing for kids. She was particularly proud of A Wrinkle in Time. "If I've ever written a book that says what I feel about God and the universe, this is it. This is my psalm of praise."
- "I suppose I write for children because I'm not bright enough to understand the difference between a children's and adults' novel."
- "If it's not good enough for adults, it's not good enough for children. If a book that is going to be marketed for children does not interest me, a grownup, then I am dishonoring the children for whom the book is intended, and I am dishonoring books. And words."
- Sometimes I answer that if I have something I want to say that is too difficult for adults to swallow, then I will write it in a book for children. This is usually good for a slightly startled laugh, but it's perfectly true. Children still haven't closed themselves off with fear of the unknown, fear of revolution, or the scramble for security. They are still familiar with the inborn vocabulary of myth."
- L'Engle received a lot of criticism for her children's books because there is a lot of *real* life in them. "The older I grow, the more grateful I am for the fact tat there is far less overprotection of our children, at least in the book world, than there was a decade ago, even while I quite openly admit that Wilbur the pig, evil witches, ravenous foxes do leave their marks on children. But do we want unmarked children? Are they to go out into the adult world all bland and similar and unscarred? Is wrapping in cotton wool, literary or otherwise, the kind of guidance we owe them?"
- "If we are not going to deny our children the darker side of life, we owe it to them to show them that there is also this wild brilliance, this light of the sun: although we cannot look at it directly, it is nevertheless by the light of the sun that we see…We all need heroes and here again we can learn from the child's acceptance of the fact that he needs someone beyond himself to look up to."
She talks a LOT about faith. And as someone who has no idea about faith… having this author I admire say a lot of things I've been thinking and feeling was incredibly comforting. She described herself as an agnostic, an Anglican Christian, a doubter and a believer throughout the book.
- When asked by a student if she really and truly believed in God with no doubts at all she said, "Oh, Una, I really and truly believe in God with all kinds of doubts. But I base my life on this belief."
- "I found myself earnestly explaining to the young minister that I did not believe in God, 'but I've discovered that I can't live as though I don't believe in him. As long as I don't need to say any more than that I try to live as though I believe in God, I would very much like to come to church--if you'll let me.'"
- "My own response to the wild unpredictability of the universe has been to write stories, to play the piano, to read, listen to music, look at paintings--not that the world may become explainable and reasonable but that I may rejoice in the freedom which unaccountability gives us."
- "Paradox again: to take ourselves seriously enough to take ourselves lightly. If every hair, of my head is counted, then in the very scheme of the cosmos I matter; I am created by a power who cares about the sparrow, and the rabbit in the snare, and the people on the crowded streets; who calls the stars by name, And you and me. When I remember this, it is as if pounds were lifted from me. I can take myself lightly, and share in the laughter of the white china Buddha on my desk."
- "My minister friends gave me all kinds of theological books to read, mostly by German theologians. The more I read the farther I was shoved away from any kind of acceptance. I would read logical explanations of the totally mysterious scandal of particularity and thing: if I have to believe all this bunk, then Christianity is not for me. One line of the Book of Common Prayer made sense to me: the mystery of the word made flesh."
She's big on mystery. I'm big on mystery. I underlined a lot in this book and am going to keep going back to it for the bit of wisdom that are sprinkled throughout the whole book. If this is a review for any of ya, 10/10 recommend.
crystal_reading's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this meandering book by L'Engle. It gave me a different perspective of her and was actually quite a spiritual book. It caused me to think about many interesting aspects of life.
bethjordahl's review
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
4.75
This book is not for everyone. But if you love Madeleine L’Engle and you want to sit with her and chat about life, love, religion and so much more… this is a beautiful book worth reading.
kathrynwilliams's review
4.0
Essays on life and being a writer. Some of the ideas and stories really stayed me.
kricketa's review
2.0
i like l'engle but i had to take a break from her after this one. she can be very self-righteous at times.
rachelb36's review
2.0
I'd heard such good things about this book, but I've discovered I'm just not a fan of L'Engle as a person, so I also didn't love this book about her life.
It was interesting to read about her writing career and I wish she had devoted more of the book to that! Most of the book seemed very rambling and inconsequential.
It was interesting to read about her writing career and I wish she had devoted more of the book to that! Most of the book seemed very rambling and inconsequential.
canadiyank's review
I read the first few pages of this book thinking it was fiction...fortunately a friend cleared that misunderstanding up quickly, as I thought it was a pretty odd book. But reading it as memoirs was wonderful, I enjoyed her thoughts, inspirations, and the revealing of foreshadowing, especially on how she became a Christian. She doesn't say specifically what the scenario was, but a friend showed "love toward those I love. Because of this love, this particular (never general) Christian love, my intellectual reservations no longer made the least difference. I had seen love in action, and that was all the proof I needed."
sambooklove's review
5.0
This is a book that I considered "lectio divinia" - it spoke so deeply to my spirit. It came at a time where I needed to know I could ask questions of my faith - and still remain okay with God. I often say that Madeleine, with this book, saved my faith.
mjsteimle's review
3.0
3.5 stars. Reflections and musings about writing, faith, family, community and human nature. I've seen L'Engle referred to as a Christian author numerous times, but the way she talks about her faith really surprised me. Although active in a church, she refers to herself as something of an agnostic. She's not sure that God exists, but she lives her life as if He does. I find L'Engle's approach to faith and comfort with doubt unusual but refreshing among Christian authors.