In this fourth memoir by Pulitzer Prize-nominated Frederich Buechner, we as readers are led through the authors library that he refers to as the “Magic Kingdom.”  This library serves as the gateway to Buechner’s mind and heart as he recaps how his life was shaped by those within it – family, friends, mentors…  from the moments of great joy, to the depths of the events that still seem to reach out and grab a part of him such as the suicide of his father.

I had mentioned earlier this year that I used to read a lot more Christian fiction and Christian genre reads.  Last year when I was looking through my books that I had read in 2010 I seen a noticeable decline in this type of read from previous years.  I had decided to make it a point in 2011 to actively seek out Christian authors I had not read and work at finding my niche for this genre once again.  This is what brought me to this book.

When Amy from My Friend Amy wrote a post about doing a read a long for The Eyes Of The Heart, I jumped at the chance to experience this author who has written many incredible books, none of which I have read.

Thus begins my journey into Buechner…

“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened.”

Ephesians 1:18

For a person who enjoys seeing beyond the cover of my books that I store in my own library, this book was a visual treat fro the mind.  I love how the book opens with Frederick Buechner describing this library saying that when people enter this room he expects them to tremble with excitement, but few of them do as they do not know or care enough about books to have any idea as to what they are seeing.  Buechner then goes on to describe the collections he holds within this room from his early childhood reads, to many first publishing’s such as A Christmas Carol from 1843.  (I mention this one as I am a collector of the different writings/editions of A Christmas Carol and this book alone would have caused me to tremble with excitement.)

I thought the book to be a brilliant look into this authors deepest soul from where he wavers, to where he is strong.  I like the thought of pulling up the people from our past, those who have passed on, and asking them the questions that lay on many of our hearts…. what is out there?  Who is waiting?

I wish I could do this book justice when I describe it as breathtaking… when Buechner speaks of his grandson coming into the world, and grasping on how soon he feels he himself will leave it – I was teary eyed. I admit I have never really been moved by poetry, but to me this book read in parts like a poem that I much savored and took my time reading through passages again.

My only wish is that I had read some of his earlier works so as to have a better picture of who this man was before he became who he is in this book.  Beautifully written, deeply detailed, this is a book I will keep in my “Magic Kingdom” for years to come.   This will not be my last adventure in reading with Frederick Buechner.

Amazon Rating

The 2011 WHERE Are You Reading Map has been updated to include The Eyes Of The Heart

Sent to me by Amy from My Friend Amy