A Cry Like a Bell (Wheaton Literary) [Paperback]

Madeleine L'Engle (Author)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Madeleine L'Engle was the author of more than forty-five books for all ages, among them the beloved A Wrinkle in Time, awarded the Newbery Medal; A Ring of Endless Light, a Newbery Honor Book; A Swiftly Tilting Planet, winner of the American Book Award; and the Austin family series of which Troubling a Star is the fifth book. L'Engle was named the 1998 recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards award, honoring her lifetime contribution in writing for teens.

Ms. L'Engle was born in 1918 in New York City. She wrote her first book, The Small Rain, while touring with Eva Le Gallienne in Uncle Harry. She met Hugh Franklin, to whom she was married until his death in 1986, while they were rehearsing The Cherry Orchard, and they were married on tour during a run of The Joyous Season, starring Ethel Barrymore.

Ms. L'Engle retired from the stage after her marriage, and the Franklins moved to northwest Connecticut and opened a general store. After a decade in Connecticut, the family returned to New York.

After splitting her time between New York City and Connecticut and acting as the librarian and writer-in-residence at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Madeleine L’Engle died on September 7, 2007 at the age of 88.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Shaw Books (March 7, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877881480
• ISBN-13: 978-0877881483
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.3 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #987,954 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #18 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Protestantism > Inspirational
  • #38 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Fiction & Poetry > Poetry
  • #52 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Inspirational & Religious

More About the Author

Madeleine L'Engle, the popular author of many books for children and adults, has interspersed her writing and teaching career with raising three children, maintaining an apartment in New York and a farmhouse of charming confusion which is called "Crosswicks."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Adds depth to stories of Biblical characters, April 23, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: A Cry Like a Bell (Wheaton Literary) (Paperback)

A Cry Like a Bell is a book of poems from the point of view of Biblical "characters", including animals (such as the ram caught in the thicket in the story of Abraham and Isaac). Madeleine L'Engle's ability to present things from the heart of each person, from Eve and Moses to Mary Magdalene and Barnabas, adds emotion and depth to the stories. The thoughts of characters who are merely mentioned in the Bible gave me the most to consider and empathize with. The fifth star in the rating is missing due to the comparison to her best works (such as Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art, my personal favorite).

4.0 out of 5 stars A Yearly Read., October 30, 2011

By 

Kathy S. Garrett (Tempe, Arizona United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Cry Like a Bell (Wheaton Literary) (Paperback)

I've read a lot of poetry over the years, and still do. While I've read many poets that I've liked, I rarely re-visit their work. Sometimes. There are a few poets that I do re-visit. Madeleine L'Engle's A Cry Like a Bell is one book that I do re-read pretty much yearly, sometimes more often. For me, the poems resonate.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful poetry, March 31, 2011

By 

A. Stevick - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Cry Like a Bell (Wheaton Literary) (Paperback)

I LOVE this book. I usually don't care much for poetry, but every single poem in this book has touched me in some way. I read it often, recommend it often, and have given many copies away to friends.