Madeleine L'Engle Books

Books-Under-Review-->Arts-->Literature-->Authors-->L--> Madeleine L'Engle
Related Subjects:
More Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

Madeleine L'Engle Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

A Ring Of Endless Light

Published in Unknown Binding by Farrar, Straus, Giroux (1982)

Author: Madeleine L'Engle

List price:

Average review score:

From a teen reader

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-11

A review from my teenage daughter:

"A Ring of Endless Light" is one of my favorite books!

I've read it five times since I first found it at the library last summer, and since then, I have also read "A Wrinkle in Time," "The Moon by Night,"and "An Acceptable Time".

What I really like about it is the characters. They are so interesting!

The movie, on the other hand, was nowhere near as good as the book. (Characters they left out: John, Leo, Grace, Binnie, Nancy Rodney, Jeb Nuttley, and probably somebody else, too...) And after I read the book, I was rather upset with the Disney Channel.

Although this is a wonderful novel, I would not recommend it to anyone under the age of thirteen because of some mature content.

Lastly, I want to include my frequent rant ( more of a whine, really) about that Zachary Gray person: I never understood why Ms. L'Engle kept putting him in her books. He never changes, and he's just as much of a jerk in "An Acceptable Time" as he was in this book. I don't know what Vicky sees in him. He kept saying that he "needed her" but she can't be his psychologist; Earth to Vicky, Earth to Vicky! Not a good reason to go out with him!

A Ring of Endless Light

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-31

As always, Madeleine L'Engle delivers a stunning piece of fiction with `A Ring of Endless Light.' Although the main character, Vicky Austin, gives off a distinctive mary-sue air, the book (especially the guys!) are very enjoyable. Pieces of poetry found in this book are beautiful and elegant; they alone would be cause enough to read the book. `A Ring of Endless Light' also offers the reader an insight into the emotions and thoughts of a teenage girl in a fantastical setting. I would recommend this book for ages 13 and up. If you enjoyed this book, I would recommend Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume, Father Figure by Richard Peck and With You and Without You by Ann Martin as well as the rest of L'Engle's books.

another favorite

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-13

Once again, Madeleine L'Engle has constructed a masterpiece. All her books are superb, but this one stands out to me as my absolute favorite. I understand its a Disney Channel movie now as well. I remember reading this book when I was about middle school aged and thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, I took notes. There are several wonderful quotes that are worth remembering, and I think by the end I was left with some 10 pages of notes. I was a bit of a nerd as a kid, I guess. Still have all the papers filed away somewhere. Also memorized one of the poems to recite in my english class in about 7th grade. Fantastic book. I need to read it again.

A Ring of Endless Light

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-20

In Madeline L'Enlgle's A Ring of Endless Light, 15-year old Vicky goes out to visit her sick grandfather to spend some time with him. During her stay, an old family friend, Commander Rodney, dies because he was trying to save another person from dying. On top of this, three young men are trying to get her adornment. Leo, Commander Rodney' son, is the nervous and puppy like young man who needs Vicky's attention. Although he may be nice, Vicky just wants to be his friend. Adam, a young man working at the marine biology center, confuses Vicky because he likes her, but pushes her away at the same time. Zachary, the rich, young man Commander Rodney died saving, wants Vicky back and claims that he needs her. Even though she has to deal with her love life, she has to help her grandfather, and other family members. During this vacation, she learns a lot about herself, death, life, her friends and family.

I really liked this book because it is very insightful. It gives me a lot of insight about living life. I want to live my lifelike Vicky and think like her because she lives her life to her fullest poetical and is moral, unlike me. She put phrases and lessons to heart and has a way of putting things into the right words. I liked how the author also wrote about death because I know that everyone is confused about tins subject. Some people firmly believe in one thing while other people are confused and wobbling. I remember what the Madeline L'engle writes about death whenever I come across one because her words sooth and help the soul.

