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Speak What We Feel: Not What We Ought to Say
by
Frederick Buechner (Goodreads Author)
Four Unexpected Prophets Who Shine Light into the Darkness
Paperback, 176 pages
Published
August 31st 2004
by HarperOne
(first published 2001)
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This is a review of the lives of Shakespeare, Twain, Chesterton, and Hopkins (in reverse order). The review of Hopkins was magnificent, and the rest were good. One strong caution: Beuchner seems obsessed with homosexuality. He finds it everywhere. Absolutely everywhere. Had the judges of the Salem Witch Trials found witchcraft the way he finds homosexuality, there wouldn't have been a Puritan left in New England.
I've read this book a couple times over, picking it up when I'm looking for something enjoyable to re-read. Chapter by chapter, Buechner takes four writers and their stories (Gerard Manley Hopkins' later sonnets, Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, G.K. Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday, and William Shakespeare's King Lear) and weaves a discussion around their lives and works, showing how part of the lasting value of these stories comes from the way in which the authors spoke ou...more
I can't say enough about this little gem of a book. It's one of the last books Buechner has written. He briefly examines the lives of Hopkins, Twain, Chesterton, and Shakespeare and draws out some moving reflections on the life of faith. In particular, the chapters on Hopkins, Twain, and Shakespeare are worth reading and re-reading. The short afterword is vintage Buechner- honest, touching, graceful, and so well-written. I've been reading his books for over 10 years now. This last volume almost...more
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This was a fun little treat from Frederick Buechner, although I wouldn't say it's his very best. In it, he takes a biographical-historical approach to analyzing the works of four writers: Gerard Manley Hopkins, Mark Twain, G.K. Chesterton and Shakespeare. He demonstrates (with the same pathos and eloquence that characterize all his works) how the genius of these four men stems from one common source: the profound sadness they all experienced in life. The Afterward induced goosebumps in a way tha...more
Despite the title, this book is not about whining nor about inappropriate speech. It's about discovering meaning for oneself in literature. In particular, Buechner looks at specific works of four of his favorite authors (as well as mine) Gerard Manley Hopkins, Mark Twain, Shakespeare and C. K. Chesterton in search of deeper meaning about Life and Death, Loss and Faith. Besides being a spiritual writer and novelist, Buechner is also an ordained Presyterian minister.
I wish I had written up my thou...more
I wish I had written up my thou...more
Aug 13, 2008
David
is currently reading it
Buechner is one of my favorite writers. Though his most influential work was done in the '80s (ie. the stuff I quote the most), he still writes extremely well crafted and thought provoking novels and essays. I'm not that far into this one, but it seems to meet his high standards.
This work begins with the great quote from Red Smith that writing is really very easy -- "all you have to do is sit down at the typewriter and open a vein." Buechner tells the stories of four writers whose veins were ope...more
This work begins with the great quote from Red Smith that writing is really very easy -- "all you have to do is sit down at the typewriter and open a vein." Buechner tells the stories of four writers whose veins were ope...more
Literary criticism at its best! This book fits a pretty narrow spectrum, but for my purposes I think it's pretty much a perfect work of literary criticism. Warning: I read a bit of Buechner while in my 30's and realized I would need more life experience to appreciate him. If you don't connect with him yet, put him on your "to read" shelf and pick him up in a decade or two. You'll find a friend.
Apr 27, 2010
Catherine
marked it as to-read
Excited to read this book. The title comes from one of the closing lines of King Lear, which of course whets my appetite further. And to top it all off, I was once assigned an excerpt my senior year of lit class by my teacher Allan Brooke. So there you have it.
I think I had a different expectation going into reading this that changed my opinion. There's a lot of literary analysis, which is perfectly fine, I just thought he would expand more on writing and speaking what we feel rather than explaining how other writers did it.
part 4 on king lear. have never before read literary analysis written with such love and with the weight of personal significance as if a play matters.
Classic Buechner! It was fun reconnecting with him after a period of years. Well worth the read.
Very enjoyable -- gave me a greater appreciation for The Man who was Thursday. I thought his examples with Mark Twain were the best, as Twain's own story fits best with Huckleberry Finn. Shakespeare, on the other hand, was a bit thin.
This is one of the most intimate and revealing books I've ever read by Buechner.
a phenomenal work of practical, grounded, historical criticism. highly recommended.
Very important book for directing my reading.
Buechner challenges and blesses on every page.
this book changed my life.
Like Saskatchewan, Buechner
Jun 17, 2007
Donovan
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
spirituality,
booksaboutbooks
Great profiles of four writers - but that isn't the beauty of the book - it is Buechners wonderful sparse writing - full of meaning.
An incredibly insightful book about four of history's most gifted and haunted authors. It was enlightening and educational!
Jun 07, 2013
Ann
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May 08, 2013
Mary catherine
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May 03, 2013
James Mihills
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Apr 29, 2013
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Apr 28, 2013
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Bryan
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Frederick Buechner is a highly influential writer and theologian who has won awards for his poetry, short stories, novels and theological writings. His work pioneered the genre of spiritual memoir, laying the groundwork for writers such as Anne Lamott, Rob Bell and Lauren Winner.
His first book, A Long Day's Dying, was published to acclaim just two years after he graduated from Princeton. He entere...more
More about Frederick Buechner...
His first book, A Long Day's Dying, was published to acclaim just two years after he graduated from Princeton. He entere...more
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