Listening to Your Life: Daily Meditations with Frederick Buechner – The Acclaimed Novelist-Preacher on Imagination

by Frederick Buechner

Daily meditations taken from the works of an acclaimed novelist, essayist, and preacher who has articulated what he sees with a freshness and clarity and energy that hails our stultified imaginations.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Devotional, Religion, Christian, Faith, Christianity

384 pages, Paperback

First published May 8, 1992

About the author

Frederick Buechner is a highly influential writer and theologian who has won awards for his poetry, short stories, novels and theological writings. His work pioneered the genre of spiritual memoir, laying the groundwork for writers such as Anne Lamott, Rob Bell and Lauren Winner.

His first book, A Long Day's Dying, was published to acclaim just two years after he graduated from Princeton. He entered Union Theological Seminary in 1954 where he studied under renowned theologians that included Reinhold Niebuhr, Paul Tillich, and James Muilenberg. In 1955, his short story "The Tiger" which had been published in the New Yorker won the O. Henry Prize.

After seminary he spent nine years at Phillips Exeter Academy, establishing a religion department and teaching courses in both religion and English. Among his students was the future author, John Irving. In 1969 he gave the Noble Lectures at Harvard. He presented a theological autobiography on a day in his life, which was published as The Alphabet of Grace.

In the years that followed he began publishing more novels, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist Godric. At the same time, he was also writing a series of spiritual autobiographies. A central theme in his theological writing is looking for God in the everyday, listening and paying attention, to hear God speak to people through their personal lives.

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been my companion for 15+ years. One of my favorite entries is August 3, entitled "Wine".

I quote it here:
****************************
Unfermented grape juice is a bland and pleasant drink, especially on a warm afternoon mixed half-and-half with ginger ale. It is a ghastly symbol of the life blood of Jesus Christ, especially when it is served in antiseptic, thimble-sized glasses.

Wine is booze, which means it is dangerous and drunk-making. It makes the timid brave and the reserved amorous. It loosens the tongue and breaks the ice especially when served in a loving cup. It kills germs. As symbols go, it is a rather splendid one.
*******************************************

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I begin to know that I do not need to know and that I do not need to be afraid of not knowing. God knows. That is all that matters.

The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.

Buechner’s writing sits in the big open space between doubt and belief, all the while inviting us to see God in the ordinary moments of our lives. He questions, pokes and prods at conventional religion and theology, all the while coming back to deeper truths with reverence and joy.

[James Klagge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 6th year I have done a daily-meditation book, and this one was excellent. Buechner is a skeptic who grew Christian against all of his own expectations. He is a writer by trade who writes novels as a Christian, but not with an ax to grind. He has also written a lot of spiritual-theological non-fiction, and several memoirs. I have not read a lot by him, but I've really liked everything I've read.
This set of readings is a selection from his many writings, both fiction and non-fiction. The selection is very well-done. The writing is never pious, always looking for the spiritual in the ordinary--and either finding it, or finding a lesson in the failure to find it. He speaks to me.

[Conrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! It was the first "daily devotional" book that I have stayed with and not lost interest in. Taken from all of his writings, this book was a pleasure to open each day and find something thoughtful and meaningful on each page - and many of those pages were thus shared with friends on my Facebook page (and for anyone wanting to do that simply go to www.frederickbuechner.com and type in the daily heading into the search bar an up it pops so you can copy and paste!). I highly recommend this book to anyone.

[April Cardinal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buechner is wonderful. His thoughts are always inspiring, always challenging me to see things in a different way, and always making me feel like it's okay to think outside of the box. He is brilliant. This book is great for short daily insights.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a person of faith, I highly encourage you to get journey through a year with these devotions. Buechner's wise reflections are an amazing way to start each day, and you will find your brain bringing his words back again and again. . . .

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is just what the title says, a daily reader from one of the richest, warmest voices still living in literature. These morsels of solid food for mind and heart will see many days even after the dear man is gone too.