I dislike the fact that the characters are a bit to perfect. The Austins are a bit like robots. There is the housewife mom that loves her husband and doesn't seem to have any arguments are all with him. The father is a strong man that supports his whole family. The oldest brother, like his father, is strong and smart. The youngest sister is beautiful and smart. The youngest brother is cute and innocent. Although Vicky seems more human than her family, she is still robotic. She always tries her hardest and it seems that everyone is drawn to her. Everyone trusts her with his or her secrets and everyone in the story has a longing to be with her. She is the person that people always want to be.

My favorite part of the book is hard to decide, but I think that my favorite part is when Vicky goes and visits the dolphins. I think that this is really interesting because Vicky learns that she can communicate with dolphins. In the beginning, she is really scared, but then she realizes that there is nothing to be afraid of. Soon, she feels comfortable with Basil. She can play with the dolphin and communicate freely. Even though people can't communicate with dolphins, Vicky can because her mind is somewhat childish, open, and free. I think that this is my favorite part because Vicky's relationship with Basil is much like my relationship with my friends. When I first made my friends, we were scared and shy, but once we knew each other, we had a lot of fun. When I am with my friends, I become childish, open and free, just like Vicky.

Loved It!!

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-29

I loved this book and I would recommend it to girls from the ages 10 and up. This was a good story to connect to your life or the lives of the people around you. The things that happen to Vicky in A Ring of Endless Light might happen or may have happened to the reader. Therefore the plot of the story is believable. I would like to read another story by this author because I loved how thorough she was when describing Vicky's thoughts and feelings. When she was explaining how Vicky was seeing only darkness after a friend died in her arms, she painted a very vivid picture in my head. I thought that a Ring of Endless Light was truly a great book.

The Other Side of the Sun

Published in Mass Market Paperback by Ballantine Books (1983-08-12)

Author: Madeleine L'Engle

List price: $4.95

Used price: $2.48
Collectible price: $99.99

Average review score:

Astonishingly good work of Fiction. With a Message.

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-07

Like many other reviewers, I was exposed to Madeleine L'Engle's work through "A Wrinkle in Time." I have reread most of her Children's work and then started through her Adult work. While "The Small Rain" (her first novel) and "A Severed Wasp" (one of her last novels) were excellent and well-written, nothing prepared me for the brilliance and imagination of "The Other Side of the Sun." Right from the first chapter I was drawn into the fascinating story of the post-civil war south and all its lingering conflicts. I found all the characters completely believeable and compelling, especially Honoria and the Aunties. Even minor characters were completely fleshed out and interesting.

I found myself newly fascinated with the Author. What kind of a person can dream up such a complex and beautiful storyline and fill it with such amazing characters? The complex story never became predictable or trite. What a refreshing and thoroughly entertaining piece of work. In my mind, it is L'Engle's best.

Meet the Reniers

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-09-16

An elderly widow, Stella Renier, returns from her husband's funeral to her family in the American South. Before facing the rest of the family she and her grandson spend some time together at the family's coastal estate, Illyria, where she relates to him the story of her arrival there as a young bride many years before. Stella had traveled to Illyria to await her husband's return from a mysterious and dangerous mission. She found herself struggling to understand both the alien cultures of the antebellum South with it's strict and confusing rules and the family with it's long history and many secrets. She finds help in the most surprising places including her husband's long dead grandmother.

For those familiar with L'Engle's other works this one does not feature either the Murray/O'Keefe or the Austin families of her more well known works. The Renier family is alluded to, though, in some of these works. As always with L'Engle's works the characters are compeling, drawing the reader into the complexities of their lives, eliciting first a smile at their eccentricities and then a tear at their sorrows.

This lesser known work is a treat for a L'Engle fan or a wonderful introduction to this marvelous author, in either case it is a story that will stay with the reader long after the last page.

L'Engle at Her Sharpest!

Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-21

I think L'Engle touches...even caresses...a special nerve in those of us who become her lifelong fans. She touched my imagination when I was just 10 years old as I read "A Wrinkle in Time." Her image of Camazotz has stayed solidly at the front of my mind ever since, and I have enjoyed dipping into her well throughout the years to meet more characters, to travel to new cultures, to have new adventures, and to silently cheer on many as they come of age.

