Customer Reviews

Reading with Deeper Eyes: the Love of Literature and the Life of Faith

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Will Willimon has never been shy in expressing his opinions, and he expresses himself very well. Willimon traces the spiritual journey by looking at ten literary works. He begins with the image of the spiritual quest from the Odyssey, takes us into some of the despair voiced by characters in the work of Flannery O'Connor and Walker Percy, moves us into the possibilities offered by Anne Tyler in Saint Maybe, and ends with a gifted reading of Mariette in Ecstasy, an overlooked novel by Ron Hansen. It is a pilgrim's progress traced through some surprising literary works.

Willimon makes the salient point that God pops up in literature sometimes to the surprise of an author and perhaps even despite the author. He also offers a crusty opinion of "Christian fiction."

After reading the book and enjoying Willimon's references and summaries of the work s discussed, I found myself wanting to read or reread the original works.

I think this will be an excellent book for groups that want to unpack literature or who want to read the literature from a different perspective. I imagine that even church and Sunday school groups will find Willimon's work quite helpful.

I was part of an adult group that read this book. We enjoyed Willimon's wit and shared some of his opinions. He made us think.

I disagree with his interpretation of John Updike's book. In the Beauty of the Lilies is not about spiritual sloth! It deals with institutionalism in the church and the failings of family, particularly as shaped by the 20th century's media. I suppose Dr. Willimon and I might debate that issue.

On the other hand, I felt good to see references to The Odyssey and felt even better to meet a new author in Willimon's work. After reading Willimon, I found Ron Hansen's Mariette in Ecstasy. It is even more awesome, wondrous, and mystical than Willimon described it! Thanks for the book!

Willimon is not stuffy in his opinions about literature. He is not stuffy in describing his faith journey or the spiritual journey as he sees it described in works of literature. This is the kind of book that should form the basis of church teachings, even sermons, because Willimon writes unashamedly of his loves: God, the Bible, and many good books.

This book is written by a Christian who has written this book to defend reading literature of all kinds. He explains that in every piece of literature there is quality learning and that censorship is bad no matter how you phrase it. He sums up a number of books that churches might frown on but all of which are quality reads. Examples are: Revelation, a short story by Flannery O'Conner, Blood of the Lamb by Peter deVries, In the Beauty of the Lilies by John Updike and several more. I found his insight into literature to be quite good and have committed to reading all the books he comments on.