The Dance of Life: Weaving Sorrows and Blessings Into One Joyful Step [Paperback]

Henri J. M. Nouwen (Author), Michael Ford (Editor)

Product Details

• Paperback: 219 pages
• Publisher: Ave Maria Press (April 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594710872
• ISBN-13: 978-1594710872
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #502,436 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Henri Nouwen was born in Holland in 1932 and ordained a Catholic priest in 1957. He obtained his doctorandus in psychology from Nijmegen University in the Netherlands and taught at Notre Dame, Yale, and Harvard. He experienced the monastic life with Trappist monks at the Abbey of the Genesee, lived among the poor in Latin America with the Maryknoll missioners, and was interested and active in numerous causes related to social justice. After a lifetime of seeking, Henri Nouwen finally found his home in Canada, as pastor of L'Arche Daybreak - where people with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers live together in community.

Henri Nouwen wrote over 40 books on spirituality and the spiritual life that have sold millions of copies and been translated into dozens of languages. His vision of spirituality was broad and inclusive, and his compassion embraced all of humankind.

He died in 1996. His work and his spirit live on.

Henri Nouwen pronounced his name "Henry Now-en." For more information on his life and work, please visit www.henrinouwen.org .

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

88 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life-Changing, January 9, 2007

By 

Z. M. Ridgway (Waco, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dance of Life: Weaving Sorrows and Blessings Into One Joyful Step (Paperback)

This book changed my life. I was so engrossed that I read it in the course of one very intense day - a day filled with insights, with a sense of wonder and beauty and of God's all-sustaining love. It is a book that I will keep returning to for many years.

This is the sort of book that I want to buy a thousand copies of to hand out at street corners. Especially poignant are Nouwen's insights on intimacy, acceptance, and prayer.

The real beauty of Nouwen's teaching is his incredibly accepting and open approach to the self - where we are to celebrate our individuality and to incorporate even our failings and negative emotions into our understanding of ourselves.

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gems from Nouwen, July 30, 2008

By 

Kimberly M. Benson "kiminoz2002" (Wichita, KS) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dance of Life: Weaving Sorrows and Blessings Into One Joyful Step (Paperback)

I've been a Nouwen fan for several months now, having graduated from Merton's Sign of Jonas to Nouwen's Road to Gennessee. Have thoroughly enjoyed his journals and have been touched by his openness and honesty. He is quick to mention his struggles and shortcomings--something we don't often think of when we think of well-known contemplatives and spiritual giants here on earth!

The Dance of Life contains numerous nuggets of spiritual wisdom from books I've yet to read. I'm reading it a bit each night, taking one or two selections as something of a devotional. Don't let the title fool you: there isn't much sorrow, or darkness, only real-life spirituality.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars life-changing, November 4, 2008

By 

Seattleite "Patty" (Seattle USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Dance of Life: Weaving Sorrows and Blessings Into One Joyful Step (Paperback)

It would be difficult to read this book and not come away from it humbled, inspired and satisfied. It is not to be read as a book per se, but rather a compilation of essays to which one could refer back to again and again.