That all said, and as many other reviewers have said, this book IS DIFFERENT!!! In this story, L'Engle makes some very heavy points through very beautiful but sometimes dark mediums. At first, the story seems ordinary enough as an English bride, Stella, moves in with her husband's family down in the south at the turn of the century. But even as you meet the cast, you have premonitions that this tale might not flow as nicely as some of her other works. There is a darkness to the people that takes away even from the amusing eccentricities of the family.

As the story builds - bringing in the frightening power of the KKK and of the African-American demon worshippers - you continually fear for this incredibly vulnerable English girl. While Stella is able to find some comfort in the journals of a long-deceased relative named Mado, you wonder where she can turn for help as she unintentionally stirs up a very dark hornet's nest. You know Honoria, the "maid", is a spiritual powerhouse, but is she strong enough? Will Stella's husband come back in time? Will anyone else intervene for her?

Via this very difficult set of circumstances, L'Engle is attempting to prove out Mado's point that only when love has had to go through the burning of the sun is it pure. Before it goes through such fire, it is filled with impurities and deception. But who has the courage to undergo such trials? L'Engle's characters - especially Honoria and Mado - give one courage. And, throughout this book, L'Engle brings in small poems that pierce the heart. I'm not usually much of one for poetry, but I copied these into my journals as keep-sakes.

A must-read for every L'Engle fan and for anyone who is looking for a book to take you a bit out of your comfort zone.

Absolutely Wonderful

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2003-06-24

The Other Side of the Sun was one of the first books that actually made me really cry. I didn't just get teary-eyed, I sobbed. It is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read, and it tells a story filled with both wonderful, and terrible events. The book teaches so much and is so unique-like all of Madeleine L'Engle's books. It reminds me of Ilsa, another of her books that is really hard to find. The Other Side of the Sun is filled with characters you will fall in love with and others that you will hate. It is extraordinary.

A book to read through to the end, and then read again.

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-14

Innocence can be a deadly thing. So Stella Renier, nineteen-year-old bride from England, learns when she reaches her new husband's home in South Carolina. It's 1910, and the veterans of the War Between the States are growing old. Yet the conflicts that war failed to resolve - along with some new ones created by its aftermath - simmer just below the surface of the coastal community surrounding the house called Illyria. That house will become the one place Stella regards as home throughout her married life, which is destined to be long. We know this because elderly and recently widowed Stella narrates the story for her adult grandson, during another era of turmoil in the American South. But in 1910, as she comes to Illyria without the husband she's barely had time to wed - sent to his family while Terry Renier sets off on a secret assignment for his employer, the U.S. State Department - it's a fantastic house in an alien country. And her husband's family are, of course, strangers.

How can Stella, who grew up at Oxford, understand the basics of keeping herself safe in a place where she's expected to treat the first Negroes she has ever met as if they were members of a different species? How can the girl reared by an agnostic father grasp the conflict between the powerful Christian faith of Honoria, a one-time African princess who takes care of everyone at Illyria, and the dark spirits invoked by the "Granddam" in the desperately impoverished black hamlets just inland from the beachfront homes of the Reniers? Stella doesn't even know the significance of robed horsemen who ride by night. But her husband's people all know it. And so does the English-educated black physician whose danger she increases with every innocent gesture of friendship.

"The Other Side of the Sun" is a book to read through to the end, and then read again. It has much to say about the nature of faith, of fate, of aging, and of human love. But most of all, it's a well-told and compelling story about characters as real as any I've ever met on the printed page.

