I Guess It's Up To Me To Kick Things Off Here...
So... Here are twenty books for ya'll to consider (I intentionally chose too many and repeated some authors hoping something here would provoke conversation),
Till We Have Faces
Lewis' exploration of love, holiness and longing was though by him to be the best of his stories and it's easy to see why - it's richer and more complex than almost any novel I've ever read.
The Lord of the Rings
Now we come to the only book I know of that's competes in the "rich and complex" category. We all know it's a good story but have you taken the time to explore the themes of Mercy vs. Justice, Evil's Effect on the World and the Role of Providence?
Watership Down
The best adventure/dystopian/pilgrim's-progress/folk-story/parable starring rabbits ever written!
The Man Who Was Thursday
Plato's concept of philosopher kings was interesting, G. K. Chesterton's philosopher policeman are just plain cool.
Brendan
Buechner's bawdy romp through the life of St. Brendan the Navigator leaves us scratching our heads at why the roman catholic church doesn't call us saints and, more importantly, why God does.
The Storm
The most moving story of forgiveness I've come across in a long, long time.
Fahrenheit 451
What would the future be like without books? Bradbury offers gives one possible answer in this startling dystopian masterpiece.
On the Road with the Archangel
In the tradition of the brothers Grimm and other weavers of fairy tales Buechner offers reflections on things like love, prayer and relationships in a tale that is pure joy, from start to finish.
Some Others To Consider (Without Capsal Reveiws):
Cry, the Beloved Country
Godric
The Last Battle
The Great Divorce
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Short Stories, Flannery O'Connor
To Kill A Mocking Bird
Perelandra
A Wrinkle in Time
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
Sophie's World
posted by Andrew Price @ 4:42 p.m.
14 comments
14 Comments:
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Well, you beat me to the punch for most I'd suggest, but I've got a few other suggestions. What about The Giver? Also, I think The Back Of The North Wind merits a mention.
Also, since you wanted to provoke conversation, I'll be provocative (no, just kidding. I'll just contribute to the life of this discussion).
For one thing, we've got to come up with a few more books, because, I don't necessarily think that C.S. Lewis or Fredrick Buechner merit 4 places a piece on this list. There are so many great authors to put on this list from the 20th century, that we've got to make room for all of them, so I suggest no more than two mentions per author.
Two other things, and then I'll be done, first, although I am also an enormous fan of the Book, Fahrenheit 451, I would say to take it off of the list, because, although very thought provoking, it doesn't delve very deep into the spiritual realm, and therefore would not be, in my book anyway (pun intended), a candidate for one of the most spiritually enriching books of the 20th century.
And that brings me to my last thought, which is that I think we should change the name of the list to something more along the lines of 'The Top 20 most spiritually enriching novels of the 20th century', as that seems to be the direction this list is moving in.
Oh, and all of these things I've said are not to start arguments, but simply to join in the discussion.
So, come on people, join in!
Good, good. Glad to get some feedback.
You said I should maybe limit the authors to two, actually if you look at my earlier post, you'll see that I suggested that we have only one book per author. I just put an excess to get the ball rolling, looks like it worked too.
About 451, I was just trying to get some Bradbury out there, I didn't put much hope in SWTWComes because I'm pretty sure that I'm the only fan of it around here.
As for the name, what's in a name? Change it as much as you want, my only concern is that Pilgrim At Tinker Creek would be excluded from a strictly "novels" list. That's why I said that "creative non-fiction" would be acceptable too. This would also leave room for poetry, if someone where so inclined as to suggest some.
One book per author is fine by me, also, I'm a big-time fan of SWTWC, and would be remorse to see it leave this list.
And by name, sound's good. I didn't know Pilgrim at tinker's creek was non-fiction.
Wow, great news! (about SWTWC) Hey I've got a great idea, why not turn this into "Joel's and Foolish Knight's Favs" because it seems that, really, no one else cares in the least! (joke)
Yeah! No kidding! What happened to the rest of Mere Image?
And this isn't only for Mere Image folks either! Anyone can submit!
I just wanted to run it by Joel and Superman first, now that is been approved THE POLLS ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE, do you hear me people?
Oh, and Joel, I think The Giver would be OK, but maybe not "top ten" material. I've never read North Wind before, to my shame.
Guys,
I'm here! Though I just arrived (figuratively speaking). It sounds like to me that you are off to a great start! Even though I haven't read most of the books you all were talking about (maybe I should work on that) so I really couldn't say one way or the other.
I was wondering if you (whoever that might be) could tell me what G.K.C. was trying to tell me in The Man Who Was Thursday. I got the part about order vs. disorder. But was there something more?
Well, I can't exactly give it all away, but a lot of it has to do what we as Christians do in our lives. How we weather the storm, how the Peace of God is found in the most Chaotic part of life (allusion to sunday, think about it). Also, how we as Christians "disguise ourselves" from each other, how we are afraid to say who we really are, because we are in a dangerous place that we don't know what to do in. Like the part where Syme says that when he saw sunday's face from behind, it seemed hideous and awful, but when he saw the face in hindsight, it seemed a wonderful, tender, father-like face. Kind of like when we experience something bad in life, we tend to question God, and we see it as something terrible, but when we look back at that experience, we see that the peace of Christ was with us in a tender way, and that He was using it to make us stronger and better. Also, with all of the nonsense notes, doesn't it seem like God leaves us with cryptic messages throughout our lives? We don't understand them at the time, it seems he's just being facetious, but when we reach the end, all is well. Even the part where Sunday says that men have sought after him for all of time, and have not caught him, it is like us chasing after the peace of God, and not being able to find it, when in fact it is in the very thing we abhor the most, many times. A lot of allusions in it, you'll have to go back and see it for yourself though.
That's what I'm talking about, Joel! That's real discussion! That's dialog! Is anyone as excited as I am right now? Woo HOO!
(cough)
Uh, I mean; Good job Joel. Thoughtful words.
Thank you so very much! It makes a lot more senses now. Maybe I should read it again (some time in the next ten years).
So thats what he meant I see now.
glad to clear everyone's minds.
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