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A Circle of Quiet (Crosswicks Journals #1)
This journal shares fruitful reflections on life and career prompted by the author's visit to her personal place of retreat near her country home.
Published
(first published 1971)
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oh was I surprised by how much I adored this book, how much it launched my spirits, my curiosity, my desire to write and to immerse myself in art. Not a book to breeze through, but one to digest. L'Engle wrote this journal in 1972; I wondered whether some of her concerns and observations about culture would be dated -- hardly. She cuts through so many assumptions we carry, challenges them honestly. I hope one day I can face the world with such grounded certainty, such room for mystery, such a la...more
I've grown up reading Madeline L'Engle's writing. I don't remember exactly when I first read A Wrinkle in Time, but I think it's safe to say I was in elementry school, both exhilarated by life and by learning, and uncertain of where I fit into anything, especially with my peers. I'm just now realizing that for most of my life until the past few years, I've felt like my existence in this world was somewhat of a mistake.
I've turned to Wrinkle and the other books in the Time Quartet over the years...more
I've turned to Wrinkle and the other books in the Time Quartet over the years...more
This book is about teaching children, writing, family and community, the modern world, love, religion and some other things. I don't agree with L'Engle on lots of things, but I agree with her on lots of other things, and I came away from the book feeling refreshed, revived.
Other favourite books on living I'd tag as self-help:
The Importance of Living by Lin Yutang
A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf (a book about writing is basically a book about living)
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran -- this...more
Other favourite books on living I'd tag as self-help:
The Importance of Living by Lin Yutang
A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf (a book about writing is basically a book about living)
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran -- this...more
A Circle of Quiet, Madeleine L=Engle
Madeleine L=Engle=s book is part journal, part memoir, part commentary on our times (copyright 1972), part writing instruction, part "how to become an adult." Great writing/storyteller.
QUOTES from A Circle of Quiet
p.28
Better or worse is immaterial. The thing is that it has to be said; by me; ontologically. We each have to say it, to say it our own way. Not of our own will, but as it comes out through us. Good or bad, great or little: that isn't what human crea...more
Madeleine L=Engle=s book is part journal, part memoir, part commentary on our times (copyright 1972), part writing instruction, part "how to become an adult." Great writing/storyteller.
QUOTES from A Circle of Quiet
p.28
Better or worse is immaterial. The thing is that it has to be said; by me; ontologically. We each have to say it, to say it our own way. Not of our own will, but as it comes out through us. Good or bad, great or little: that isn't what human crea...more
Jul 13, 2012
Deborah Duke
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
becpl,
nonfiction
This memoir reads like a collection of essays. It is a book to be read slowly and digested. Some of the ideas were a bit difficult, and I did not agree with everything that I did understand. Overall, I enjoyed the book. Here are some of the quotes I liked:
"It is our bones, our structure which frees us to dance, to make love. Without our structure we would be an imprisoned, amorphous blob of flesh, incapable of response. The amoeba has a minimum of structure, but I doubt if it has much fun." pg....more
"It is our bones, our structure which frees us to dance, to make love. Without our structure we would be an imprisoned, amorphous blob of flesh, incapable of response. The amoeba has a minimum of structure, but I doubt if it has much fun." pg....more
Thank you, my dear Marie, for giving this to me. I think it will end up one of the most important books I have ever read.
I was surprised that this book ventured into such deep spiritual/philosophical themes, because I had assumed it would be a pretty straight memoir. Instead, L'Engle ventures into topics ranging from art and writing, to teaching, to children, to mystery, to imagination, to religion - anything anyone with any curiosity would love to hear. The style of it is pondering; she says th...more
I was surprised that this book ventured into such deep spiritual/philosophical themes, because I had assumed it would be a pretty straight memoir. Instead, L'Engle ventures into topics ranging from art and writing, to teaching, to children, to mystery, to imagination, to religion - anything anyone with any curiosity would love to hear. The style of it is pondering; she says th...more
i think i may be destined to seek wisdom through madeleine l'engle's books my entire life. for me, reading anything she's written, whether it's fantasy, coming-of-age novels, or her memoirs, makes me feel incredibly comforted. her work is my literary equivalent of being wrapped in a blanket and given a cup of tea. her insights into every topic that she explores blow me away. she's decidedly not an intellectual, and yet is so damn smart, thoughtful and articulate. this book for me expressed so we...more
First of all I have to say that I'm not a huge fan of "A Wrinkle in Time". I just didn't like it that much. But this here's a whole different book, isn't it?
