Frederick Buechner

"There are a few authors who breathe a breath of fresh air into my soul every time I read them. Frederick Buechner is one of them. I just finished two of his books, A Crazy, Holy Grace and The Remarkable Ordinary.

These books are actually collections of some of his speaking engagements, which doesn't lessen their potency. They were just as refreshing and raw as his other books.

Actually, if there were one word I would use to describe both of these books it would be the word real." - Jonathan Everette

"If you have read Frederick Buechner's earlier works including Sacred Journey and The Eyes of the Heart, you've already encountered the majority of the material that was culled into A Crazy, Holy Grace. But in addition to one wholly new chapter of content (from all I can tell, and I've read all of his work), it's very interesting and impactful to read this collection of his writings on pain and memory assembled in this way. The overall effect is a greater sense of understanding of the arc of his story (not only his father's suicide, which is threaded throughout so much of his non-fiction and even fiction such as The Wizard's Tide but also his daughter's anorexia). Highly recommended to long-time Buechner fans, or as an introduction to his work. Kudos to Zondervan Publishing for working to get this into print." - Jeff Crosby, Publisher, InterVarsity Press

"The Remarkable Ordinary is remarkable - but far from ordinary. Fans of Frederick Buechner have wondered for a decade if there would be anything new from Buechner, following 2008’s The Yellow Leaves. The book’s subtitle is How to Stop, Look, and Listen to Life, and in these pages Buechner expands the theme of “listening to your life” that has made him so beloved. This book is a must for Buechner lovers, and a great place to start for those new to his work."- Jeff Munroe, Western Theological Seminary

"From the title of this book, you might think that this is a book about seeing how remarkable ordinary life is. Or you might think this is a book about slowing down and appreciating life. You are right. But what you’ll find out when you read this book is that it’s about much more than that, if that’s possible. It’s a book about what happens when you stop and look at ordinary life. You become like Christ." - David Morris, Publisher, Zondervan

Reviews: 

"If Frederick Buechner subordinated his nature and chose to write on naughts and nothings, he would still exalt his readers. When he is in representative harmony and writes of the accessibility of God to humanity and of humanity's agreement with its potential divinity, we, the readers, are lifted up, buoyed up, and promised wholeness."- The Lutheran

"Frederick Buechner brings the reader to his knees, sometimes in laughter, sometimes in an astonishment very close to prayer, and at the best of times in a combination of both."-The New York Times Book Review

"You've likely heard of Frederick Buechner. His devotees speak of him with held breath and wide eyes (myself included.) What's all the fuss? Here's your chance to find out. This is a marvelous introduction to his expansive worldview, his startling insights, his fluid river-like prose. But let me warn you. You'll be swept underground, to caves and cisterns of faith and questioning and beauty you didn't even know existed. And you'll run out to buy his books. "-Leslie Leyland Fields

"Read "101" and you will want to read all of Buechner's books. Timeless. Transparent. Transforming. With a singular insight and clarity, Buechner expounds on all the things you wished you'd heard in church." -Amazon Customer

Reviews

"Before there was Rob Bell, Anne Lamott and Brian McLaren, there was - and still is - Frederick Buechner.  Frederick Buechner was - and remains - a pioneer in spiritual memoir." - David Crumm, Editor of www.ReadTheSpirit.com

"Heartbreaking, sardonic, whimsical, elegiac, crazy-funny: this is a book to be sipped like a rare wine, the last bottle of a fabled vintage, brought up from the cellar for our delectation." – John Wilson, editor Books & Culture

"Here, yet again, is Fred with his compelling talent for storytelling, his artistry with image and phrase, and his cunning sense of depth and hiddenness in the ordinary.  The tales he tells of mother and Johnny and presidents and aunts will be echoed in our laughing and our weeping." – Walter Bruggemann

"This book is cause for rejoicing.  Buechner’s remarkable way with words continues.  From presidents to teachers, from famous folk to family, Buechner’s subjects become poignant portraits that bespeak his artful attentiveness.  Ranging from memoir to short story, from book review to poetry, this book will be good company for longtime Buechner readers and a revelation to those just arriving." – W. Dale Brown

Reviews

"Brilliant…overflowing with images and questions and honesty and insights that will haunt you for days." – Rob Bell

"In the beginning, we’re told, was the word.  Every once in a while someone shows up on the planet who is word-obsessed and word-gifted; and the light and darkness get named again.  In our day, that someone is Buechner." – John Ortberg

"Buechner uses words with such transformative power that any comment on them is like the moon palely reflecting the sun." – Walter Brueggemann

"I’ve been reading Buechner since 1982.  Here’s what I’ve learned: when you need a fresh look at sleep-worn thought, a dare to rethink what you thought you knew, an honest glimpse into an honest heart – read Frederick Buechner." – Max Lucado

"Buechner is one of our best worker of words. Now, in this fine collection, we’ve got the best of Buechner.  Here is the word made wondrous." – William H. Willimon

"A poignant, practical, deeply philosophical, and powerful work. Highly recommended." – Library Journal