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of "Love, Jimmy: A Maine Veteran's Longest Battle"

Glimpses of Grace: Daily Thoughts and Reflections

Published in Hardcover by Harper San Francisco (1996-06)

Authors: Madeleine L'Engle and Carole F. Chase

List price: $18.00

New price: $8.95
Used price: $0.04
Collectible price: $18.00

Average review score:

Life Revealing

Helpful Votes: 12 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-29

I read the Crosswick Journal series before being buying this treasure as a Christmas gift to myself a few years ago. I was already a fan of Ms L'Engle. However, this book brought her into a new realm. I followed the readings quite faithfully during two yearly cycles. I must say that they provided my those glimpses of grace that were needed during that very difficult time of my life. These are only glimpses because they are relatively short and easy to digest over breakfast. However, as so often happens, glimpses open doors that reveal so much more. My faith in the God of Creation was reaffirmed through this book. This God accepted me as I was (and am) and affirmed me as good. What more can one ask from a book of daily reflections?

Thank you Ms L'Engle. I'm proud to call you a fellow Episcopalian!

Thought provoking

Helpful Votes: 14 out of 14 total.
Review Date: 2000-10-17

This is a beautiful devotional, and a glimpse of the way a brilliant mind works at something we all aspire to: understanding God. It is refreshing to read something that doesn't pretend to have all the answers about Him, but encourages us to "learn to love the mysteries". I don't know about you, but that is what I am trying to do. Instead of simplifying who God is and reducing him to the level of an idol, the author encourages us to see him as Omnipotent God, Creator & Sustainer. It is a breath of fresh air to me, and a wonderful encouragement.

The Mystery of the Word Made Flesh -- a fitting title

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-09-01

Since Christmas of 1995 my wife and I have used these fabulously interesting readings from GLIMPSES Of GRACE to buffet us from the storms of everyday life! As one quite perceptive reviewer speaks of her as a Mystic and Yes, she asks good questions. Her readings relate to the living of all life in the face of Belief and Doubt.

One reading from May 20th she is doing an afterschool seminar for high school students and is asked by a brilliant young lady from Harlem, earlier from Panama: "Mrs Franklin, do you really truly believe in God with no doubts at all?"

"Oh, Una, I really and truly believe in God with all kinds of doubts... But I base my life on this belief." Another topic that often arises in her readings is that of Death and Eternity. After one student is saying that it seems lately "there's death everywhere..." Another answers, "Is the price too high? Are you afraid?" These lead to the titles of "We Die Many Deaths and A Metaphor for the Afterlife." Her simple yet clear approach seems to come down from the power found in Creation... that Life is a Gift and where there's Life there's Hope!

This is truly one lovely, consistently inspiring devotional book by an awesome fearless lady! Sincerely retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

Glimpses? Oh, so much more!

Helpful Votes: 32 out of 32 total.
Review Date: 2001-05-10

L'Engle does something here that few devotional authors dare. She not only supplies answers and inspirations, she poses questions. Questions without easy answers. Questions that penetrate to the heart of true faith in God.

Does she qualify as a mystic? Yes, in that she moves outside the world of pure rationalism.

Is she a Christian? Yes, in the sense that she believes upon Jesus Christ as the savior and as the only begotten Son of God.

Is she an agnostic? Yes, by her own definition. She says that by confessing agnosticism, she is only confessing that she doesn't know everything. She refuses to lie or pretend otherwise. Yet, in the midst of not knowing, she still believes in the God that created the universe.

This devotional breathes life into a sometimes stale genre. L'Engle's openness might challenge, even offend, some. But for those on the limits of faith, those hanging in amidst life's tragedies and unexpected miracles, "Glimpses of Grace" gives a little more grace to move on. This is classic and poignant writing. One closes the pages filled with a greater awe and greater mystery regarding the love of God.

Best Selections from Madeleine's Works

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-19

Madeleine L'Engle has written many wonderful books for both adults and children. Her work is very provocative and most thoughtful. You glean something more every time they are read... GLIMPSES OF GRACE takes the best passages from her books and reveals more contemplative insights. This Daily Thoughts and Reflections is cross-referenced by topic and title. GLIMPSES OF GRACE can be appreciated by Madeleine's fans as well as someone who is not familiar with her work. I keep an extra copy on hand as I have often given this book as a gift. Highly recommended!

