This is such a beautiful piece and now I'm looking forward into delving into O'Brien's work. It's such a gift to feel like you have a treasure trove of wonderful writing to look forward to. Thank you.
And I agree that the Inklings live on. In your contention that we often fall into living our lives on automatic, I think their work is some of the most powerful reminders we have on how to not do that. To that end, I wrote this piece, Narnia Against the Machine, about CS Lewis and Narnia and how much medieval wisdom he vouchsafed in that series. I believe it can still guide us today.
I’m so glad you wrote this! I have read all of O’Brien’s fiction and just finished rereading Father Elijah and Elijah in Jerusalem this week. Thank you for these additional resources.
I think we have read Father Elijah three times (so far). Memorably, when we met Michael in his garden to thank him for his work that affected us so deelpy, he gifted us the final book in the series -Elijah in Jerusalem - which had then just been released. It is a more meditative novel than Father Elijah, and I hope you enjoy it.
How neat. I'm reading Strangers and Sojourners in my church book club. The open letter you linked contains themes that remind me of Thomas Kempis's devotional book Imitation of Christ.
I have wanted to walk the Camino for at least 35 years since hearing the pilgrimage music from Philip Pickett's Consort... don't know how we would pull this off, but have to investigate ... sent off for their brochure. My graduate work was in Romanesque art and architecture... sigh...
We would love to have you along! You just prompted me to check out the pilgrimage music you mentioned and found a brief intro (in case anyone reading the comments is interested, see https://youtu.be/stv-9jKcVdg?si=N-0UcJjfP2ycrvbI). Simply beautiful!
I memorized it years ago and it resonates very, very deeply with me. This type of music was my leading path as well as Gregorian Chant, into Orthodoxy and Byzantine Chant... music was always my heart, but this piece above just... listen and feel yourself walking with them centuries ago... Also watch the movie, "The Way" and (spoiler alert) the final scenes are breathtaking!
Thanks Helen, that was simply breathtaking - the piece transports in place and time. Yes, I have seen the Way many years ago, but it might be time for a rewatch. Let me know if you have any questions about the pilgrimage :)
Another huge fan here. His work has taught and inspired me so much as I homeschooled (and beyond) becoming more aware of the Landscape with Dragons. We were blessed to meet him in person, once, at a conference. I kept up with his site til he discontinued it, but I look for things time to time to see if I can find the wisdom nuggets he has left about. I feel like I have just received news from an old friend with this “update”!
It was much more that an update, of course. I am reading and rereading all of this, as it is a much needed reminder. Before the dystopia of the last four years began, in fact the Sunday before our diocese closed our parishes, I “heard”, “Keep your eyes on me” after receiving Holy Communion. During the next months stretching into years I often wondered what Michael O’Brien would chat about if we could talk. It would be exactly what you have written, and not just in this piece. Thank you for your work. God bless you. You are helping me keep my eyes on Him.
Yes, the Landscape of Dragons is a wonderful resource! The book is worth buying for the reading list appendix alone (almost 100 pages!). So glad that we could provide "news from an old friend":)
Huge Michael O'Brien fan here! My first introduction to his work was Father Elijah, and I've been hooked ever since. I notice that when I read one of his works, there's often a character going through an interior struggle similar to one I may be experiencing at the time. So full of depth and wisdom and humanity with all of its joys and sorrows.
That was also the first work of his that we read. Have you read "Voyage to Alpha Centauri"? It is a fascinating sci-fi read. And to your comment about his work being, "So full of depth and wisdom and humanity with all of its joys and sorrows." - Yes indeed!
I have read Voyage to Alpha Centauri and while it was not my favorite of his (because of its being sci-fi), our oldest son enjoyed it so much he read it twice! I would have to say my 2 favorite Michael O'Brien novels are Island of the World and The Father's Tale.
So many themes here that I've struggled with as a dancer, artist, writer and Christian. I don;t know this saint. Surely he is one, but thanks to you I've ordered Father Elijah and am grateful to hear Michaels story.
Glad to hear that this piece resonated with you Cynthia! In order reading of his work and our interactions with him, he definitely exudes the presence of a saint. Thes sense I have got is that he leads a very prayerful life. You might enjoy this video about his art as well https://youtu.be/SPJXyFrbIqE?si=SE5_UMA1yUL0qox4.
Glad to have read O'Brien's talk and read of he and his brother's childhood on the North. I reminded of books I read more than two decades ago, one of which I took wih me on extended work in the Balkans. Hugh Brody (Social anthropology) worked in the 1970s for Canada's Dept. of Indian and Northern Affairs, and the books are 'Maps and Dreams' and 'The Othe Side of Eden'; respectively concerned with the 'Beaver People' and with Inuit communities. One Inuit related story (Chapter, 'Gods') sticks with me, an elderly couple in a tent in the middle of the Labrador singing confidently in their tent as dusk fell the Catholic hymns of their childhood. (Brody has taken pains to record the cruelty to Inuit communiites that had been administered under Church colonial auspices during that era.) The couple retained the faith of their ancestors and the imposed Catholic religion, with a neat explanation as to why.
Catholicism was a minority religion where I was brought up, but much later I met it elsewhere. Reading 'Maps and Dreams' while in a Catholic country in the Balkans spurred me to a verse I am minded to put on my substack just now. I hope this note ads interest,
This is such a beautiful piece and now I'm looking forward into delving into O'Brien's work. It's such a gift to feel like you have a treasure trove of wonderful writing to look forward to. Thank you.
And I agree that the Inklings live on. In your contention that we often fall into living our lives on automatic, I think their work is some of the most powerful reminders we have on how to not do that. To that end, I wrote this piece, Narnia Against the Machine, about CS Lewis and Narnia and how much medieval wisdom he vouchsafed in that series. I believe it can still guide us today.
https://natashaburge.substack.com/p/narnia-against-the-machine
Thanks for sharing your essay again here Natasha! I remember coming across it in the FTP when it was first published - excellent piece!
