Walking a Literary Labryinth: A Spirituality of Reading

"She must be quite a character," my husband commented and that is probably true, but while Nancy Malone's gentle reflection on the act of reading is personal, she does not dominate the pages. Here is a voice carefully paying attention to how and why we read and what happens to us when we do. It is not abstract, but tangible; her story is that of Catholics coming of age in the last 50 years. I find myself saying, "Ah, yes, this is how reading illumines my life." She advocates reading for the sheer pleasure of it, and that's what reading Walking a Literary Labyrinth has been.

Acknowledging the way a good book can literally change how a person thinks, Ursuline nun Nancy M. Malone meditates on the spiritual possibilities inspired by the act of reading. Recounting her own turbulent life as a reader and nun, Malone encourages readers to see reading as a reflective, meditative, and spiritual activity. Malone's bracing and honest acknowledgment of her own struggles--including addiction and depression--provide the meat of this book, but just when the writing borders on pure memoir, she honors the books that grounded her and provided her with a foundation for survival.

Malone's style and attitude reminds me of Kathleen Norris, a writer who uses deep theological ideas to meditate on seemingly mundane, non-spiritual show more activities (in fact, Malone cites Norris as a favorite spiritual read). This techniques serves only to honor an activity that so many people love; thankfully, Malone doesn't limit her thoughts to theological books or great classic novels: mysteries, sci-fi novels, and popular non-fiction can all be spiritually anchoring genres in her eyes. Malone is still an active Catholic nun, and her theology reflects that; however, I found her thoughts inspiring and accessible. show less

Malone enjoys reading and views it as a spiritual act. She shares some of her thoughts on how reading is used for spiritual reflection, even sharing thoughts on how erotic literature (not pornographic) can also fill that need, citing the Song of Solomon as the biblical precedent. Malone was an Ursuline nun who, at the time of the writing of the book, was living away from the convent. Malone does share a short annotated list of books that have been meaningful for her. This is a quick read that book lovers may enjoy.

A woman (& religious sister) found solace, wisdom, inspiration and direction at various moments in her life through reading. Being a literary person had helped her to become spiritually whole. The author claims that God can providentially place crucial books to positively influence us within our reach. The book ends with a recommended reading list to compare with your own literary treasures. This book is not a catalog of spiritual or devotional reading. It is a "spirituality of reading" where the person reading is challenged to reflect on their personal life and a literary work together. Recommended reading list concludes the book.

rec by Nathan; now out of print - valuable resource