Dance in the Desert

Published in Hardcover by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) (1969-01-01)

Author: Madeleine L'Engle

List price: $14.95

Used price: $7.44

Average review score:

This is a great book for children and adult alike.

Helpful Votes: 29 out of 31 total.
Review Date: 1997-12-21

This book depicts a special night in the desert, when all the beasts danced and bowed before the Christ child. I love to read this story to my kids at Christmas. The pictures are the best.

I FOUND IT AGAIN!

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-24

I grew up loving this wonderful book that originally came out in the 60's. It is the one book I remember so clearly. I lost it some years back and it looks like they finally reprinted it! You will love it...I promise!

Brilliant!

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-08-31

This book is one of my favorites of all time. As usual, Madeleine L'Engle manages to capture the magnificance of our Creator in the most powerful and thought provoking ways. I love this book so much that I brought it to life on our stage two years ago through storytelling and dance. It was a huge success. Everyone from 2-100 can relate to this story.

Sadly, I see that it is not longer in print and I just cannot understand why...

Beautiful on many levels

Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2000-10-03

The story is wonderful, it had to spring from the mind of Madeleine L'Engle. It is both solid in Faith, and magical, with creatures like dragons and unicorns. It gives a unique glimpse of Christ as a child, both innocent and powerful, dancing with the wild, dangerous creatures of the desert on a moonlit night. We gave out several copies at Christmas, and it was well-received by all.

I can't wait to read this one to my nephews...

Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2001-11-23

What makes a great children's book? It's that combination of words and pictures, action and magic, that you find in this desert story. This is such a creative and surprising tale. It starts out scary - describing all the things in the dessert at night that prowl and sneak. And then all of those creatures come to a group of travelers, one by one, and dance with a little boy. I cannot recommend this book more highly. Each page is a new adventure with a new animal, and it's the perfect length to keep your child interested.

The Glorious Impossible (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers)

Published in Hardcover by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (1990-09-30)

Author: Madeleine L'Engle

List price: $24.95

New price: $124.99
Used price: $0.99
Collectible price: $95.00

Average review score:

bought this book for a friend and wished she'd kept it.

Helpful Votes: 13 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 1999-02-03

As an artist with an Master's degree in painting, I was amazed by the stunning reproductions in this "children's" book, and kept looking at it, and looking at it. The reproductions are so vivid, the text so appropriate, and the book so well designed that I could almost imagine I was walking through the chapel myself. It was the first time I'd seen the frescos in an order the artist intended, which made them even more powerful. Eventually the book went to a friend who admires frescos, but there was such a sense of intimacy in it that I've been searching for another copy for well over a year. The text and the images meld beautifully, and I can honestly say it's the first story of Christ's life I've seen where I felt the illustrations or text didn't "get in the way". Even if you're a fesco fan who's more interested in Giotto than in the story, tear up your check for that expensive art book and buy this first.

Very glad to see this is still in print

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2002-12-12

I bought this as a gift for my niece/goddaughter about 11 years ago and have wished I'd got one for myself ever since. It is simply gorgeous with a very moving text. You don't have to be a committed believer to enjoy this lovely book.

THought provoking and beautiful

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 1998-04-04

I remember reading this book in the store when it first came out, and it has stuck with me since. Madeline L' Engle gives a thoughtful, sensitive twist on a timeless story, and writes iin such a prose that you could easily imagine reading aloud to young children. I have searched for it for years, and am pleased to discover it in print again.

Jesus' life in great frescoes

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 1998-09-04

As an art educator, church librarian, and special lecture person who links art with religion at my church, I can highly recommend this gorgeous book to you. Madeleine L'Engle is one of my favorite writers and she presents the life of Christ in flowing prose. I even picked up a few facts I did not know. The book is illustrated using various panels from the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, Italy which adds sumptuousness to its narrative. As a child I was drawn to picture books like this because of their medieval, almost Oriental appearance, so if you wish to influence your children to appreciate a good story well told and illustrated, select this book. The text is on an 9-13 year old level. The "glorious impossible" is something that cannot be explained but only rejoiced in, and I think that sums up God's gift of Jesus to us in a very satisfying way. Enjoy.

