On Books & Writing

A collection of 95 posts

The Auralia Thread

Iambic Interview: "Who Influenced The Auralia Thread?" "Why Is Fantasy So Popular?"

At the blog Iambic Admonit, I've been interviewed about The Auralia Thread and the state of modern moviegoing. This was a challenging interview: I could have written an essay for almost every question, including... * Who influenced The Auralia Thread? * Why is fantasy so popular right now? * What topics

On Books & Writing

Hell's Bell

The Rob Bell hubbub is everywhere. Whose side am I on? I'm not on a side. I'm a student of the Scriptures, so I'm growing and learning and full of questions. And I greatly appreciate how Rob Bell is challenging Christians to sift the

On Books & Writing

The Ubik-uitous Philip K. Dick

For some film fans, Philip K. Dick is "that guy who wrote Blade Runner and Total Recall." Well, perhaps. Dick wrote stories called Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and We Can Remember It For You Wholesale, both of which differed in considerable ways from the films that

On Books & Writing

Delicate Machinery Suspended: The Interview

It is with joy and wild fanboy enthusiasm that I draw your attention to this week's IAM Conversations podcast. Listen in as Christy Tennant speaks with poet Anne M. Doe Overstreet, whose collection of poetry, Delicate Machinery Suspended, was released last year by T.S. Poetry Press. This

On Books & Writing

A Couple of Notes on Richard Dawkins

Today, I noticed Scott Derrickson posting this link on Twitter. It's a link to an article by Marilynne Robinson, author of Gilead, contesting the claims of Richard Dawkins. So, of course, I had to drop everything and read it. Then, when I posted the link on Facebook, a

On Books & Writing

R.I.P. "Relevant": 2010 Vocabulary Casualties

What words died in 2010? What words were so over-used this year that they've lost all meaning and become like mosquitoes buzzing in your ears? I've asked this question on Twitter and Facebook. I'll post some of my favorites as they come in... * "

On Books & Writing

For Kids Who Can't Write Good

Can a good movie be made about bad writing? If you've seen Twilight, you may think otherwise. But seriously: Can a good documentary be made about the challenges of becoming a writer? This upcoming documentary certainly looks interesting.

On Books & Writing

Great illustrators: Who are your favorites?

On my Facebook Page, I'm asking for folks to share the names of their favorite illustrators, and links that introduce us to their work. What brought this on? I'm inspired to ask this because I'm enjoying these high-rez scans of the original Garth Williams

On Books & Writing

Asheville Poetry Review Delivers an Early Christmas Gift

I am blessed in so many ways that Anne Maureen Doe said "Yes" when I proposed about 15 years ago. And I am overjoyed whenever the world confirms what I've known all along: That she is an excellent poet. So I can't help myself:

On Books & Writing

Looking Closer's Christmas Gift Recommendations: A Kingdom Far and Clear

Looking for a great fantasy book to give for Christmas? Here's an idea: Mark Helprin's glorious "Swan Lake" trilogy is being republished in one volume - A Kingdom Far and Clear - with beautiful illustrations by Chris Van Allsburg. I loved these books in

On Books & Writing

Do Writers Need Paper Anymore?

Via Alan Jacobs, a quote from an article in Prospect Magazine: Alice In Wonderland

On Books & Writing

A Letter to North American Churches

Celebrated artist Makoto Fujimura has written a letter to North American Churches. It's worth reading. Here's a clip: You began to believe in the late 18th century that we needed rational categories, to try to protect “faith” from “reason.” Reason began to win the battle in

On Books & Writing

Uncool in October. And loving it.

[I wrote this yesterday but had no time to post it... so, better late than never.] In the courtyard outside my window, the leaves of the trees are ablaze. It's inspiring. The trees aren't trying to get attention. They're not striking poses. They'

On Books & Writing

Thomas Merton just emailed me.

I love getting messages from Thomas Merton. He always knows just what I need to hear. Check this out... There is a pervasive form of contemporary violence, and that is activism and overwork. The rush and pressure of modern life are a form, perhaps the most common form, of this

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Who was Noah's wife? (If you answer "Joan," you're wrong.)

Americans sure love to talk about religion. And many are riled about about whether or not they think the U.S. is, or should be, a "Christian nation." If they knew what they were talking about, they might even make a difference. How many of those in the

On Books & Writing

The scene on the sidewalk

The story is almost ready, but something's been missing. I've been searching for a scene. I've written four attempts. I was ready to settle for the best of them. They felt forced and artificial, something grown in a lab to produce a particular color.

Through a Screen Darkly

IAM Encounter 10: How Then Shall We Tell Stories?

I hope you enjoy this presentation of my visit to Encounter 10, the 2010 arts conference hosted by International Arts Movement. This talk was my response to a question posed to me by the IAM team. I had the privilege of sharing thoughts in response to the question "How

On Books & Writing

Christianity Today's Knockout Interview with Marilynne Robinson

This is the most thrilling stuff I've read at Christianity Today in a while. Great interview. I wish they'd made this a cover story. It's one of the most important conversations this magazine could offer its audience. But according to this, it's

On Books & Writing

Paste was too good to be true. Except that it was true.

Passion blazed in every issue. If you needed signs of life in music, film, and culture, you didn't need to do anything but hold a copy of Paste in your hands. The writing was filled with heart, smarts, wit, character, and love It looked great. Every other arts

On Books & Writing

The Naked Now

I heard Richard Rohr speak at The Glen Workshop, and in ten minutes he challenged me  profoundly. ... After his brief words at the microphone, I asked him if he had written something that would capture the same meditation and, perhaps, expand on it. He told me about his new book.

On Books & Writing

"Words"

My word for this is "awesome." It's a mesmerizing film by Will Hoffman and Daniel Mercadante, made to accompany Radiolab's "Words" episode on NPR. (For more info, visit www.radiolab.org.) It took me a minute to figure out exactly what'

On Books & Writing

Must-read: "99 Ways to Tell a Story"

If I were to recommend a few books that all writers and artists should have on their resource shelf, I'd recommend Madeleine L'Engle's Walking on Water, Annie Dillard's The Writing Life, David Bayles' and Ted Orland's Art & Fear:

On Books & Writing

Name That Storybook contests.

You're invited to play a new game I've begun on my Tumblr site. (You have to register for Tumblr to play, which is quick and free.) It's called Name That Storybook. Round One played out yesterday: Here's where it started, and here&

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Happy Fourth of July, from G.K. Chesterton

G.K. Chesterton wishes you a Happy Fourth of July with this message... The Declaration of Independence dogmatically bases all rights on the fact that God created all men equal; and it is right; for if they were not created equal, they were certainly evolved unequal. There is no basis

On Books & Writing

N.T. Wright Stuff

It's always a breath of fresh air to hear N.T. Wright, a voice crying wisdom into the wilderness of American Christianity. Here are a few clips that just came to my attention. ..