Eleven different poetry collections reviewed by four America editors offer a sample of the God-haunted and the God-hunted contemporary literary artists who work out their spiritual, intellectual and emotional conundrums through lyrical compositions.
Books
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He resisted writing about typical Irish tropes for so long. Now, John Banville is embracing his roots.
Something has changed for the novelist John Banville in the last 15 years. In a twist worthy of his own byzantine fiction, Banville has adopted a new persona and writing style, and even—perhaps—a changed attitude toward “the Irish thing” he once derided.
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Can we reimagine the sacramental life? Ask this poet/farmer/educator.
In this time when so much seems to be falling apart, the writer/philosopher/farmer Michael Martin is reimagining and even building anew.
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What the Jesuit John Kavanaugh understood about our consumer society
For Kavanaugh, the only true response to our consumer culture is the life of Christ: inviting, healing, self-sacrificing, loving.
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John S. Dunne: A theologian (and author) for our dark times
Just as St. Augustine had aimed “to kindle the light of things eternal in human hearts no longer supported by temporal institutions which had seemed eternal but which were crashing on all sides,” so did John S. Dunne, C.S.C., in his many erudite books.
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Director Mike Nichols told beloved stories onscreen. His own life was a story of resilience and transcendence.
The highest tribute I can offer this biography is that it is not unlike a Nichols film itself: incisive, dense with detail yet somehow brisk.
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Review: Inside the very Catholic history of college basketball
John Gasaway examines the entire history of Catholic college basketball in the United States. We see just how many different teams, coaches and athletes have contributed to a reputation for basketball excellence, from the University of San Francisco to Georgetown, Gonzaga and Villanova.
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Review: The voices of the marginalized tell us the most about privilege
Capitalism, consumption, and their (im)moral undercurrents are the subjects of Eula Biss’s new collection of essays.
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Review: A baseball pilgrimage of spirituality, fatherhood and flawed humanity
Most of the players Brad Balukjian met struggled with the shock of having to leave the game.
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Review: The holy challenge of living in bodies that are both material and mystical
Sinead Gleeson’s body shapes—molded by leukemia, a hip replacement, complicated childbirths—provide the most fully realized essays in ‘Constellations.’