Our souls at night book reviews11/13/2022 ![]() #Our souls at night book reviews full#The United States as a dominant nation "dare not let the full import of impasse even come to complete consciousness. We don't know what to do with situations that cannot be solved by hard work, rational analysis or well-planned programs. FitzGerald reflects on how Americans are not educated to face impasse. This self-knowledge "can create the possibility for genuine change and transformation because we are disposed for God's loving action and passionate desires in the midst of impasse."īut coming to such self-knowledge is the crux of the mystical journey. Cassidy posits that if those of us who are white can fully acknowledge the religious and theological implications of white supremacy for our faith, it may bring about a form of self-knowledge. The genius, I find, is that they decided to include seven of FitzGerald's articles as well.Ĭassidy, in her essay on "Contemplative Prayer and the Impasse of White Supremacy," draws on FitzGerald's approach to societal impasse. Shawn Copeland have done a superb job inviting nine theologians (as well as Cassidy herself) to reflect on FitzGerald's work in light of the impasse we are experiencing today. When I heard that a new book, Desire, Darkness, and Hope: Theology in a Time of Impasse, had just been published by Liturgical Press, I quickly bought it and began reading.Įditors Laurie Cassidy and M. FitzGerald has been an inspiration to me and has influenced my own contemplative journey as well as the work of the Institute for Communal Contemplation and Dialogue. Constance FitzGerald are as prescient and prophetic today as they were when she wrote "Impasse and Dark Night" in 1984. Haruf’s last book as he passed away in 2014."What if, by chance, our time in evolution is a dark-night time - a time of crisis and transition that must be understood if it is to be part of learning a new vision and harmony for the human species and the planet?. Netflix made a film based on this novel starring Jane Fonda and Robert Redford, and after you’ve read the book it’s well worth watching - these two actors do a wonderful job of capturing the characters and their relationship. You know you have read “literature” when you have read Haruf, but the experience is effortless. Haruf’s books are worth reading and re-reading on so many levels, for their simplicity and accessibility - but especially their literary qualities, an unfortunately rare combination. But then again, Our Souls at Night is all about humans, their frailties, and the way life really is.Īll Mr. The ending is sad and, for me, a bit unsettling as Addie is portrayed as a capable woman who isn’t afraid to make her own choices, yet she conceded to her controlling son, and gave up a relationship that was bringing joy to her life. Our Souls at Night uses elegant, almost poetic, prose to move the story forward quickly - it can be read in one evening - yet there’s a leisurely sense of time. But I admire his deceptively simple language which conveys complicated relationships, heartbreak, and humor. Haruf’s spare writing style – his lack of quotation marks and sometimes clipped dialogue. When Addie’s troubled grandson comes for the summer, their relationship deepens (yes, that’s just what it means) as they give the little boy a special summer filled with softball games, overnight camping, and the responsibility of his first dog. They are achingly human in their loneliness and need for companionship and they ignore what the townspeople have to say about their arrangement. But most of all, they find comfort in each other’s company. They discuss their late spouses and their children. The characters Louis and Addie unfold naturally through their nightly conversations telling about their lives-the happy and sad moments, their regrets, the unfulfilled dreams. The book opens with Addie visiting Louis and proposing they spend their lonely nights together – sleeping in the same bed, companionship, no sex, also with the hope they will both be able to sleep better. They know each other, chat when they see each other - just neighbors of the same age. Set in a small town in Colorado, Louis and Addie are neighbors, both in their 70’s and both widowed. Our Souls at Night is a beautiful, hopeful book – but alas, not everyone’s cup of tea. ![]()
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