"An elegant and life-giving memoir." – Publishers Weekly

"One of the most insightful spiritual writers of our age... a must for Buechner’s many fans." – Kansas City Star

"Buechner eloquently explores the beauty of language, the joy and pain of being human, and the hope of the Gospel." – Houston Chronicle

"This collection of sermons will refresh your soul. I highly recommend this book for your enjoyment and inspiration." – Canadian Mennonite

"The topography of Buechner’s world is beautifully mapped by this set of self-revealing sermons and essays." – J. I. Packer

"He has the rare gift of taking biblical text and helping us to see it [...] in a completely new way." – Lexington Herald Leader

"...his work is a revelation...Here Buechner’s storytelling abilities and eye for detail are at their best." – The Lutheran

"For the uninitiated, this volume is the perfect entrée to Buechner’s writing.  He eloquently explores the beauty of language, the joy and pain of being human, the darkness found in human experience and the Bible, and the hope of the Gospel…Buechner helps us open our eyes, ears, and hearts to see the world and God in it.  He teaches us to delight in the mysteriousness of truth." – Dallas Morning News

"Buechner’s gift is a rendering of life into delicate truths." – The Oregonian

Reviews

"[A collection] that all preachers, teachers, and seekers will find themselves returning to again and again for spiritual inspiration." - Spirituality and Health Magazine

"Those familiar with Buechner will feel like they've run into an old friend in the grocery store. Readers new to the author will probably develop a love affair with his ability to draw you into a story (sometimes with only a line or two) and then, in a few words, give you something you'll never forget. For instance, under the heading "Buechner": "I can't imagine myself with any other name ... If my name were different, I would be different. When I tell you my name, I have given you a hold over me that you didn't have before. If you call it out, I stop, look and listen whether I want to or not. 'In the book of Exodus, God tells Moses that his name is Yahweh, and God hasn't had a peaceful moment since.” – Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

"Buechner's folksy, unforgettable writing style puts him in a class by himself." - Publishers Weekly

"Whether reading 'Beyond Words' makes for a happier, easier or more fulfilled life, I couldn't say. This much I know—it does, at least, for the duration of time you're reading it." – Jeff Simon

Reviews

"Hopkins and Twain? Chesterton and Shakespeare? Buechner takes these four writers, never mentioned in the same breath, and shows us a hidden affinity among them, in the process allowing us to see them as we never have before. Speak What We Feel is a book of uncanny insight." – John Wilson

"I look to Frederick Buechner as a mentor in literature and faith, and this book marvelously combines both." – Philip Yancey

"A hauntingly terrifying and beautiful book about the depths of human existence." – Dallas Willard

"Serves to illuminate a path through the ambiguities and complexities of human life." – Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

"[Reverberates] with particular poignancy...speak[s] honestly and eloquently." – Presbyterian Outlook

Reviews

"Journey on, Frederick Buechner.  We need your stories to help us make sense of our own." – New Oxford Review

"Extraordinarily personal…intimate, dignified, and wryly humorous." – USA Today

"Buechner has articulated what he sees with a freshness and clarity and energy that hails our stultified imaginations." – New York Times Book Review

"With profound intelligence, Buechner’s [work] does what the finest, most appealing literature does: It displays and illumines the seemingly unrelated mysteries of human character and ultimate ideas." – Annie Dillard, Boston Globe

"In The Longing for Home, [Buechner] owns up to the possibility that his entire career has been a search for home, an attempt to fill that something missing in himself." - W. Dale Brown, The Book of Buechner

Reviews

"If Frederick Buechner subordinated his nature and chose to write on naughts and nothings, he would still exalt his readers.  When he is in representative harmony and writes of the accessibility of God to humanity and of humanity’s agreement with its potential divinity, we, the readers, are lifted up, buoyed up, and promised wholeness.  This book is meant to possess, and at the same time liberate, the heart.  I’m happy to report it succeeds." – Maya Angelou

"Daily meditations taken from the works of an acclaimed novelist, essayist, and preacher who has articulated what he sees with a freshness and clarity and energy that hails our stultified imaginations." – The New York Times Book Review

Reviews

"The Clown in the Belfry is an edifying and illuminating read. Turn your contemplation of it into a spiritual exercise, and you are bound to be surprised by joy." – Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality & Practice

"Frederick Buechner is without question one of the truly great writers of the 20th century and into the present.  He is already being mentioned in the category of C. S. Lewis and G. K. Chesterton." – viaLibri

"Buechner defies the odds. His sermons read like wisdom literature." – Jim Gordon

Reviews

"Compelling and imaginative…uncovers bright patches of light and discloses wry kernels of wisdom and insight." – Chicago Tribune

"Ultimate justice would mean that [Buechner’s] books will be found in virtually every literate and civilized household in the United States.  That is what he deserves as a writer….A wise and witty book, written with that beauty of style that Buechner readers have learned to expect….Pure delight." – The Chattanooga Times

"Whistling in the Dark is not so much a book to be read as savored.  Buechner’s reflections and reminiscences are by turns moving, provocative, or fascinating – but always insightful.  This could be called ‘devotional literature’ at its best…I find myself wanting to have it within easy reach for frequent treats of stimulation and fresh perspective." – J. Randall Nichols, Princeton Theological Seminary