The best children's Bible book I've ever seen

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 1997-11-20

Are you looking for a book to read to your children to share your faith, tell the story of Christ, and inspire your child and yourself to feel the joys of giving, forgiveness, commitment, and love? This is THE book for you. L'Engle's extraodinary and inspiring writing style was never so beautiful as in this faithful retelling of the Gospels. It uses both simple, everyday language and the more complex quotes of the Bible to render a tale that is both easy to read and mystical- a hard task in Children's Bible literature. Her comments on the feelings and activities of both Jesus and others are so spiritually aware that adults will end up thinking about it long after the book is finished. In particular, her thoughts on Judas and his motivation were thoughtful, compassionate, and shed the first positive light I have ever seen given to this character. She brings up points I had never considered--- After Jesus rose He said "Peace be with you" not "Where were you when I needed you" - with such simplicity that one can't help wonder why they didn't consider it before. Along side L'Engle's rich prose is artwork beautiful enough to be awed over by adults, but detailed enough you'll laugh as children comment, "Hey, Lazarus really looks dead!" "The Glorious Impossible" is beautiful, gentle, rich, and assuring- a perfect book to introduce not only Christ but what he taught as well.

The Irrational Season

Published in Hardcover by Seabury Pr (1976-12)

Author: Madeleine L'Engle

List price: $12.95

Used price: $0.30

Average review score:

For Doubters and Believers

Helpful Votes: 11 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2000-07-09

To gain a sense of the various stages of L'Engle's life, read the Crosswicks Journals in order of publication. In The Irrational Season, Book 3, L'Engle does not give any easy spiritual answers, yet somehow a sense of comfort prevails throughout the pages. Never preachy, this is a book to savor again and again. We share L'Engle's struggle as she grapples with age-old questions. One is awed by the grace with which this woman deals with conflict, both internal and external, even as she is sharing her deepest doubts. As we read, we become a part of L'Engle's spiritual quest and we make it our own.

An excellent, spiritual book for people who think

Helpful Votes: 16 out of 16 total.
Review Date: 1999-05-18

I have been a fan of Madeleine L'Engle since I discovered A Wrinkle in Time in the 5th grade. As an adult, I have come to appreciate her non-fiction and adult novels. Irrational Season is probably the best of her non-fiction. The story follows the litergical year and in keeping with the seasons and holidays takes the reader through pain and joy while always maintaining hope. This is an excellent book for anyone who has sometimes felt overwhelmed and questioned their faith only to find that their questioning makes them stronger.

Classic L'Engle Always Delights

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-13

This is classic L'Engle, full of thoughtful observations and solid spiritual food. It's a good book for meditation and healing. And always L'Engle poses questions that give one pause.

Christmas with Madeleine...

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-08

I started this book on Christmas Eve...and who knew that this is almost precisely where L'Engle starts the book off at! It was a joyous, challenging, beautiful and often unnerving book that made me flip page-after-page in wonder and awe at the author's very wise words.

Sure, L'Engle sounds a bit like a Christian universalist in some of these pages, but they come from the heart and like all of our hearts, not every thought is theologically right on. So I can easily forgive her for this.For those people getting married, or thinking of getting married, or about to get married within the next 6 months, I'd recommend reading the first 60 pages of this book at least as it will fill you with wisdom, guidance and many wonderful descriptions of what true, ever-lasting love looks like.

Out of "A Circle of Quiet," "The Summer of the Great-Grandmother" and "The Irrational Season," this book comes in a close second out of the three. It's tender, warm, and just what I needed after the holiday season.

Believable Answers To Life's Hard Questions

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 1999-08-04

This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to reconcile their belief in God with their intellect. Lyrical and moving (I cried several times), The Irrational Season can be read on its own, or as part of the four-book series.

