If you’re in the right place at the right time with this book, it will change your life.

I recently re-read Madeleine L'Engle's most well known book A Wrinkle In Time, and this afternoon finished The Rock That Is Higher Story As Truth, which I had been eagerly wanting to read.

L'Engle writes poignantly about how she survived a horrific car accident, her struggles and joys of being a writer, mother, grandmother, and wife; her theological views, love for the power of art, and how we all have our own unique life narrative filled with failure, struggles, beauty, mystery, and joy. This book is amazing. This quote below is my favorite from the book.

"The happy ending does not come automatically, and it does not come free. We must embark on the Quest, knowing that it involves dangers. We are not protected by our goodness or our own superior powers. We know we are not qualified, and we rejoice in being servants. The happy ending begins with our recognition of our wholeness, which is symbolized for us in the elements of the fairy tale. We are much more than we know, and we can begin to find that more through our willingness to go on the Quest, and to welcome in ourselves the younger son, the elder brother, the true princess, the benevolent king, the enchanted beast, the wise old woman, all leading towards that redemptive fulfilling of the journey which is our story."- Madeleine L'Engle

words of wisdom from a great author

I enjoyed this book. It was a slow read for me but there were hidden gems in it. The best part was feeing like I got to know this amazing author a little bit as a person.

Originally when I bought this book, I had gotten it thinking that this would be a book on the nature of story exploring elements of truth. Instead, it was more of a memoir, with L'Engle sharing personal stories interspered with her thoughts on Christianity, and how the nature of story binds both. Don't get me wrong--I liked it, but I wanted something more scholarly, not reflective. So that's the only reason I'm marking it 2 stars.

That said, as always, L'Engle's writing speaks to me. I found her words intensely comforting, since I was going through a rough patch. It was good to get her take on things. I will confess though, towards the end, it felt like she was repeating herself, and I felt it didn't bring anything new to my mind on the nature of story. The periods where I wouldn't read the book got longer and longer. At this point, I'm going to mark it unfinished and put it back on the bookcase, since I have other books to read.

If I had known this was a sort of memoir, I might have enjoyed it more. It was a lot of personal reflections by Madeleine, which were interesting to read and enjoyable, since I think she’s got a beautiful mind. Some of her theological takes are slightly questionable to me (is she a universalist…? Seems like it at some points). That said, it was a great read and I agree with her about a lot. The audiobook narrator was fine too, I don’t know what Madeleine sounds like, but I will always think it must be like this lady. Overall, 8.5/10!

So many beautiful thoughts on how stories are truth. Each chapter was basically a different essay or collection of thoughts, and while sometimes L’Engle gets a little side tracked, it always comes together in the end and I appreciate all her little wanderings. This one felt very stream of consciousness but because I love L’Engle as person and her writing SO MUCH I just simply enjoyed it all.(: she gave me a ton to think about (per usual) and I’m always thrilled to find that the things I’m currently studying and interested in are things that she loves too and has already spoken on thoroughly.

My copy of this book looks like I’ve owned it for 10 years because it’s so filled with highlights and crinkled pages. I almost destroyed it just due to all my scribbling and obsessing as I read.

She says something along the lines of truth doesn't always have to be a fact, but facts are always true. & I really like that. L'Engle really emphasizes that stories from the Bible are true whether they are 100% a fact. The two different accounts of creation in Genesis are both true-whether or not they are both literally factual (like God's time vs. our experience of time). I'm gunna quit rambling & just say read it yourself lol

This book is full of truth, beauty, and goodness. It has become my favorite of L'Engle's nonfiction books.

I read this as one of my devotionals for the last month or so but it is not a devotional.

I found too many favorite passages to try to narrow down any to post here.

3.5 - 4 stars

One of L' Engle's finest. Highly recommended!

PP. 56 - 57: Her description of meal time, this shared meal in so many times & various people - so beautiful and real.

PP. 106 - 107 - Complication and Peripety

"Don't we trust the Lord enough to tell him how we really feel? To question? To rail? But we must also accept that sometimes we don't hear answers."

Not my favorite L'Engle work, but still good.

This book by Madeleine L’Engle is an incredible undertaking! Somehow she manages to take what appears to me to be extremely different genres and tie them all together into a well written book about the truth in story and myth. Her writing style is engaging as she shares with the reader her long held beliefs about religion. While I can’t say I’m completely on board with everything she wrote, I very much enjoyed reading this book and felt uplifted by many of the comparisons and observations she shared. I also loved how her joy from a lifetime of loving Jesus shines through on each and every page.

I feel this book is definitely worthy of 5 stars.