"Entertaining and useful…Buechner is very good at squeezing a lot of reflection into a few sentences….His insights, and expressions of them, are sharp." – The Milwaukee Journal

Reviews

"[Buechner is] one of our most original storytellers…[His] reader…feels as if he is being addressed in an extraordinarily personal way.  Intimate, dignified and wryly humorous, Buechner’s voice turns us into listeners." – USA Today

"No one is better than Buechner at intertwining the stuff of faith, the gritty details of life ‘in the real world,’ and the witness of personal quest." – Presbyterian Survey

"[Buechner’s] magnificent command of the English language will enlighten and enthrall." –  Bookstore Journal

Reviews

"A fresh perception of the biblical stories with razor-edged humor in such a manner as to bring them alive to modern readers." – Theology Today

"The entries from Peculiar Treasures that got the most play...were no doubt those treating Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac.  Musicians like Michael Card and Daniel Amos wrote songs based on the humor and contemporary themes Buechner finds." - W. Dale Brown, The Book of Buechner

Reviews

"You don’t have to be in the habit of going to church to listen to such a literary minister; you don’t have to be a believer to be moved by Mr. Buechner’s faith." – John Irving

"When I forget the power of the word, I read Frederick Buechner.  When I forget the deep relief of telling the truth, I read Frederick Buechner.  When I forget to look for the holiness all around me, I read Frederick Buechner.  When I forget why the gospel matters, I read Frederick Buechner." – Barbara Brown Taylor

"Frederick Buechner is one of my favorite writers, and has been for a long, long time." – Anne Lamott

"Frederick Buechner is one of our finest writers." - Annie Dillard

Telling the Truth isfresh, creative look at the underlying meaning of the Gospels that stresses the many dimensions of God's relationship to humanity.

Reviews

"Reading this book is akin to praying with religious art, with Rev. Buechner as a reverent guide to the artist's intent." - Rachelle Linner, The Catholic Review Online

"...yet another of Mr. Buechner's poetic musings; this time he puts a human face on the gospel events, one that mirrors our own. The prolific Mr. Buechner is a recipient of multiple national book awards. Clearly he has a way with words. He makes familiar New Testament encounters refreshingly vivid, drawing the reader in so closely that we must either gaze in awe or avoid meeting Jesus' eyes altogether." – Dallas New Religion

Reviews

"The same stylistic power, subtlety and originality that have distinguished Frederick Buechner's novels lift Wishful Thinking far above commonplace religion books nearly to the level of C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters. An artist is at work here in the vineyard of theology, a wit with wisdom." – The New York Times Book Review

"Thoughtful, spirited, entertaining...a dictionary for doubters and restless believers." – Chicago Tribune

"[Buechner] examines language about God and human life with immense perception, a great economy of words, and an engaging use of irony."  – Methodist Recorder

"Original, pungent and joyful." – The Christian Century

"A beguiling book...Buechner handles difficult subjects (eternity, immortality, prayer) with a casual aplomb and easy analogy." – Time

“Wishful Thinking is a new lexicon, a dictionary for the restless believer, for the doubter, for anyone who wants to redefine or define more concretely those words that have become an integral part of our daily language—words that we use about God, the universe and, last but never least, humankind...With such wit and wisdom, imagination and innovation, we are led to a fuller awareness and greater understanding of the true relevance of familiar terms to each of our own lives." – Steve Petty, Senior Pastor, St. Andrew's By-the-Sea United Methodist Church, San Clemente

Reviews

"A book by an experienced writer, a novelist, a poet, a clergyman…The Alphabet of Grace is a small but beautiful whole, ordered by poetic structure." – Madeleine L’Engle

"Frederick Buechner surprises and delights (and – very softly – teaches) us by giving some shape to apparently random experience by uttering it….He has articulated what he sees with a freshness and clarity and energy that hails our stultified imaginations." – The New York Times Book Review

Reviews

"Combines an acute sensitivity to the biblical word with a keen awareness for what is relevant for his contemporaries." - Choice

"Frederick Buechner is a poet and master of English prose." – The Living Church

"This pastor-novelist-essayist is a master of graceful writing." – Concern

"Frederick Buechner’s style is ostensibly prose, yet so compressed are the ideas and so vivid are the images that the writing often seems to be free verse." – Presbyterian Life

Reviews

"One of today’s most powerful writers on religious themes here offers meditations on key passages of the Old and New Testaments that fuse “rhythmic style, rich imagery, forthright biblical exegesis [and] bring to mind the meditative work of J. B. Phillips and C. S. Lewis." – Presbyterian Life

"Here is prose so beautifully written that it verges on poetry.  Yet The Magnificent Defeat wrestles with sweaty contemporary problems, including the problem of those who want to believe and can’t." – United Press International

"These are powerful sermons, designed for the skeptical and inquiring, no less than for the devout." - Choice

"Combines high writing skill with a profound understanding of Christian essentials." - New York Times Book Review