On Books & Writing

A collection of 354 posts

On Books & Writing

Is Today's Young Adult Literature "Too Dark"?

If you were to ask me that question, I would refer you to my favorite Young Adult novelist: Sara Zarr. And she would say something like this... ...her contribution today to the Good Letters blog.

On Books & Writing

Job-hunting? Want to work for IMAGE?

IMAGE is ready to hire a full-time Director of Development. Could this be you? Apply now to work with a talented, fun-loving team in the office of my favorite literary journal. Download the job description here.

On Books & Writing

Dark on Bell

Why do we need the word "hell"? We need a loaded, volatile, adequately violent, dramatic, serious word to describe the very real consequences we experience when we reject the good and true and beautiful life that God has for us. We need a word that refers to the

On Books & Writing

Death is Dead

Why this Friday is good: It was not death that pleased God the Father, but rather the will of him who freely died, who through that death abolished death, made salvation possible, and restored innocence, who triumphed over principalities and powers, robbed death and enriched heaven, who restored peace to

On Movies & Media

How Great is Ayn Rand? David Bentley Hart... Shrugs.

In the current issue of First Things, David Bentley Hart delivers a memorable rant on Rand. What does this have to do with Terrence Malick? Read on! Hart writes: Atlas ShruggedThe Tree of Life Do not go to see Atlas Shrugged. Do not encourage those people. Go instead to The

On Books & Writing

Raise a Glass to Today's Birthday Girl!

Our response to life is different if we have been taught only a definition of faith than if we have trembled with Abraham as he held a knife over Isaac. Who said that? Flannery O’Connor, whose 86th birthday would have been today. Happy birthday, Saint Flannery!

Fantasy

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 Movies & Media

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

Anne M. Doe Overstreet

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 Movies & Media

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.

Illustrators

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

Anne M. Doe Overstreet

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

Speaking engagements

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

On Books & Writing

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.

Lectures

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

Faith

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 Movies & Media

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