Customer Reviews

And It Was Good: Reflections on Beginnings (Genesis Trilogy)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This wonderful book is Madeline L'Engle's meditations on the Gospel of John and Genesis and how her sprituality relates to her life, bound up in a tale of her sea voyage on a freighter. It reads like much of her fiction, engaging rather than didactic. She does take some unusual approaches to the stories in Genesis, some of which I found a little disturbing, but basically I loved this book, and have reread it many times.

This book wasn't just good, it was brilliant. So far, this is my favorite Madeline L'Engle book because she combines her own personal reflections with her fascinating fiction in a book that was hard to put down. I had to check the date twice to see that it was published in 1984....I was like, "Are you kidding, me?" It reads like it's more contemporary and timely than ever and that is always a good sign with any book (stand the test of time).

I heard about this book through a friend of a friend whom I didn't know and went out on a limb and bought it....and now, I think I may have found another author (apart from Brennan Manning) who is so challenging, insightful and exhilerating, you can't help but sit back, breathe deep and simply thank God for her words.

I live in Grace Presbyterian Village in Dallas, Texas. This is a retirement community like no other. I happened to see this book on a table one day when I was in the main building for my noon lunch. It was there again the next day after I was leaving Bible Study. When it was still there another day I decided that it had not just been forgotten by someone but was one of the many books available for the residents to read. Not knowing who it belonged to and intrigued by the title I took it home to read. I thought at first that it was just a book on Genesis, which to a certain extent it was, but it was more than that. It was more like a journey of the author which she was sharing with her readers. In reading the book of Genesis in the various bibles (mostly Gideon's left in rooms or cabins she happened to be in) L'Engle reveals as much about her life as she does about God's creation of the universe. When I finished the book I began to read it again which is something I have never done with a book before. I decided to see if I could get a personal copy for myself as I felt guilty taking something that I didn't know who it belonged to. The young man who was waiting on me at Barnes and Noble and checking to see about the availability of the book remarked that she was absolutely his favorite author however he was not familiar with this book. He was the one who suggested that I might be able to find it through this source. I asked if he had other books by her and he took me to the Young Readers section (a surprise to this 81 yr old "young" reader) where a boxed set of books including His personal all time favorite "A Wrinkle in Time" was the only one on the shelves. I bought it thinking that some of my young readers (grand and great grandkids) might like as birthday or Christmas gifts. The book I ordered arrived one day as I was talking with the Village Chaplain, Tom Tickner, who was about to start his vacation. We had just finished a study on Prayer which I thought he might find interested in L'Engle' comments and so I suggested if he had time to take the book to read when he had more opportunity. He had heard of her but not read any of her work. He returned this week and the first thing he said to me was that he loved the book. He asked if he might keep it awhile in order to make notes for when he begins our next study which will be on the "Lord's Prayer". I myself have begun reading the "Swiftly Tilting Planet" which is mentioned in the book and is definitely a little different style of writing but is thought provoking as well. I will tackle "A Wrinkle in Time" next to see if it is equally as different style of writing. It may be my younger generation relative readers will find it more their cup of tea. I think my daughter in law will like it for sure.
It is probably obvious by now why I titled this review as I did. Unless I had thought that is was good I would not have read it the second time so quickly nor would I have recommended it to my friend Pastor Tom whose opinion I value greatly His reaction that he loved the book is all the reason I need to feel that my take on the book was valid.

"One time, more than thirty years ago, after I had come very close to death, I had a terrible dream which recurred to haunt me for a good many years... I could not light the lights in whatever room I was in." Madeline L'Engle, more famously known for her adolescent oriented semi-science fiction works such as "A Wrinkle in Time" and "A Swiftly Tilting Planet" does not leave us in the dark about her relationship with a God few of us understand.

"And it Was Good" leads the reader on a devotional journey considering the very beginnings of Genesis and our knowledge of the Judeo-Christian God to her own understanding of the eternal nature of this God. We find in these pages a wonderfully-written and very personal reflection on the nature of God and man. "If I believe in the loving Abba to who Jesus prayed, then I must also believe that this loving father is not going to fail with creation, that the glorious triumph of Easter will ultimately be extended to the entire universe."