More Than Words: Contemporary Writers on the Works That Shaped Them - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 080106404X ISBN 13: 9780801064043

Publisher: Baker Books, 2002

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 Søren 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.

About this title

About the Author

Philip Yancey is a trusted guide for millions of readers who want to strengthen their faith. His books include Soul Survivor, What's So Amazing About Grace?, The Jesus I Never Knew, and Reaching for the Invisible God. He lives in Colorado.

James Calvin Schaap is professor of English at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa. He is the award-winning author of more than twenty books, including Romey's Place.

From the Back Cover

"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.

Reviews

In More Than Words: Contemporary Writers on the Works That Shaped Them, some of the best writers in the Christian community discuss their formative creative influences. Madeleine L'Engle pays tribute to George MacDonald, fantasy writer Stephen Lawhead extols the contributions of J.R.R. Tolkien and Harold Fickett revisits Flannery O'Connor. This collection, which was edited by James Calvin Schaap and compiled and introduced by Philip Yancey, is a reflective and generous homage to literary greatness. Other contributors include Richard Foster, Walter Wangerin Jr., Virginia Stem Owens and Calvin Miller.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This is a revision of Reality and the Vision, in which Christian writers discuss the books and authors who have influenced not only their craft but also their lives. If you're expecting fluffy essays about sanguine writers, you are greatly mistaken. This marvelous collection gives us a double treat. Not only can we read which books and authors influenced these writers, among them Luci Shaw (Henri Nouwen), Philip Yancey (John Donne), Madeleine L'Engle (George MacDonald), and Calvin Miller (Ray Bradbury), but we are also allowed to view the struggles these authors have faced and the role their Christian faith has played in their lives. This book gives readers an opportunity to reflect on the wisdom learned from these authors as they share what their favorite provided them. A paragraph at the end of each chapter gives suggestions for further reading on the author. This is a feast for the heart and mind of the reflective Christian or anyone looking for good reading. For all libraries.
Ron Ratliff, Kansas State Univ., Manhattan
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Baker Books
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 080106404X
• ISBN 13: 9780801064043
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 284
• Editor: Schaap James Calvin