The Time Quartet

Published in Hardcover by Farrar Straus Giroux (2003)

Author: Madeleine L'Engle

List price:

New price: $15.94
Used price: $5.73
Collectible price: $44.44

Average review score:

complex

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-25

I was expecting a set of books, instead of it being in one cover.(The picture is a bit misleading.) The writer is very complex and has a lot of relative symbolism. I enjoyed it, but it is hard to think of this set as "kid's books".

A great read

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-11

READ THESE BOOKS ADDICTIVELY IN 5TH GRADE AND LOVED THEM. HAVE PASSED THEM ONTO YOUNG READERS AS AN ADULT AND THEY CONTINUE TO BE LOVED NEARLY 40 YEARS LATER. A GREAT READ.

Childhood revisited...

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-10

One of the series that I read as a young boy.....very captivating and entertaining the stories kept me glued to each and every book which I promptly finished after I started....little or no stopping with these books....one of those stories that'll stick with you.

Outstanding legacy

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-13

I am trying to collect the books I loved as a youngster in hardback to pass along to my children. I received this one as a gift and was unaware of all four books combined under one cover. I love it! The books themselves are a wonderfully captivating read that employ your imagination... page-turners, all of them. Re-reading them has been as much a pleasure as reading them the first time around. I can't wait to read them to my children.

Love Them

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-14

A Wrinkle Time was one of my first chapter books and I can still honestly say when I see my copy I want to pick it up and read it. I have read all of these books, multiple times and I love them all to death. If I could give these more than 5 stars I would. BUY THEM, not just for you but for generations yet to come.

The Genesis Trilogy

Published in Paperback by Shaw Books (2001-04)

Author: Madeleine L'Engle

List price: $19.99

New price: $74.95
Used price: $30.85

Average review score:

What a refreshing breath of crisp clean air.

Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-30

L'Engle's Genesis Trilogy is a refreshing breath of crisp, clean air. As I turned page after page, I found freedom from some long held conflicts with my faith. Not only does she present a picture of God that is outside the box, she throws the box away. Thank you!

Approachable and sincere

Helpful Votes: 15 out of 15 total.
Review Date: 2004-10-17

I, too, started out as a fan of L'Engles fiction work. I was in my mid 20s when I started reading her non-fiction. And she never ceases to amaze and inspire me. This book made me think. While she infuses her fiction work with her theological beliefs, this trilogy truly lays it all out in a thoughtful and thought provoking way. Every time I read this book I see something new and am forced to think. And being forced to think is a very good thing. L'Engle does indeed, think outside the box. This book is probably not for "Christian" "fundmentalists" (or "fundalits" as L'Engle would call them). It is, however, for people who believe in the fundamental value and truth of the core teachings of the Bible - whether those people call themselves Christian or not. L'Engle incorporates the stories from Genesis with her own life experiences and weaves an outlook on the world that is both unique and timeless. This book altered my outlook on life for the better, and every day I am presented with new and overwhelming evidence that she hit the nail on the head. Amazing book.

A conversation with a beloved friend

Helpful Votes: 26 out of 27 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-04

I have loved Madeleine L'Engle's fiction since my fourth grade teacher read A Wrinkle in Time to the class. Now that I'm older (gasp, almost thirty) I enjoy her non fiction even more. Reading this trilogy is like reading and discussing the book of Genesis with a friend. The author invites you into her life as she reads and reflects on the first book of the Bible. She lets you know the connections her mind makes and in doing so gave me a list of other authors to read. The storytelling, poetry, and personal stories create a gentle Biblical commentary for those who might be intimidated by a more traditional commentary. Joyful! Beautiful! Wonderful!

The genesis of my faith

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-26

I reread this book every time I feel myself being drawn down by doubt and mired in the poisons of what Christians can do to one another. It reaffirms me and strengthens me!

It is very telling, when you click on the concordance, that the two biggest words are God and Love.

I, too, have loved L'Engle ever since I first read her books. I picked up the first part of the Trilogy _And_It_Was_Good_ at a yard sale thinking that it was another of her fiction works. I got halfway through the book in a single sitting, never realizing that I was reading theological reflections! From then on, I was hooked!

