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The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage Audiobook
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(4.70) - 20 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In the middle of the twentieth century, four American Catholics, working independently of one another, came to believe that the best way to explore the quandaries of religious faith was in writing. The four writers were Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, Flannery O'Connor, and Walker Percy. Called the School of the Holy Ghost, for three decades they exchanged letters, ardently read each others' books, and grappled with what one of them called a "predicament shared in common."
Paul Elie tells these four writers' story as a pilgrimage from the God-obsessed literary past to the chaos of postwar American life. It is a story about the ways we look to great books and writers to help us make sense of our experience, and the power of literature to change—and to save—our lives.
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"Shows the intellectual convergence of thought of Dorothy Day, Flannery O'Connor, Thomas Merton, and Walker Percy as well as their raw humanity, warts and all. This book, more than any other, prompted my conversion to Catholicism, a choice I've not regretted. "
— Ellen (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“An ingeniously woven literary tapestry.”
— Time -
“Warm, clear writing.”
— New Yorker
Awards
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Nominated for the Barnes & Noble Discover Award
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Winner of the 2004 PEN/Martha Albrand Award
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A 2003 National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist
The Life You Save May Be Your Own Listener Reviews
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" Fascinating portrait of three spiritual icons. "
— Celine, 8/1/2010 -
" At long last, I have begun this much anticipated (by me) book. After I purchased it I saw it referenced as a must-read by two separate and wholly unrelated sources. Living up to my hype already! <br/> <br/>Wonderful!!! "
— Cindy, 4/20/2010 -
" One of my favorites...where famous authors, activists and spiritual masters connect! "
— John, 12/15/2009 -
" That God is mysterios and always connecting us to the peole and places we need. "
— Keishua, 8/17/2009 -
" So far pretty good. I do wish the book was organized by author studied instead of themes. I wanted to pick and choose the authors to read about and it's harder this way. "
— Roxanne, 7/30/2009 -
" Flanary O'Connor, Walker Percy, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton all in one place. :) "
— Susan, 7/2/2009 -
" A great read that lags in moments, but pays off by showing what these authors did to enliven religious language in the midst of mid-20th century modernism (and in distinct ways). Eile is smart and observant. "
— Tim, 6/24/2009 -
" Great book on the lives of Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Flannery O'Connor, and Walker Percy. "
— Darrell, 6/23/2009 -
" <br/>Another book about spiritual seeking in 20th century America, this time braiding the stories of four writers, Dorothy Day, Walker Percy, Flannery O'Conner, and Thomas Merton. Lots of food for thought. "
— Theresa, 6/10/2009
About Paul Elie
Paul Elie, born in 1965, has worked as an editor at Farrar, Straus and Giroux since 1993. His writing has appeared in such publications as Commonweal and the New Republic.
About Lloyd James
Lloyd James (a.k.a. Sean Pratt) has been a working professional actor in theater, film, television, and voice-overs for more than thirty years. He has narrated over one thousand audiobooks and won numerous Earphones Awards and nominations for the Audie Award and the Voice Arts Award. He holds a BFA degree in acting from Santa Fe University, New Mexico.