Thank you, it’s lovely to hear that.
I’m so glad you wrote this! I have read all of O’Brien’s fiction and just finished rereading Father Elijah and Elijah in Jerusalem this week. Thank you for these additional resources.
I think we have read Father Elijah three times (so far). Memorably, when we met Michael in his garden to thank him for his work that affected us so deelpy, he gifted us the final book in the series -Elijah in Jerusalem - which had then just been released. It is a more meditative novel than Father Elijah, and I hope you enjoy it.
Thanks, I’ve not read any of his books yet but now I want to.
(BTW I did read and enjoy “Exogenesis”.)
Great to hear you enjoyed it!
How neat. I'm reading Strangers and Sojourners in my church book club. The open letter you linked contains themes that remind me of Thomas Kempis's devotional book Imitation of Christ.
That sounds like a most splendid church book club!!!
I have wanted to walk the Camino for at least 35 years since hearing the pilgrimage music from Philip Pickett's Consort... don't know how we would pull this off, but have to investigate ... sent off for their brochure. My graduate work was in Romanesque art and architecture... sigh...
We would love to have you along! You just prompted me to check out the pilgrimage music you mentioned and found a brief intro (in case anyone reading the comments is interested, see https://youtu.be/stv-9jKcVdg?si=N-0UcJjfP2ycrvbI). Simply beautiful!
If there was one piece of music that described me, it would be this, from the Camino:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-5mx5o8YYs.
I memorized it years ago and it resonates very, very deeply with me. This type of music was my leading path as well as Gregorian Chant, into Orthodoxy and Byzantine Chant... music was always my heart, but this piece above just... listen and feel yourself walking with them centuries ago... Also watch the movie, "The Way" and (spoiler alert) the final scenes are breathtaking!
Thanks Helen, that was simply breathtaking - the piece transports in place and time. Yes, I have seen the Way many years ago, but it might be time for a rewatch. Let me know if you have any questions about the pilgrimage :)
Another huge fan here. His work has taught and inspired me so much as I homeschooled (and beyond) becoming more aware of the Landscape with Dragons. We were blessed to meet him in person, once, at a conference. I kept up with his site til he discontinued it, but I look for things time to time to see if I can find the wisdom nuggets he has left about. I feel like I have just received news from an old friend with this “update”!
Glad we could give you the "update"!
It was much more that an update, of course. I am reading and rereading all of this, as it is a much needed reminder. Before the dystopia of the last four years began, in fact the Sunday before our diocese closed our parishes, I “heard”, “Keep your eyes on me” after receiving Holy Communion. During the next months stretching into years I often wondered what Michael O’Brien would chat about if we could talk. It would be exactly what you have written, and not just in this piece. Thank you for your work. God bless you. You are helping me keep my eyes on Him.
Thank you Penny & John! This is just what Ruth and I had hoped to be doing (imperfectly no doubt!) through our writing.
Yes, the Landscape of Dragons is a wonderful resource! The book is worth buying for the reading list appendix alone (almost 100 pages!). So glad that we could provide "news from an old friend":)
Huge Michael O'Brien fan here! My first introduction to his work was Father Elijah, and I've been hooked ever since. I notice that when I read one of his works, there's often a character going through an interior struggle similar to one I may be experiencing at the time. So full of depth and wisdom and humanity with all of its joys and sorrows.
That was also the first work of his that we read. Have you read "Voyage to Alpha Centauri"? It is a fascinating sci-fi read. And to your comment about his work being, "So full of depth and wisdom and humanity with all of its joys and sorrows." - Yes indeed!
I have read Voyage to Alpha Centauri and while it was not my favorite of his (because of its being sci-fi), our oldest son enjoyed it so much he read it twice! I would have to say my 2 favorite Michael O'Brien novels are Island of the World and The Father's Tale.
Yes, Island of the World was among my favorites as well (although the hard cover version was heavy on the wrist...).
So many themes here that I've struggled with as a dancer, artist, writer and Christian. I don;t know this saint. Surely he is one, but thanks to you I've ordered Father Elijah and am grateful to hear Michaels story.
Glad to hear that this piece resonated with you Cynthia! In order reading of his work and our interactions with him, he definitely exudes the presence of a saint. Thes sense I have got is that he leads a very prayerful life. You might enjoy this video about his art as well https://youtu.be/SPJXyFrbIqE?si=SE5_UMA1yUL0qox4.
Great thoughts! Thank you!
Glad to have read O'Brien's talk and read of he and his brother's childhood on the North. I reminded of books I read more than two decades ago, one of which I took wih me on extended work in the Balkans. Hugh Brody (Social anthropology) worked in the 1970s for Canada's Dept. of Indian and Northern Affairs, and the books are 'Maps and Dreams' and 'The Othe Side of Eden'; respectively concerned with the 'Beaver People' and with Inuit communities. One Inuit related story (Chapter, 'Gods') sticks with me, an elderly couple in a tent in the middle of the Labrador singing confidently in their tent as dusk fell the Catholic hymns of their childhood. (Brody has taken pains to record the cruelty to Inuit communiites that had been administered under Church colonial auspices during that era.) The couple retained the faith of their ancestors and the imposed Catholic religion, with a neat explanation as to why.
Catholicism was a minority religion where I was brought up, but much later I met it elsewhere. Reading 'Maps and Dreams' while in a Catholic country in the Balkans spurred me to a verse I am minded to put on my substack just now. I hope this note ads interest,
Sorry, couple of typos in the first lines above. Please excuse.