Given how often I return to this work, I do wish that it was available in hardback, so that it would be a little more sturdy!

Miracle on 10th Street and Other Christmas Writings

Published in Hardcover by Shaw Books (2000-03-07)

Author: Madeleine L'Engle

List price: $16.99

New price: $4.95
Used price: $0.99
Collectible price: $16.99

Average review score:

Lovely Christmas Reflections

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2001-11-23

L'Engle has created the perfect blend of poetry, short stories, and reflections on Christmas. The page design is lovely, and each piece slows the reader to a more thoughtful pace. I feel that I will have a more complete Christmas this year as I read and re-read this collection. It's one of those purchases that you will never regret, and one of those books that I will never sell. If you already appreciate L'Engle, this is a must-have. It is a rich, spiritual, wonderful, timeless work.

A Christmas Blessing

Helpful Votes: 23 out of 23 total.
Review Date: 1999-12-13

Miracle on 10th Street is an anthology of Christmas essays and poems written by Madeleine L'Engle taken from her many years of writing. This book is for adults and teens and not at all for four to eight year old children as described in the Amazon critique. It is a beautiful book, visually and spiritually and would make a wonderful addition to any Christmas collection. It definitely is a Christmas blessing.

Beautiful thoughts on God's love through the gift of His Son

Helpful Votes: 40 out of 40 total.
Review Date: 1998-12-23

I bought this book after briefly glancing through it as a gift for a friend. After getting it home, I didn't want to give it away. Madeleine L'Engle writes beautifully about not only Christmas but the entire Christian life and sums it up in this word: Love. 10th Night evoked in me both joy and pain at what Christmas can be but often isn't. Her insights as a mother into Mary's life as the mother of the Savior were poignant as well as the fears, pain and joy she has experienced for her own children. Additionally, as someone only vaguely familiar with the ancient Christian calendar, I came to appreciate what the celebration and meditation on Advent, Epiphany, etc., could bring to me as a Christian. I wholeheartedly recommend this book for the Christian to encouurage them at any time of the year time and for the non-believer to give them a glimpse of Divine Love.

Lovely Christmas Reflections

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-04

Bright Evening Star: Mystery of the Incarnation (Wheaton Literary Series)

Published in Hardcover by Shaw Books (2001-10-16)

Author: Madeleine L'Engle

List price: $13.99

New price: $18.98
Used price: $5.90

Average review score:

Prolific writing style, spiritually uplifting!

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2003-04-21

This book is filled with unique insights into the Incarnation. A wonderful, hard-to-put-down book!

Wonderfully written

Helpful Votes: 7 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 2001-08-12

L'Engle shows us once again how diverse a writer she is. This book is not bound by time or space, but can take us into worlds yet to be discovered. L'Engle has ways to make even the strangest possibilities come to life, and any person, L'Engle fan or not, will be deeply engrossed in this amazing book

Ecounter the Child-like, Christ-loving life of Madeleine....

Helpful Votes: 9 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2003-11-29

This is my sixth Madeleine L'Engle nonfiction book I've read and it was definately one of the better of the six (even though all of them were exceptional).

"Bright Evening Star" explores childhood and the wonders and mysteries that have haunted all of our imaginations and filled our hearts for as long as we remember. In this, Madeleine transforms faith into being a radical, Child-like journey, rather than a stoic, heady and intellectual debate. This was much needed in my heart and life and took me back to a day where my sister and I would take adventures on our bike in our southern neighborhood, pretending to be going on a trip across the country. It was a wonderful memory that needed to be rekindled and remembered. Thank you so much Madeleine.

(Also, Madeleine's books have a way of meeting you right where you are---this book came perfectly into my life and right along with what God has been laying on my heart lately---honestly, every book can do this if the writer is close enough to God, and since she is, she was able to be the vessel for my own relationship and allowed me to stand in awe of Jesus, the risen Christ, once and again).