Synopses & Reviews
In this stimulating book, twenty-one well-known Christian writers, all members of the Chrysostom Society, respond to the question "Who helped form you as a writer?"
Synopsis
Good books inspire the imagination, jump-start creativity, and kindle new ideas. So it's no surprise that for these twenty-one members of the Chrysostom Society (a renowned contemporary Christian writers' group) the works of classic literary masters have played an influential role in shaping their writing.
In this revised and updated volume of Reality and the Vision, which includes five new chapters, best-selling authors Philip Yancey and James Calvin Schaap ask the question, Who has helped form you as a writer of faith? The answers they found are surprising, captivating, and instructive:
- Richard Foster explains how reading from the ancient devotional masters helped him to manage a frenetic modern schedule.
- Walter Wangerin Jr. shares how the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales helped him make sense of his world.
- Virginia Stem Owens confesses that Soren Kierkegaard, a Danish philosopher famous for his melancholy, helped her cope with a family crisis.
- Eugene Peterson tells how he became a better pastor by scheduling regular appointments with the Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky.
A short reading guide at the end of each chapter serves as an invitation to explore these classic works further. More Than Words is a delightful way to deepen an appreciation of fine literature and a thoughtful gift for those who love good books.
Synopsis
"It's such a wonderful book. . . . it's like a fine conversation." Annie Dillard, author of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Great writing has the power to stimulate our imagination, generate creativity, and help us make sense of the world. In this fascinating compilation, twenty-one popular Christian authors share stories of how they were influenced by literary masters and their works: "Learn why reading the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen helped Walter Wangerin Jr. deal with life in a troubled family. "See how Fyodor Dostoevsky's vocation of a passionate desire for God made a difference to Eugene H. Peterson at a critical point in his life. "Discover why the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer were instrumental in keeping Richard Foster from abandoning the Christian faith. "Uncover why John Donne forever changed the way Philip Yancey thought about pain. "Explore how the books of George MacDonald both comforted and widened the world of Madeleine L'Engle. "Find out how epic storyteller Stephen R. Lawhead learned lasting lessons about the power of fiction from the writings of J. R. R. Tolkien. A short reading guide at the end of each chapter serves as an invitation for you to explore these classic works further-and find new vision, ideas, and inspiration.