A mom I was acquainted with quite a few years ago said she was really really enjoying this book. Talked it up so much that I put it on my "to read" list. It's been there for a long time. I read a few reviews of fans on Goodreads and a lot of people just really loved it. I know the ideas on religion, philosophy, writing, parenting, teaching...more
A mom I was acquainted with quite a few years ago said she was really really enjoying this book. Talked it up so much that I put it on my "to read" list. It's been there for a long time. I read a few reviews of fans on Goodreads and a lot of people just really loved it. I know the ideas on religion, philosophy, writing, parenting, teaching...more
If you are a writer, a married woman or a parent, or are on the road to being one, you'll want to read this book for it give a person permission to regain one's composure by getting away from the dailies. She writes, "Every so often I need OUT; something will throw me into toal disproportion, and I have to get away from everybody — away from all these people I love most in the world &mdash in order to regain a sense of proportion."
This describes me when I, too, was in the "tired thirties." N...more
This describes me when I, too, was in the "tired thirties." N...more
L'Engle is currently one of my favorite authors, and this book pretty much sums her up. A Circle of Quiet is a book about ontology, the study of the world from a bigger perspective in a bigger sphere ( as defined by me, not Webster.) Enough said, I suppose. This book came at the most perfect time for me, and I definitely was deeply impacted by her journal-like writing that takes the reader through L'Engle's mind as she shares her insights and thoughts.
I was extremely surprised that this book got such great reviews. I felt as though the author was lecturing, preaching, or babbling endless drivel. as Madeleine L'Engle went on describing her life I pictured an old, bored housewife just scribbling her opinions repetatively, neurotically. L'Engle managed to discuss every topic under the sun, including the sun, and yet, failed to hit an interesting point on any of them. My favorite part of the book was when the Brechstein's moved in, causing a majo...more
Ahh, Madeleine. A staple of my childhood, with her Time Quartet (I didn't know about "An Acceptable Time" back then). She appealed to me for all the reasons a good author should: her characters were real and disagreeable yet worthy of admiration, in the end; her plots were full of mystery and adventure, but easy enough to follow; and she understands time. She speaks, in the last chapters of "A Circle of Quiet," about chronos and kairos, and it was her ability to express kairos without turning it...more
This is a personal collection of reflections and journaling from Madeleine L'Engle, who, it turns out, is quite an interesting person. She's one of those authors I wish I'd grown up next door to so we could be lifetime friends. This book, the first of four "Crosswicks Journals," is starting feel its age -- forty years and some -- but there's so much that still grabs me. L'Engle talks about parenting, and Christianity, and punctuation, and small town New England, and she covers this range with ea...more
A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, and A Swiftly Tilting Planet were childhood favorites that sparked my imagination, and I was surprised to find this non-fiction piece by L'Engle in a small, indie bookstore in Duck, NC. (Sidenote: Girls' weekends rock!) I didn't know anything about L'Engle, and this book gave me some insight into her life, her ideas about writing, and her way of viewing the world. It's a balanced mix of literary allusions, personal anecdotes, and philosophical ponderings. I...more
This book took me about a year to read. Seriously. It is a collection of her thoughts and so I'd read a few, then read other books, then return to read some more. Some of the things were over my head (I still don't really know what "ontology" means).
It was a book with passages I underlined so I could return to them. I especially liked her faith in children and it gave me some good advice in parenting. Example: "...[children:] are considerably braver than most grownups. Our responsibility to the...more
It was a book with passages I underlined so I could return to them. I especially liked her faith in children and it gave me some good advice in parenting. Example: "...[children:] are considerably braver than most grownups. Our responsibility to the...more
I read this after visiting a great friend who gave me a copy, and fell in love. I loved that she is a writer and a "normal" person at the same time. The unashamed honest humanity of it. And the beautiful musings on being, and being happy. The passion for ontology. Good for anyone trying to feel peaceful or normal or just wanting to share in someone else's life for a while.
