Imagination & Spirit: A Contemporary Quaker Reader (Paperback)

by J. Brent Bill (Author) "Spiritual essayist Thomas Kelly was born at the end of the nineteenth century, wrote in the twentieth and is widely read in the twenty-first..." (more)
Key Phrases: mild religion, holy obedience, Jesus Christ, New York, George Fox (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
It's high time the traditional Publishers of Truth as Quakers originally called themselves published something for today's general readers outside the Quaker fold. Bill's anthology picks up where the Quaker Reader (edited by novelist Jessamyn West) left, focusing on writings from the latter half of the 20th century. The prose mix is lively: nonfiction devotional slices from modern mystic Thomas Kelly are served up along with such fiction as an excerpt from the murder mystery Quaker Testimony by Irene Allen, pen name for geologist Elsa Kirsten Peters. Such dizzying range makes the point that contemporary Quakers liberal, pastoral, evangelical can be mildly or wildly different despite common core beliefs in peace, simplicity, truth telling and ongoing divine revelation. At the same time it offers excerpts from such better known Quaker believers as James Michener and Richard Foster, the anthology introduces such unsung writers as children's book specialist Elfrida Vipont Foulds, one of a notably large cadre of women who have always been empowered in Quaker tradition to speak or write. Anthologies are necessarily arbitrary, acknowledges editor Bill, an Earlham College writing program graduate who provides helpful biographical introductions. Still, the influential writer-educator Parker Palmer should have been included. However, this collection is a welcome reminder that the small Society of Friends, as Quakers are also known, continues to offer creative and relevant witness to the truth as found within and practiced in community.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
The influence of the Religious Society of Friends, better known as the Quakers, has far exceeded its perennially small membership, especially in terms of the written word. For instance, the journals of George Fox and William Penn are classics of devotional literature. As the subtitle indicates, Imagination & Spirit is not meant to be comprehensive. Editor Bill has chosen modern writings first published by mainstream, not religious specialty, publishers or that have proven popular in the general marketplace. Many may be surprised to learn that some very popular authors were Quakers, including Jessamyn West, whose story "Music on the Muscatatuck" comes from her classic The Friendly Persuasion (1945), and James A. Michener, represented by an excerpt from the novel Chesapeake (1978). Nonfiction comes from such earlier twentieth-century inspirational stars as D. Elton Trueblood and Thomas R. Kelley and contemporaries such as David Yount, Richard J. Foster, Scott Russell Sanders, and Philip Gulley, author of the best-selling Harmony books. A sampling that graciously introduces Quaker faith to Friends and non-Friends alike. June Sawyers
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Friends United Press; First edition (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0944350615
• ISBN-13: 978-0944350614
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #622,875 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars what you didn't know about Quaker's, January 10, 2003

By	Aaron R. Spiegel (Indianapolis, IN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Imagination & Spirit is a great read and a wonderful education. I thought that I knew something about Quakerism and the Society of Friends. After reading Imagination & Spirit I have discovered that what I knew was only the surface of the wonderful traditions, practice and customs of Quakers.

Do not get the impression that this is a textbook on Quaker traditions; it is far from that. The educational component is presented stealthily, through Bill's accomplished selection of writings and his wonderful introductions to each author and each story. The book includes selections from a wide historical and style range of Quaker authors including D. Elton Trueblood, Jessamyn West, James A. Michener, Scott Russell Sanders, and Philip Gulley. The selections are marvelous, but it is Bill's introductions and explanations that really make this book shine.

Before each selection Bill gives a brief biography of the author with emphasis on his or her relationship to Quaker tradition. He also sets up each piece with its relevance to some aspect of Quaker life, such as wrestling with the issue of music or the particularities of a Quaker wedding. I came away from each piece feeling like a masterful teacher had just hoodwinked me into learning something about Quakers. Congratulations to Brent Bill for masterfully weaving together a collection of literature from the prolific Quaker tradition.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Splendid Anthology, December 31, 2003

By A Customer

Generally speaking, anthologies promise more than they can deliver. They are like "greatest hits" albums, that often don't contain an artist's best songs. This book, however, captures the width and breadth of Quaker literature. Just as the Catholic tradition has wonderful liturgy (at its best) and Baptists contribute moving gospel hymns, the Quakers have a literary profile second to none. Editor Brent Bill captures the excellence of Quaker literature with a wide variety of authors. The pieces included are diverse, sometimes funny, often moving. And Bill provides introductions that are clear, precise and organized to highlight what the reader should notice in the works. Literature teachers should include this volume in their curriculums. Faith communities should pick this one up and read, discuss, and enjoy. The book is a delight.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Quaker Reader Is Grateful for this Quaker Reader., February 23, 2003

By	Philip H Gulley (Danville, IN United States) - See all my reviews

In Spirit and Imagination, Brent Bill assembles a wide variety of contemporary Quaker writing, and does so superbly. Though his selections cover the gamut, from fiction to non-fiction, each convey God's active and gracious presence in our world. What a hopeful, helpful book.