No bones about it, Frederick Buechner is my favorite living author. He simply has a way of putting things that moves me to action and repose at the same time, to both internal contentment and stark rage at the world's pains and injustices. Having his tomes at hand to glance at or pore over is one way I stay sane and positive. Come what may, Buechner's elegant, sometimes archaic language churns like butter before my eyes.

This compact read includes excerpts from most of his major works, including the exquisite, Pulitzer-nominated Godric, a novel. For what it's worth, it also comes with Maya Angelou's stamp of approval, as the two are friends. I think of Angelou and Buechner, Capote and Harper Lee, and more: Nothing beats those times when great voices find friendship.

[Jolin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book influenced my faith journey at a crucial time in my life. I wanted to start a prayer-life, didn't fit in with many religious types, and liked the pretty cover of this book. I had no idea I had chosen wisely at all. It was more of a whim. And yet, I couldn't have chosen a better starting place for my spiritual journey than this daily devotional. This is where I was first introduced to Frederick Buechner. And through this collection of writings divided into thought-provoking snippets I was able to understand better where God was in my own life at that time. Do not expect a typical devotional with a prayer-per-day. This book might challenge you to reach out for The Divine, but it won't do the work of crafting your prayer-life for you. I re-read Listening to Your Life periodically, surprised every time by the wit and wisdom here. A great companion to Bible reading and journaling--especially for faithful folks who ask tough questions. This book is wonderful!

[Laysee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today I read the last devotion for 2015 and am filled with gratitude for Frederick Buechner whose meditative reflections - one for each day - kept me company all of this year.

You don't have to be a believer to read "Listening To Your Life". Buechner writes insightfully from his observations of life and his empathy for our human needs and struggles. I have found it illuminating and comforting to spend a few minutes every day reflecting on a short passage of reading. These are bite size readings but they offer much food for thought and refreshment of spirit. They help me begin each new day better.

Come tomorrow, I'm returning to the January 1st reading. Thank you, Mr. Buechner.

[Raoul G · Rating 5 out of 5]

"His faith was not a seamless garment but a ragged garment with the seams showing, the tears showing, a garment that he clutched about him like a man in a storm."

I recommend this book to anyone who can at least somewhat relate to this statement. In the course of one year Buechner touches on many topics such as identity, faith, doubt, love, hope, revelation, the absence of God and many more. Not all of the meditations are equally interesting but there are so many gems to be found in the pages of this book that it's definitely worth a read.

[Brian Allain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent "greatest quotes" book. Be sure to read February 28. Also see www.frederickbuechner.com.

[Tracy Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are daily meditations from several of Buechner’s books and sermons. Most are beautiful questions about and declarations of faith. Some didn’t fit here for me. I read several at a time.

[Ron Aguilera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frederick Buechner is one of my favorite writers. Listening To Your Life is an excellent devotional, with some of the devotionals coming from Buechner's Book of Bebb, also excellent stories about Leo Bebb and his journey through life. This devotional hits on practical living topics.

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two stories about how I came to read this collection of daily meditations. First, many years ago I was a communications director in a college that had just welcomed a new dean. She often mentioned Buechner as someone she read and deeply admired. As a way of gaining insight into my new boss, I bought this book and one or two others.
Well, the dean turned out to be totally unqualified for the position (although quite charismatic) and left after an extremely tumultuous period (at least for me—before she was fired she managed to fire me and a few others). I never got a chance to read it in all the turmoil.
Second, during the time she was dean, I turned to meditation as a method of dealing with the immense stress of work. This practice led me away from a not especially sturdy Christianity toward Buddhism. So I no longer consider myself a Christian and continue my meditation practice and study of Buddhism in the current day with great joy and satisfaction.
I provide this lengthy intro to explain where my head was while reading this and why I read it as I did and responded as I did.
Since I wasn’t reading it for the purpose of a Christian meditation guide I read it month by month rather than day by day. But I allowed myself to linger numerous times as I did find some of Buechner’s thoughts, well, thought provoking.
I tagged several spots, one on being present and, as he put it, “alive.” This is, of course, a central part of my practice and interesting to read from his perspective. It’s beautifully written with imagery that is not to be forgotten.
In another passage he speaks of one of the parables and his conclusion is that in the story one man looks at another less fortunate and realizes that “ he and that other one there were not entirely separate selves at all.” Again this parallels with Buddhist teaching.
Not that it’s surprising or unusual to see the parallels in different spiritual teachings—far from it. But I liked finding examples.
I marked a few other passages simply because the writing was lovely. However, much of what he writes is simply down-to-earth, clearly done. That is an accomplishment when writing of faith! But the lyric passages are few and far between.
A little gem he dropped in one entry was a quote from Henry James I had never heard before and love: “There are three things that are important in human life. The first it to be kind. The second is to be kind. The third is to be kind.”
I can’t top that. I found this to be worth my time and consideration and since I bought it on the recommendation of a woman who did not embody any form of kindness, left it unread for 12 years and read it not as a Christian, I rate myself surprised.