Madeleine L'Engle, herself, saw this book as "essentially small and personal: a letter." About sharing from her journals personal pains and struggles, like when her now-famous book, A Wrinkle in Time, was being rejected by publisher after publisher: “...it may give a little courage to someone else who is going through a similar stretch.” She succeeded.
When she left us last year, I was saddened that now I definitely wouldn't meet her on this earth. The conversational tone of this book made me fe...more
When she left us last year, I was saddened that now I definitely wouldn't meet her on this earth. The conversational tone of this book made me fe...more
Lots of quotable quotes in this book, but it still isn't a favorite of mine.
Looking back at some of my favorite quotes makes me want to read this book again; seems like it has some great perspective for one. But I also remember feeling like it had no core and was rambling.
"How do we teach a child--our own, or those in a classroom--to have compassion: to allow people to be different; to understand that like is not equal; to experiment; to laugh; to love; to accept the fact that the most important...more
Looking back at some of my favorite quotes makes me want to read this book again; seems like it has some great perspective for one. But I also remember feeling like it had no core and was rambling.
"How do we teach a child--our own, or those in a classroom--to have compassion: to allow people to be different; to understand that like is not equal; to experiment; to laugh; to love; to accept the fact that the most important...more
Although I've heard of L'Engle, I don't recall ever reading any of her books, even the more famous Wrinkle in Time. I got this book on a whim and now it's one I won't part with.
Circle is book one of the Crosswicks Journals. I had, wrongly, assumed this was fiction but found that this series of books are pulled from L'Engle's personal journals. Judging from the journals alone, what a fascinating, intelligent, and insightful woman! I ended up writing in this book quite a bit and have already went...more
Circle is book one of the Crosswicks Journals. I had, wrongly, assumed this was fiction but found that this series of books are pulled from L'Engle's personal journals. Judging from the journals alone, what a fascinating, intelligent, and insightful woman! I ended up writing in this book quite a bit and have already went...more
I liked this book enormously. I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could. One quote I highlighted...
"So my hope, each day as I grow older, is that this will never be simply chronological aging-which is a nuisance..... -but that I will also grow into maturity where the experience which can be acquired only through chronology will teach me how to be more aware, open, unafraid to be vulnerable, involved, committed, to accept disagreement without feeling threatened (repeat and underline this one), to understa...more
"So my hope, each day as I grow older, is that this will never be simply chronological aging-which is a nuisance..... -but that I will also grow into maturity where the experience which can be acquired only through chronology will teach me how to be more aware, open, unafraid to be vulnerable, involved, committed, to accept disagreement without feeling threatened (repeat and underline this one), to understa...more
I stumbled across L'Engle's book thinking it was a journal/memoir, but it is so much more than that. L'Engle ponders deep questions relating to art, spirituality, and the creative process, and I found her insights to be thought-provoking and a great kick in the pants for a sporadic writer like me.
I have many, many underlined quotes, but here is one of my favorites:
"A great painting, or symphony, or play, doesn't diminish us, but enlarges us, and we, too, want to make our own cry of affirmation t...more
I have many, many underlined quotes, but here is one of my favorites:
"A great painting, or symphony, or play, doesn't diminish us, but enlarges us, and we, too, want to make our own cry of affirmation t...more
I bought all three of Madeleine L'Engle's diary/memoirs because I have a bizarre ambivalent love/hate of her children's books, and wanted to know more about her personally in hopes of working that out. I haven't worked up the desire yet to read any of them, yet, though.
This is one of the better books I've read in a long time, yet I can't figure out to whom I would recommend it. It's one of those books that is deeply meditative and thoughtful and moving, but only when you're in the right place to receive it. I checked it out from the library twice only to return it without making it past the first 20 pages. But the third time....oh I'm so glad I persevered!
I can't even tell you the book's theme. It's mostly a sampling of L'Engle's journal entries, cleaned up an...more
I can't even tell you the book's theme. It's mostly a sampling of L'Engle's journal entries, cleaned up an...more
I was listening to a lecture by Susan Wise Bauer on teaching literary criticism and was struck by her argument that one should never get a child to analyze a book they love - because it will kill that love.
