For forty years, singer and songwriter Bruce Cockburn has been writing beautifully evocative music. Bestselling author and respected theologian Brian Walsh has followed Cockburn's work for years and has written and spoken often on his art. In this creative theological and cultural engagement, Walsh reveals the imaginative depth and uncompromising honesty of the artist's Christian spirituality. Cockburn offers hope in the midst of doubt, struggle, failure, and anger; indeed, the sentiment of "kicking at the darkness" is at the heart of his spirituality. This book engages the rich imagery of Cockburn's lyrics as a catalyst for shaping and igniting a renewed Christian imagination.
Kicking at the Darkness
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||
Browse the best books of summer including blockbusters, beach reads, and editors' picks in our Summer Reading Store. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
Christian Imagination and the Redemptive Work of Bruce Cockburn
"Kicking at the Darkness is a brilliant analysis of forty years of Bruce Cockburn's lyrics and their biblical and religious connections. Brian Walsh's explication is thoroughly researched and logical, and also compelling and entertaining. I read it from start to finish in one evening."
--Joel Goldberg, producer/director of Bruce Cockburn, Pacing the Cage
"Brian Walsh has offered us an enthusiastic celebration of Bruce Cockburn as a postmodern psalmist. Walsh engages in sustained reflection on Cockburn's sometimes dark and obscure lyrics and shows how they reflect a deep Christian sensibility that cherishes creation, groans along with the pain of a corrupted world, and yearns for the final revelation of beauty and justice. Longtime fans of Cockburn like me will find fresh shafts of light falling on familiar words; those who haven't yet discovered Cockburn will find themselves beckoned to encounter a world-changing artistic vision."
--Richard B. Hays, Duke Divinity School
"Brian Walsh is not just a theologian; he's a poet and a farmer, a father and a husband. He's an intellectual who likes good music; he's a lover of culture and a critic of culture. In this book, Walsh examines a musical legend and shows us how Bruce Cockburn's work can point us to God and to God's redemptive action in the world."
--Shane Claiborne, author, activist, and recovering sinner, www.thesimpleway.org
"I've been listening to Cockburn for three decades and reading Walsh almost that long, and I can hardly imagine surviving these times, let alone believing that joy will find a way, without the artistry and insight of both. This is an extraordinarily ambitious project, years in the making, and there is profound insight on every page. I recommend it with great enthusiasm and with immense gratitude."
--Byron Borger, Hearts & Minds Books
"What happens when one of the planet's leading Christian thinkers and writers engages with one of the planet's most brilliant songwriters and musicians? You'll find out when you read Kicking at the Darkness, Brian Walsh's new book about the music of Bruce Cockburn. I'm a dedicated fan of both of these men and I savored each page of this tremendous book."
--Brian McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christianity and Naked Spirituality
"Kicking at the Darkness is a brilliant analysis of forty years of Bruce Cockburn's lyrics and their biblical and religious connections. Brian Walsh's explication is thoroughly researched and logical, and also compelling and entertaining. I read it from start to finish in one evening."
--Joel Goldberg, producer/director of Bruce Cockburn, Pacing the Cage
"Brian Walsh has offered us an enthusiastic celebration of Bruce Cockburn as a postmodern psalmist. Walsh engages in sustained reflection on Cockburn's sometimes dark and obscure lyrics and shows how they reflect a deep Christian sensibility that cherishes creation, groans along with the pain of a corrupted world, and yearns for the final revelation of beauty and justice. Longtime fans of Cockburn like me will find fresh shafts of light falling on familiar words; those who haven't yet discovered Cockburn will find themselves beckoned to encounter a world-changing artistic vision."
--Richard B. Hays, Duke Divinity School
"Brian Walsh is not just a theologian; he's a poet and a farmer, a father and a husband. He's an intellectual who likes good music; he's a lover of culture and a critic of culture. In this book, Walsh examines a musical legend and shows us how Bruce Cockburn's work can point us to God and to God's redemptive action in the world."
--Shane Claiborne, author, activist, and recovering sinner, www.thesimpleway.org
"I've been listening to Cockburn for three decades and reading Walsh almost that long, and I can hardly imagine surviving these times, let alone believing that joy will find a way, without the artistry and insight of both. This is an extraordinarily ambitious project, years in the making, and there is profound insight on every page. I recommend it with great enthusiasm and with immense gratitude."
--Byron Borger, Hearts & Minds Books
"What happens when one of the planet's leading Christian thinkers and writers engages with one of the planet's most brilliant songwriters and musicians? You'll find out when you read Kicking at the Darkness, Brian Walsh's new book about the music of Bruce Cockburn. I'm a dedicated fan of both of these men and I savored each page of this tremendous book."
