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47 reviews for:
A Light So Lovely: The Spiritual Legacy of Madeleine L'Engle, Author of A Wrinkle in Time
Sarah Arthur
4.06 AVERAGE
47 reviews for:
A Light So Lovely: The Spiritual Legacy of Madeleine L'Engle, Author of A Wrinkle in Time
Sarah Arthur
4.06 AVERAGE
Fans of Madeleine L’Engel, writers, story lovers, or anyone who wants some concepts to chew on will enjoy this read. I love reading books about people. A Light So Lovely was a thought provoking account of Madeline’s spiritual legacy.
I specifically appreciated the description of idols vs icons. And how as Christian’s we are called to be icons to the world—windows through which Christ’s light shines through—not angry glaring spotlights.
I also loved the element of how stories portray truth and how that is just as powerful as fact.
And the last element I really appreciated about this book was the real look at how we are all flawed humans, but that doesn’t disqualify us. We keep on keeping on by God’s grace and that He doesn’t fail and He won’t fail us.
Some favorite quotes:
“Truth sneaks in through the back door of our imaginations. When our defenses are down. When it had a greater chance of changing us from the inside out.”
“The most important thing a mentor can do is believe in you with their whole heart.”
I specifically appreciated the description of idols vs icons. And how as Christian’s we are called to be icons to the world—windows through which Christ’s light shines through—not angry glaring spotlights.
I also loved the element of how stories portray truth and how that is just as powerful as fact.
And the last element I really appreciated about this book was the real look at how we are all flawed humans, but that doesn’t disqualify us. We keep on keeping on by God’s grace and that He doesn’t fail and He won’t fail us.
Some favorite quotes:
“Truth sneaks in through the back door of our imaginations. When our defenses are down. When it had a greater chance of changing us from the inside out.”
“The most important thing a mentor can do is believe in you with their whole heart.”
For a fair and balanced biography, especially from someone who had become, over time, a personal friend of the subject, Arthur did an amazing job. I went in, curious but knowing nothing about L'Engle except her most famous book, and by the time I'd finished had become a fan, and owner of two other of her books I'm already jumping into. Just getting a glimpse of her own, personal faith, gives me hope for the Church, if only others could follow her lead. Very interesting, and again, well balanced. Highly recommend.
An easy read! Most of the information I already knew as I’ve read so many of Lengle’s nonfiction works, but this book did add some interesting alternative perspectives & details. I agree with some of the other reviewers, that it seemed like there was too much about the author for a biography about L’engle. & it did (to me) feel a bit like she formed L’engle more into a nice Christian mold than the impressions I get from Madeleine’s works. Maybe the the author imposed more Christian convention on L’engle than L’engle would, maybe I impose less. Probably a bit of both.
Still, I enjoyed the book & Madeleine is an icon to me.
Still, I enjoyed the book & Madeleine is an icon to me.
Madeleine L’Engle actually has had a big influence on my spiritual life - I think that she, along with just a few others (including, fortunately, my dad) made me feel ok about having a ton of questions that were impossible to answer, and having an imagination, and thinking that the big things of science actually point to God, not away from him. So my heart found joy in this biography, as it made me feel more connected to her.
3.5 stars rounded up. I love Madeline L'Engle, both her children's fiction and her non-fiction. I was delighted to read this "biography" of her, focused on exploring her spiritual legacy. It reminded me of all the things I love about her and has inspired me to do some re-reads of her work this year.
challenging
informative
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
This is a pretty interesting look at Madeleine L'Engle's life and work, and it gave me some valuable insight into her thought process and the foundation of her theology. But ultimately it just made me want to read her books, which I already wanted to do anyway. It felt like a visit to a charming rest stop on a longer journey.
I pretty much devoured this one. Arthur does a lovely job telling us Madeleine’s story through her own experiences and through those of the people who knew her best. I especially appreciated Arthur addressing Madeleine’s blindspots—she’s so revered that people often forget that she was also human. Arthur’s revelation of this humanity made me love Madeleine even more.
Library.
I really wanted to love this book. I'm a big fan of Madeleine L'Engle's for ... well, since I became a reader, so nearly 40 years. I love her Austin family (Chronos books) more than the Kairos books. although I wouldn't turn either down. I am a big fan of her non-fiction and memoir. I have long been a proponent of reading her non-fiction to see her faith more clearly; although it is included in her fiction as well.
This book delves into her faith in lovely ways, although I was dissatisfied with her discussion of the attacks on L'Engle's supposed universalism. I felt the book more confirmed than denied it and didn't really deal with the heart of the matter. More dust under the rug.
