The Enigma of Anger: Essays on a Sometimes Deadly Sin

Praise for The Enigma of Anger

"Wise and beautiful . . . This book is distinguished above all by its prose. What might have been merely a spiritual ‘how-to’ on anger management is transformed into a literary achievement by Keizer’s way with words."

–Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A wonderfully thoughtful, compelling, psychologically knowing book that is graced with wisdom."

–Robert Coles, author, Children of Crisis series

"Provocative, thoughtful, and supremely useful, this book is a brave expedition to a place most of us would rather not go. . . . A healthy and much-needed antidote to a slew of cultural orthodoxies . . . the kind of blessing that comes from God, and that endures."

–Kathleen Norris, The Christian Century

"It is no small irony that Garret Keizer’s essay on anger is so thoughtful and graceful. Here is writing that triumphs over an emotion that otherwise, so often, defeats reason and frustrates love."

–Richard Rodriguez, author, Brown

A Vermont minister takes on anger as an inescapable, yet paradoxical, part ofhuman life and views the cluster of emotions and associations surrounding it.This literary, thoughtful, and sometimes-funny book will not fail to surprisewith its simple wisdom and keen insight. (August)

Rage, resentment, envy, jealousy, and hatred— these emotions seem to dominate our times. They rule our highways, our workplaces, our homes, and our hearts.

In this provocative book of essays, writer Garret Keizer considers anger in all its baffling forms. Poignantly aware of his own temper, and of his ties to a religion that glorifies meekness, the author looks at anger as a paradox in our struggle to remain human in the midst of an infuriating world. Interweaving personal anecdotes, mythological stories, sacred texts, and Keizer's insightful observations, The Enigma of Anger will prove a welcome companion for anyone who has ever wrestled with wrath-or wished to make better use of it.

Garret Keizer has served as an Episcopal priest and as a high school English teacher. He is the author of God of Beer, No Place But Here, and the critically acclaimed A Dresser of Sycamore Trees. His work also appears in The Christian Century and Harper’s Magazine. He lives in northeastern Vermont with his wife and daughter.