That's how I feel about this book. I feel that I would lose some of my love for it by picking it apart and strip-mining it for the many, many quotations I want to share with everyone. This was one of those books for me that I'll reread every year or so. One of those books that you get somethi...more
That's how I feel about this book. I feel that I would lose some of my love for it by picking it apart and strip-mining it for the many, many quotations I want to share with everyone. This was one of those books for me that I'll reread every year or so. One of those books that you get somethi...more
I read the first few pages of this book thinking it was fiction...fortunately a friend cleared that misunderstanding up quickly, as I thought it was a pretty odd book. But reading it as memoirs was wonderful, I enjoyed her thoughts, inspirations, and the revealing of foreshadowing, especially on how she became a Christian. She doesn't say specifically what the scenario was, but a friend showed "love toward those I love. Because of this love, this particular (never general) Christian love, my int...more
I enjoyed Madeleine L'Engle's quiet spirit, her humility, her love for her family, and her expression of the fulfillment she found in being a mother and grandmother.
Her insights on writing are helpful--she neither says, "it's nothing" nor glorifies a mysterious, ethereal process. Instead, she writes of forcing herself at times to begin typing in order to draw inspiration: "A writer writes with his hands." But she also refused to downplay the gift of writing. Instead, she acknowledges the gift t...more
Her insights on writing are helpful--she neither says, "it's nothing" nor glorifies a mysterious, ethereal process. Instead, she writes of forcing herself at times to begin typing in order to draw inspiration: "A writer writes with his hands." But she also refused to downplay the gift of writing. Instead, she acknowledges the gift t...more
We read this book for our book club so I wasn't sure what I would think. It wasn't what I usually read. This is what I like about book clubs, you read things you never would have picked up and end up with new favorites. I had read A Wrinkle in Time as a child and remember liking it, but that was about all I knew about the author. This was basically a journal, not a diary. She was a very profound and wise woman. This book was written in 1972 but it was relevant to today. I wish I had a highlighte...more
Oct 21, 2012
Laura Lee
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
essay-personal-observation
When I was in my 20s I loved to read writers journals. I kept a journal myself and the introspective observations often sounded like my own writing. It made me feel as though contemplating my navel was important and that maybe my own journal would be a book some day. A decade later I started to hate them for pretty much the same reason. They usually sounded a lot like my own journal. Why did this person get to publish a journal without turning it into something else, a memoir, a novel, a collect...more
I love this book. But then again, I love Madeleine L'Engle. This book specifically focuses on the theme of being. Simply being. Ontology. She talks a lot about her beginnings, her writing and her struggles with God and religion. She brings so much encouragement to the fact that we all struggle in similar ways. We all have questions and doubts. And that is important in all of that to know how to simply and honestly just be. To be present with yourself, with your life. I would highly recommend thi...more
Library. Want to own.
Another memoir for the year. Based at least partially on her journals and the writing of A Wrinkle in Time, L'Engle writes about her own journey to faith, ontology, time, love, writing, and joy. She writes with such beauty and honesty about her life during this period: her life as a person and what that means.
I can't wait to read Summer of the Great-Grandmother.
Commonplace entries here.
Another memoir for the year. Based at least partially on her journals and the writing of A Wrinkle in Time, L'Engle writes about her own journey to faith, ontology, time, love, writing, and joy. She writes with such beauty and honesty about her life during this period: her life as a person and what that means.
I can't wait to read Summer of the Great-Grandmother.
Commonplace entries here.
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Madeleine L'Engle was an American writer best known for her Young Adult fiction, particularly the Newbery Medal-winning A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, and Many Waters. Her works reflect her strong interest in modern science: tesseracts, for example, are featured prominently in A Wrinkle in Time, mitochondrial DNA in A Wind in the Door, organ regener...more
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“A self is not something static, tied up in a pretty parcel and handed to the child, finished and complete. A self is always becoming.”
—
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“I'm apt to get drunk on words...Ontology: the word about the essence of things; the word about being.”
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Aug 10, 2011 06:09pm