Dear Madeleine L’Engle died yesterday. She was 88. I read her classic tale (the one the publishers warned would probably fail), A Wrinkle in Time as a tween, and felt alive. So then I read A Wind in the Door, and Many Waters. Like C.S. Lewis, she had a way of dignifying children by writing phenomenal stories that called out our imagination. I would like to read every last one of the 60 books she published in her wild lifetime.
Reading this gorgeous NY Times article made me love her even more.
The Washington Post unearthed this fantastic anecdote:
She once told National Public Radio that she was in a phase of searching for a better understanding of theology when “I just came across a phrase of Einstein’s, which completely excited me. He said, ‘Anyone who is not lost in rapturous awe at the power and glory of the mind behind the universe is as good as a burned-out candle.’
“And I thought, ‘Oh! There’s my theologian.’ “
(Image quote from Douglas Martin, NY Times, 9/8/07)
Now that just completely rocks!
Now that just completely rocks!
awww…she was a very wise lady.
I’m gonna put that in my blog now, too.
I love her. she was a shining star. she wrote this amazing book about writing and I can’t find it or remember the title. That’s so like me. Why even bring it up huh. I want to be that kind of artist. The Madeleine kind.
I love her. she was a shining star. she wrote this amazing book about writing and I can’t find it or remember the title. That’s so like me. Why even bring it up huh. I want to be that kind of artist. The Madeleine kind.
to spence farmer: you would want either “Story As Truth” or “Walking on Water.” Both are books by Madeleine L’Engle on writing and both are amazing. I, too, am attempting to read through her books and am up to over 30 now of her 62
“the Madeleine kind” I want that too!
When I found out about her death, I thought of you. Old dormroom conversations about her sassiness, a sassiness that made us feel like not such a lonely breed of Christ followers. I am glad you are having such an inspiring month. I look forward to talking to you about it Stateside.