Jeff Crosby

Summary: A survey of the deepest longings of the human soul, within ourselves, for our world, and for the eternal.

Saudade. A word from the Portuguese that, strictly so, is untranslatable. Words like longing, yearning, nostalgia, the burning hearts of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. It is the desire for something more that takes us into the realm of the spiritually transcendent. Jeff Crosby believes these longings are the beckoning of God, speaking to the language of our show more hearts.

Crosby has been reflecting on these longings for much of his life and gestating this book for the past fifteen years amid a busy career in publishing. In this work, he weaves his own experiences, the thoughts of other pilgrims, and the strands of music that have been another of his great loves to identify ten longings of the heart:

The longing for home
The longing for an undivided self
The longing for forgiveness received and extended
The longing for friendship
The longing for spiritual transformation
The longing for peace
The longing for community
The longing to be freed from unhealthy fear and anxiety
The longing for meaningful work
The longing for heaven, our hearts true home

It’s striking to me that these longings are framed by our longing for home. I think of how I treasure the hours I spend in the various comfortable and pleasing spaces in and around my own home and yet revel in images of beautiful homes (usually with a library, leather chairs, and a fireplace looking out on a beautiful vista). We call our home Rivendell, after the refuge of Elrond in the Lord of the Rings, the last homely house. It strikes me we all long for that house, which Crosby identifies with the longing for heaven that we glimpse in those “thin places” where heaven is barely veiled–a passage of music, a scene in nature, a description in literature, a poem.

In between, Crosby explores the longings that permeate our existence. He invites us to recognize our discontent with fragmented, divided lives and to pursue the solitude, silence, and wise direction that is the path to a seamless existence. He shares his own experience of a panic attack and the practices of examen to recognize the presence of God amid the anxiety-producing concerns of our lives. He likens the burden of our own transgressions and grievances toward others as a rock-filled pack that confession and forgiveness of ourselves and others helps us unload. He speaks of a marketing meeting with one of the leaders of the Empty Hands Fellowship for a book project that was set aside because of a family in need in an unhealthy, mold-filled shack, exemplifying the richness of community we often only long for. He speaks of anam cara friends who never “should” on us, and take that away from us when we try to do it to ourselves. And this just from half of the ten longings.

As I mentioned, song as well as scripture and literature has been important to Crosby and one of the treats is that he offers a playlist for saudade and for each of the longings at the end of each chapter. I haven’t created all of these playlists but was able to create a playlist on Spotify for his Saudade playlist and suspect one can find most or all of his recommendations on a music streaming service.

Along the way, we learn from many of the spiritual writers Crosby has worked with over the years of his publishing career, yet Crosby weaves these into his own “playlist” as well, exploring our longings and the practices that draw us to the one in whom our longings find their fulfillment. As I read, I felt I was listening to one, still on the way, and yet living a purposeful, increasingly seamless vocation moving joyfully toward his, and our hearts true home.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. show less

Summary: On reading as a spiritual practice and how books may transform our lives.

I love books on books. And I think many of you will especially love this book, World of Wonders. That was how I felt the first time I walked through the doors of the Reuben McMillan Library in Youngstown. It’s how I felt the first time I visited a Borders store when we were house hunting in the city where I now live. And its how I felt the first time I read Lord of the Rings.

The author, Jeff Crosby, is show more writing about all this and more. He believes in reading as a spiritual practice, a means by which we position ourselves to receive the grace of God. And in this book, he writes about how we may cultivate this practice and the various genres and types of books we may read along the way. After each chapter he includes a short statement from another reader on the chapter topic. And then he offers a list of recommended readings on that topic or theme.

Part One of the book lays foundations. Crosby explores why we read and tells his personal story of how reading Calvin Miller’s The Singer transformed him as a reader. He then elaborates his ideas on reading as a spiritual discipline through a “liturgy of reading” consisting of a number of practices, including building a list of books to read (in which he generously recommends this blog as a resource!). Finally, Crosby discusses the reading of scripture as a discipline. I appreciated his challenge to those of us who read many books to not allow this to supplant our reading of scripture! The temptation is real.