--Brian McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christianity and Naked Spirituality
About the Author
Brian J. Walsh (PhD, McGill University) is the bestselling author or coauthor of several books, including The Transforming Vision, Truth Is Stranger Than It Used to Be, and Colossians Remixed. He is a chaplain at the University of Toronto and an adjunct professor of theology of culture at Wycliffe College in Toronto, Ontario.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
Share your thoughts with other customers
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Confession time: Before reading this book, I was vaguely familiar with Bruce Cockburn, and may have only heard his music a handful of times. Not by intent, but somehow missing the connection between my listening ear, and the radio stations play lists.
Think of your favourite (favorite for my American brethren) musical artists. Now think of the first time you ever listened to your favourite artist. For many of us, that first moment was a virtual explosion of emotion and nerve-tingling excitement.
Brian Walsh's chronicles of Cockburn's musical journey provides a window into those nerve-tingling experiences. Dr. Walsh describes Cockburn as a modern-day theologian (we need more of them!), and Bruce's lyrics provide the bridge between us, and God.
Dr. Walsh didn't write this book over a summer holiday. It took him years to compile, journal, reflect, and gather insights into what Cockburn was attempting to show us, through his artistic gifts.
If you're a long-time Cockburn fan, this is a book that will help you dig deeper into the true meaning of Cockburn's music. If you haven't (yet) experienced Bruce Cockburn and his four decades of musical blessings, this book should wet your appetite.
Blessings!
Think of your favourite (favorite for my American brethren) musical artists. Now think of the first time you ever listened to your favourite artist. For many of us, that first moment was a virtual explosion of emotion and nerve-tingling excitement.
Brian Walsh's chronicles of Cockburn's musical journey provides a window into those nerve-tingling experiences. Dr. Walsh describes Cockburn as a modern-day theologian (we need more of them!), and Bruce's lyrics provide the bridge between us, and God.
Dr. Walsh didn't write this book over a summer holiday. It took him years to compile, journal, reflect, and gather insights into what Cockburn was attempting to show us, through his artistic gifts.
If you're a long-time Cockburn fan, this is a book that will help you dig deeper into the true meaning of Cockburn's music. If you haven't (yet) experienced Bruce Cockburn and his four decades of musical blessings, this book should wet your appetite.
Blessings!
14 of 21 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars
Sad, Confused, Vague, and above all.....lacking a Thelology of any kind...
January 1, 2012
By J.P. Randall
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've loved the music of Bruce Cockburn for nearly 35 years now. I've always enjoyed Bruces music, his arrangements, magnificent playing and his voice. This book by Brian Walsh, however, seems more to be an attempt at idol worship and approaching the object of his passion with answers, no, not answers, insights, but suggested insights, but maybe not the insights of the writer, blah, blah, blah......Buy Bruces CDs, enjoy them, keep them and if you want a sound theology....spend your time elsewhere, and you'll begin to understand where "we are"......Bob Dylan said more in his quote..."You don't need a weatherman to see which way the wind blows" , than this author did in this absolutely dry , vague and boring volume. Bruce Cockburn is a gift to us, but the comparisons to prophets, especially Biblical ones, is way ridiculous....Everyone can "claim" a theology, most are simply opinions...like this review. Unless grounded in something substantial, they don't weigh much. JPR
By Allan Byer
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I loved this book about Bruce's work, although the jump to the premise that Bruce's work somehow rekindles the "Christian imagination" was at times a bit much. I do appreciate that the author did mention several times that Bruce no longer declares himself to be only a Christian. digging into the songs and the mysteries of Bruce's work was fascinating. I recommend this book for any Bruce Cockburn fan, but also advise reading Jim Heald's "World of Wonders" which takes a more open view of interpreting BC's spirituality expressed in his songs.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Familiarity breeds pleasure
If you are familiar with Bruce Cockburn , and Religion , this can be a very strong read! It's been very benificial in my "re-learning" experience ! Read more
Published 10 months ago by Gregory C. Ward
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good writing but vague
Walsh does a credible job of cataloging Cockburn's music through the decades, but overall it's basically a music review of the singer's albums. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Joel Holtz
4.0 out of 5 stars
Window into Bruce Cockburn's Worldview
A friend of mine once said that there is no such thing as 'Christian music' or 'non-Christian music.' Instead, there is only 'good' or 'bad' music. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Dr Conrade Yap
3.0 out of 5 stars
OK
This is OK, but not as good as I anticipated. The book spends a lot of time worshiping Bruce's lyrics as if he is some kind of prophet, over adulation I think. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Jeffrey C. Mcandrew