In many ways I appreciated the way she drew in L'Engles influence on writers, yet sometimes I was annoyed that Arthur talked too personally and constantly about herself with a side-note of L'Engle's interaction. As a biography I didn't expect that. The chapter where she spends pages comparing L'Engle and C.S. Lewis was a little jarring to me. While there are similarities, it seemed somewhat out of place as a spiritual biography, especially as it seems they never met.
Arthur really emphasized the Time Quintet without delving into other series nearly as much and I thought she did an injustice to A Ring of Endless Light in many ways - especially in the chapter about Bearing Light, because that's the culmination of that whole book.
I also found the writing redundant from time to time. It seemed that the title of the book was repeated every chapter, and I started to feel the repetition as an annoyance rather than reassurance. Repeated assertion is not proof, and I thought several instances were more repeated assertion than true evidence of the author's proposition.
All those complaints said, there are some truly lovely passages in the book; glimpses of a talented writer shining forth. Also, L'Engle's friendship with Luci Shaw and their influence on one another is beautifully drawn. It is fascinating to see the wide range that L'Engle worked in, the effects of her writing on her family, and the effects on the Christian writing and artistry worlds beyond.
I recommend this with reservations. If you are looking for answers about L'Engle's more controversial positions, I don't think you'll find them here and might come out more convinced of her error. If you're looking for a glimpse of a very real, flawed Christian life you'll find it to some extent, but it may take some digging. If you're looking for the influence of one writer on many, that is here. As Arthur insists, we often find what we seek out. I was seeking a spiritual biography and it's influence and perhaps was seeking the wrong thing.
I really wanted to love this book. I'm a big fan of Madeleine L'Engle's for ... well, since I became a reader, so nearly 40 years. I love her Austin family (Chronos books) more than the Kairos books. although I wouldn't turn either down. I am a big fan of her non-fiction and memoir. I have long been a proponent of reading her non-fiction to see her faith more clearly; although it is included in her fiction as well.
This book delves into her faith in lovely ways, although I was dissatisfied with her discussion of the attacks on L'Engle's supposed universalism. I felt the book more confirmed than denied it and didn't really deal with the heart of the matter. More dust under the rug.
In many ways I appreciated the way she drew in L'Engles influence on writers, yet sometimes I was annoyed that Arthur talked too personally and constantly about herself with a side-note of L'Engle's interaction. As a biography I didn't expect that. The chapter where she spends pages comparing L'Engle and C.S. Lewis was a little jarring to me. While there are similarities, it seemed somewhat out of place as a spiritual biography, especially as it seems they never met.
Arthur really emphasized the Time Quintet without delving into other series nearly as much and I thought she did an injustice to A Ring of Endless Light in many ways - especially in the chapter about Bearing Light, because that's the culmination of that whole book.
I also found the writing redundant from time to time. It seemed that the title of the book was repeated every chapter, and I started to feel the repetition as an annoyance rather than reassurance. Repeated assertion is not proof, and I thought several instances were more repeated assertion than true evidence of the author's proposition.
All those complaints said, there are some truly lovely passages in the book; glimpses of a talented writer shining forth. Also, L'Engle's friendship with Luci Shaw and their influence on one another is beautifully drawn. It is fascinating to see the wide range that L'Engle worked in, the effects of her writing on her family, and the effects on the Christian writing and artistry worlds beyond.
I recommend this with reservations. If you are looking for answers about L'Engle's more controversial positions, I don't think you'll find them here and might come out more convinced of her error. If you're looking for a glimpse of a very real, flawed Christian life you'll find it to some extent, but it may take some digging. If you're looking for the influence of one writer on many, that is here. As Arthur insists, we often find what we seek out. I was seeking a spiritual biography and it's influence and perhaps was seeking the wrong thing.
I’ve come back to Christianity, feeling my way around, trying to figure out God’s purpose in my life now. There have been feelings of something missing and I’ve been fitting pieces back together that have been lost over the years. I’m doing this on my own terms, reading books that call to me, reading the Bible daily, studying Scripture, writing journal entries, paying attention. This book made me clearly understand how controversial faith in Christ can be, how personal it should be if we’re to have a meaningful relationship. Madeleine struggled with Christianity as often as she was comforted by her faith, but that, to me, is beautiful. Life is a struggle quite often. We wrestle with so many competing ideas, philosophies, beliefs, but when we catch glimpses of grace there is joy and glimmers of understanding or aha moments shine through to fill our heart, soul, mind.