Part Two considers “The Wide, Wide, Wonderful World of Reading.” Four chapters consider the genres of fiction, poetry, diverse voices, and memoirs. Quoting Christine Seifert, he argues that “Research suggests that reading literary fiction is an effective way to enhance the brain’s ability to keep an open mind while processing information, a necessary skill for effective decision-making.” Likewise, poetry enhances our power of paying attention as we slow down and ponder. Diverse voices broaden our perspective and help build bridges of understanding. Finally, reading memoir deepens our capacity for reflection. He offers the example of Carolyn Weber’s Surprised by Oxford, the account of her intellectual and spiritual conversion to Christianity.

In Part Three, Crosby explores reading as a spiritual practice through the seasons of life. He recounts reading with children, reading as they left home, and reading while caring for aging parents. Crosby discusses reading as part of dealing with grief and loss. He speaks of reading in seasons of doubt. Daniel Taylor’s The Myth of Certainty was an important book for him. Reading can also be an important adjunct through the liturgical year. Lastly, he returns to his theme of wonder in how books may be our companions through all the seasons of wonder in our lives.

World of Wonders is a great book for readers who always are looking for a book recommendation. In addition, Crosby gives words to what is often our inarticulate sense of the spiritual importance of our reading. And it is good for Christians who realize that they’d like to read more but wonder where to begin. Crosby’s stories of his own reading journey are not from elite literary circles but from daily life. One thinks “that could be me.” And indeed it could. Welcome to the world of wonders!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review. show less

Wiener Wolf is a classic!

This is by far one of my all time favorite children's books about a wiener dog. The illustrations draw you right into the pages and take you on an adventure you never want to end as you follow along with Wiener Dog. I chuckled (seeing Wiener Dog upside down in his bed- little feet in the air), related well (seeing Wiener Dog snuggled in Granny's lap)and laughed out loud (seeing Wiener Dog trying to hitch a ride with his front paw held up with one little toe pointing show more straight up).

But most of all I felt an overwhelming feeling of joy as I read how Wiener Dog realized how wonderful his life truly was with Granny and how grand it is to accept and be oneself. Wiener Dog (or any dachshund for that matter) are the perfect characters to teach young ones the value of being themselves no matter what.

This book will no doubt be a classic years from now because I believe it already is. Thank you Jeff not only for the absolutely glorious illustrations, but for writing a story that speaks to the heart of adults and children.... and that we all just want to be accepted and loved. BRAVO! show less

If you've ever loved a little dog that didn't believe he was all that little, then this is the book for you. Wiener Wolf by Jeff Crosby is a delightful picture book that explores the wild animal nature of a very domestic dog. Wiener Dog lives with Granny and wears a knit sweater, slowly dying of utter boredom until one day when adventure seizes him and he flees to the wild woods. There, he becomes WIENER WOLF, casting off his sweater to join a wolf pack and delight in his new undomesticated show more life... until things get a biiiit too scary. Suddenly a can of dog food doesn't look so bad and Wiener Dog high-tails it back to civilization and the loving arms of Granny. The moral of the experience seems to be that every life needs a little excitement to keep from getting in a rut, even if that's just with some new friends at the local dog park. With fantastic illustrations, Wiener Wolf is a must for dog-lovers -- and oh man, if you know families with dachshunds, then buy this book for them immediately before someone else discovers this gem and does it. This is also the perfect book for if you need to explain to a child why Fido really wouldn't want to be a wild wolf... (or, similarly, why Mrs. Whiskerson wouldn't do well as a warrior cat). Just one read will leave you utterly smitten with Wiener Wolf.

Also recommended for those of you with dachshunds is the best Halloween book EVER written... The Hallo-wiener. show less