On Books & Writing

A collection of 204 posts

On Books & Writing

Alexander Solzhenitsyn on Art

I just spotted this fantastic quote about art on a friend's Facebook page, and thought I'd post it here. It's from Alexander Solzhenitsyn's 1978 Nobel lecture on literature: The task of the artist is to sense more keenly than others the harmony

On Books & Writing

A Conversation with National Book Award Finalist Sara Zarr

Can we handle the truth? In Sara Zarr's first novel, Story of a Girl, one young woman's life is almost spoiled by the truth... at least when it comes to the details of her biggest mistake. When young Deanna's misguided adventure with an older

On Books & Writing

"Christian Fiction" and the Faith of J.K. Rowling and Sara Zarr

I know that many of my fellow Christians are so convinced that J.K. Rowling is a servant of Satan that they won't be persuaded by anything as insignificant as... oh... the author's own words about her faith. But I'm encouraged that the conversation

On Books & Writing

Congratulations Sara Zarr!

My friend Sara Zarr has been such a great encouragement to me with Auralia's Colors. She's like my sister in writing endeavors... a Glen Workshopper, got her first book deal the same year I did, learning about the world of publishing right along with me (if

On Books & Writing

The SuperFast Reader Interview

SuperFastReader is sure enthusiastic about Auralia's Colors. She's gone beyond reviewing it. Now she's giving a copy away, and she's posted the conversation we had last week.

On Books & Writing

"The Iraq war calls for some serious rethinking by Christians..."

David P. Gushee at Christianity Today considers "Our Teachable Moment." Such deep public distress about the war makes this a teachable moment for all of us, as Christians and as Americans. It's not enough to find a way out of this war honorably and soon. We

On Books & Writing

TIME: "Why Christopher Hitchens is Wrong About Billy Graham" (plus, a YouTube bonus)

Good for TIME Magazine. The odd thing about Hitchens' attack is not that he assaults an ailing icon — that's both his specialty and his right — but that the evidence he cites actually proves him wrong. And while we're on the subject: [youtube=http://www.youtube.

On Books & Writing

On Criticism

My good friend, Mike Demokowicz, a photographer and educator who has taught me a great deal, sent along this quote in an email today. It made me think of Anton Ego's speech in Ratatouille... only it's richer and more complete. It's Bill Jay, from

On Books & Writing

"A Wrinkle in Faith" - Books and Culture on Madeleine L'Engle

John Wilson's Books and Culture newsletter brought back from the archives a 1998 essay focusing on Madeleine L'Engle to mark her passing last week. Madeleine L'Engle's journey has taken her to a rather peculiar array of roadside stops. How many Christian writers

On Books & Writing

Scott Cairns in the Cleveland Daily Banner

An article about one of my favorite human beings has popped up in the Cleveland Daily Banner.

The Auralia Thread

Fantasy and Myth at a Seattle Brewery

Would you like an evening with... -great ale -good company -and a lot of stimulating discussion about the power of fairy tales and myth? Would you like to gather with kindred spirits (and some rather tasty spirits... of the beverage kind) to toast the career of Madeleine L'Engle?

On Books & Writing

SuperFastReader on Madeleine L'Engle

Following up my earlier post on Madeleine L'Engle's passing, here's the super SuperFastReader remembering her, in two posts.

On Books & Writing

A Very Great Loss in the World of the Christian Imagination

Madeleine L'Engle is one of the artists whose views and work have inspired me the most. As I was writing Auralia's Colors, I frequently revisited her thoughts on the power of art. She referred to great artmaking as "collaboration with God." On Thursday night,

The Auralia Thread

Madeleine L'Engle: 1918-2007

Madeleine L'Engle is one of the artists whose views and work have inspired me the most. As I was writing Auralia's Colors, I frequently revisited her thoughts on the power of art. She referred to great artmaking as "collaboration with God." On Thursday night,

On Books & Writing

Sad News for Tolkien Fans: The Scouring of the Tolkien Bungalow

I've been to this house, the place where J.R.R. Tolkien took refuge from his fans in the years after the meteoric rise of The Lord of the Rings to international fame. Looks like it's scheduled for destruction. If this were a Disney movie, wouldn&

On Books & Writing

Your Daily Dose of Flannery

WARNING: Yesterday's blog entry by Abraham Piper (on John Piper's blog) is wired to explode and shake up the sensibilities of Christians in the arts everywhere. He's armed with combustible quotes from Flannery O'Connor... the kind of truth that can start fires.

On Books & Writing

Come Have a Pint at The Eagle and Child.

Yep. I have another blog. I'm going for some kind of world record. I'm really excited about this one. It will give me a chance to invite you to meet some of the most interesting people I know in the world of artmaking. Ever since I

Looking Elsewhere

Specials: Harry Potter; Mother Teresa; Wilson on Atheism Books; Cummings on Satyajit Ray

I'm a week late to this blog entry, but wow... Andy Whitman writes about music better than just about anybody I know. And now he's posted a home-run entry about Harry Potter. * Yesterday I posted news about the new book on Mother Teresa. Here's

On Books & Writing

Mother Teresa, Scott Cairns, and the Holy Struggle

* Mother Teresa to the Rev. Michael Van Der Peet, September 1979 That's the hook at the front of next week's TIME Magazine cover story. And the following article by David Van Biema has me intrigued... Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light Okay, but then: Come Be

On Books & Writing

Kate DiCamillo's Back!

Kate DiCamillo has joined the short list of my all-time favorite storytellers, and this year she's releasing a new book on my birthday! Not familiar with DiCamillo? Start with The Tiger Rising, a heartbreaking masterpiece, and then read The Tale of Despereaux (quick, before it becomes a movie)

On Books & Writing

Thursday Food for Thought: free lunchtime readings at Seattle Pacific University

Seattle Pacific University has begun hosting readings and booksignings at the SPU Library, and they're open to the public. I'm clipping from the calendar here, just so you know what's coming up... You are invited to bring a brownbag lunch to the Library to

On Books & Writing

Fantasy Pet Peeves

The fantasy section of the bookstore is such a wasteland of derivative, unimaginative, indulgent storytelling. And I say that as someone whose house is full of fantasy volumes, and who spends many hours every week working on fantasy stories. It's such a rich tradition, but holy Merry Brandybuck,

On Books & Writing

Jeff Berryman on Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials"

Jeff Berryman's latest post is on Philip Pullman's The Subtle Knife. He throws down the gauntlet. He invites us to a challenging conversation. I admire his ambition, patience, insight, and grace as he explores these stories. If you've read the books, I encourage you

On Books & Writing

Burning Harry at the Stake

More Christians line up to condemn Harry Potter as the devil's business... at Christian Today (not to be confused with Christianity Today.) While they're at it, why not blacklist Pinocchio , Peter Pan , Snow White and the Seven Dwarves , the tales of King Arthur, and Beauty and

On Books & Writing

The Dark is... um... well...

Here's the trailer for The Dark is Rising. I've met a lot of fans of Susan Cooper's novels. My wife Anne, for one. I have a feeling the fans will pull out their hair when they see this. And no, I don't