George Saunders’s place among the best living American writers is secure. And while Saunders is not often included in discussions of the best Catholic writers, in both his upbringing and his thematic concerns, his work fits solidly in the Catholic literary tradition.
Michael O’Connell
Michael O’Connell is a writer, editor, and teacher who lives in Ann Arbor, Mich. He is the author of Startling Figures: Encounters with American Catholic Fiction, editor of Conversations with George Saunders, and co-editor of The Journal of David Foster Wallace Studies. After a decade of teaching at the university level, he is currently the inaugural fellow at the Jesuit Media Lab, where he writes and teaches courses. You can find more of his work on his substack Nothing Gold.
Posted inBooks
Review: the catholic Catholic imagination of John Darnielle & the Mountain Goats
John Darnielle’s ‘This Year: 365 Songs Annotated’ collects lyrics from, and brief reflections on, 365 different Mountain Goats songs. Catholicism saturates his lyrics, which include references to saints, heretics, the rosary and the Bible.
Posted inIdeas
A summit for Catholic creators: Art, community and spirituality
The Ignatian Creators Summit is a unique blend of professional conference, artistic workshop and spiritual retreat.
Posted inArts & Culture, Ideas
David Foster Wallace, A.I. and the future of the humanities
Twenty years ago, David Foster Wallace delivered one of the most widely shared and admired graduation speeches of all time. It still rewards close analysis.