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    Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art
    Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art
    Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art
    Audiobook6 hours

    Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art

    Written by Madeleine L'Engle

    Narrated by Pamela Almand

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    In this classic book, Madeleine L’Engle addresses the questions, What makes art Christian? What does it mean to be a Christian artist? What is the relationship between faith and art? Through L’Engle’s beautiful and insightful essay, readers will find themselves called to what the author views as the prime tasks of an artist: to listen, to remain aware, and to respond to creation through one’s own art.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateMar 6, 2018
    ISBN9781543629989
    Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art
    Author

    Madeleine L'Engle

    Madeleine L'Engle (1918-2007) was the Newbery Medal-winning author of more than 60 books, including the much-loved A Wrinkle in Time. Born in 1918, L'Engle grew up in New York City, Switzerland, South Carolina and Massachusetts. Her father was a reporter and her mother had studied to be a pianist, and their house was always full of musicians and theater people. L'Engle graduated cum laude from Smith College, then returned to New York to work in the theater. While touring with a play, she wrote her first book, The Small Rain, originally published in 1945. She met her future husband, Hugh Franklin, when they both appeared in The Cherry Orchard. Upon becoming Mrs. Franklin, L'Engle gave up the stage in favor of the typewriter. In the years her three children were growing up, she wrote four more novels. Hugh Franklin temporarily retired from the theater, and the family moved to western Connecticut and for ten years ran a general store. Her book Meet the Austins, an American Library Association Notable Children's Book of 1960, was based on this experience. Her science fantasy classic A Wrinkle in Time was awarded the 1963 Newbery Medal. Two companion novels, A Wind in the Door and A Swiftly Tilting Planet (a Newbery Honor book), complete what has come to be known as The Time Trilogy, a series that continues to grow in popularity with a new generation of readers. Her 1980 book A Ring of Endless Light won the Newbery Honor. L'Engle passed away in 2007 in Litchfield, Connecticut.

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    Reviews for Walking on Water

    4.5/5

    227 ratings12 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Mrs L’Engle taught me much about how to be who I want to be. She is a great writer and has great understanding as well as the gift to write.
    • 5/5
      I can't believe I haven't read this till now! This book is nuanced, balanced, full of references to a broad variety of respected writers, artists, and thinkers, yet readable, approachable, and personable. It is freeing, convicting, poignant, and profound. So many layers and areas of truth. This is much more than a handbook on creativity. It is a meditation and conversation on the depths of humanity, spirituality, and creative expression.
    • 5/5
      This was such a wonderful listen! I had to keep a pad of paper close by to jot down notes. ❤️
    • 5/5
      I loved this book! The author - best-known for her children's novel 'A Wrinkle in Time' - reflects on art, and her beliefs, and the writing process. It's just short snippets, gathered together in chapters, but I found some of them very thought-provoking.

      Highly recommended for anyone who ever wondered what 'Christian art' might be - or even whether such a concept exists - or who is involved in any way in creative work such as music, art or writing.

      When I'd finished it, I went back and re-read the first chapter. I'm sure I shall be dipping into this regularly in future.
    • 5/5
      There are a handful of writer's resources I go to when I get discouraged or feel stupid: Walking on Water, King's On Writing, and... Hm, maybe that's all. This book may be more Christian-centric than other resources. But L'Engle has an expansive and compassionate understanding of her religious foundation, as well as a rich cultural understanding of art, and I would encourage any writer to take a look at her ideas. She basically reminds us that writing serves something not entirely graspable by the conscious, rational mind; that it's hard work; and that humble service to a calling through hard work is all anyone should ever ask of herself. So relax, be grateful you even have a calling, and keep writing.
    • 3/5
      Very interesting. Too bad she never states she was not orthodox at all.
    • 5/5
      Madeleine L’Engle portrays Christian artists in the modern world almost as if we live in exile, like the Jews in Babylon. We learn to appreciate the art of the world around us and to care for its artists, whether or not they are believers. We learn to see the underlying hand of God in creation, and in the creations of his creatures. We accept that “bad art is bad religion” because it does not draw us closer to anything true, and that good art might be good religion even when not ostensibly religiously inspired.The author leads readers on a guided tour of aesthetics (from Plato to Tolstoy and beyond), faith (which accepts that which cannot be understood because … and which, therefore, lies very close to story), icons (which express more than can be told), truth (and wisdom), and even the use of the word “he” rather than “he/she.” It’s all told in a gently conversational style, filled with threads of story and prayer, and reminder of a “God who told stories” in the New Testament.We see glimpses of glory as children. Then we grow out of them. L’Engle reminds us that “We are all more than we know,” that fiction is the vehicle of truth, that we need intuition and symbols just as much as we need intellect, and that names are more important than the labels and boxes we place around everything—names give creativity, freedom and identity... and story.Best of all, from my point of view, the author reminds readers that faith invites questions and should never fear them or else it's not quite faith. So I will write my questions in stories of “What if” and rejoice in having read this book.Disclosure: I received a copy from Blogging for Books. I offer my honest review.
    • 4/5
      To write, paint, compose music or poetry is a creative act - it is in fact an act of prayer whether the artist acknowledges the prayer or not, whether he is a person of faith or not. L'Engle writes from her own experiences as a writer and as a person of faith, specifically a Christian, and explores the relationship between the creative expressions of art and the nature of faith. It is as well written as her novels and gives artists especially plenty of food for thought about the relationship between art and faith.
    • 5/5
      This book is one of the best I've read for artists who also happen to have a strong religious faith. L'Engle approaches creativity as a natural response to being created in the image of The Creator. In fact, she explains that most children start out creative, but wander (or are trained) away from these activities. Unlike many Christian "artists" she defines the individual as an artist who happens to be Christian, rather than a Christian who is obligated to produce art as an evangelism tool. What I respected most was her assertion that art designed to evangelize tends to be come across as forced, and is often lower quality because of this.The book is also filled with some great concepts for helping the artist to reconnect or remain connected to creativity. I strongly recommend this to Christian artists of all genres: music, visual, literary, dance, etc. Well worth the read for those interested in becoming the person you were created to be, rather than the one that the Church tells you to be.
    • 5/5
      Madeleine L'Engle's faith and beliefs differ from mine. I was brought up, however, to not automatically reject ideas because they came from different viewpoints from mine. Besides, L'Engle's thoughtful consideration of concepts reveal her to be a seeker, not someone with all the answers. This book is useful for anyone who struggles for self-expression, no matter what the medium, no matter what they believe or don't believe. I have returned to this book again and again.
    • 4/5
      Revelatory insights about the nature of art and how it relates to Faith. Madeleine L'Engle is so honest, she can't help but inspire.
    • 3/5
      Thought-provoking book. From the author of "A Wrinkle in Time", reflections on what it means to be a Christian artist. Not in the sense that "Christian art" is being made, but instead, how is faith involved when an artist who happens to be a Christian creates a work of art? When Bach composes a fugue, or when Michelangelo sculpts a masterpiece? Or, for a more contemporary example, think of U2, a band where at least some of the members considered not persuing a secular career lest it be contrary to their Christian faith. How would their lives and music have been different? Would Bono have had the impact, or been able to accomplish all that he has?In addition to some great thoughts to contemplate, this book is a little gold mine of wonderful quotes on the arts."The author and the reader know each other; they meet on the bridge of words.""Every work of art is the discovery of a new planet; and it may well be a hostile one."