[Jon Den Houter · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an introduction to Buechner, this was excellent; as a daily devotional, it was hit-or-miss. There are times when Buecher comes up with magnificent insights, for example, in the June 14 entry, "The Bible Without Tears":

What follows are some practical suggestions on how to read the Bible without tears. Or maybe with them.

1. DON'T START AT the beginning and try to plow your way straight through to the end. At least not without help. If you do, you're almost sure to bog down somewhere around the twenty-fifth chapter of Exodus. Concentrate on the high points at first. There is much to reward you in the valleys too, but at the outset keep to the upper elevations. There are quite a few.

There is the vivid, eyewitness account of the reign of King David, for instance (2 Samuel plus the first two chapters of 1 Kings), especially the remarkable chapters that deal with his last years when the crimes and blunders of his youth have begun to catch up with him. Or the Joseph stories (Genesis 39-50). Or the Book of Job. Or the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Or the seventh chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans, which states as lucidly as it has ever been stated the basic moral dilemma of man and then leads into the eighth chapter, which contains the classic expression of Christianity's basic hope.

2. The air in such upper altitudes is apt to be clearer and brighter than elsewhere, but if you nevertheless find yourself getting lost along the way, try a good Bible commentary which gives the date and historical background of each book, explains the special circumstances which it was written to meet, and verse by verse tries to illumine the meaning of the difficult sections. Even when the meaning seems perfectly clear, a commentary can greatly enrich your understanding. The Book of Jonah, for instance—only two or three pages long and the one genuine comedy in the Old Testament—takes on added significance when you discover its importance in advancing the idea that God's love is extended not just to the children of Israel but to all mankind.

3. If you have even as much as a nodding acquaintance with a foreign language, try reading the Bible in that. Then you stand a chance of hearing what the Bible is actually saying instead of what you assume it must be saying because it is the Bible. Some of it you may hear in such a new way that it is as if you had never heard it before. "Blessed are the meek" is the way the English version goes, whereas in French it comes out, "Heureux sont les débonnaires" (Happy are the debonair). The debonair of all things! Doors fly open. Bells ring out.

4. If you don't know a foreign language, try some English version that you've never tried before—the New English Bible, Goodspeed's translation, J. B. Phillips's New Testament, or any other you can lay your hands on. The more far-out the better. Nothing could be farther out than the Bible itself. The trouble with the King James or Authorized Version is that it is too full of Familiar Quotations. The trouble with Familiar Quotations is that they are so familiar you don't hear them. When Jesus was crucified, the Romans nailed over his head a sign saying "King of the Jews" so nobody would miss the joke. To get something closer to the true flavor, try translating the sign instead: "Head Jew."

5. It may sound like fortune-telling, but don't let that worry you. Let the Bible fall open in your lap and start there. If you don't find something that speaks to you, let it fall open to something else. Read it as though it were as exotic as the I Ching or the Tarot deck. Because it is.

6. If somebody claims that you have to take the Bible literally, word for word, or not at all, ask him if you have to take John the Baptist literally when he calls Jesus the Lamb of God.

If somebody claims that no rational person can take a book seriously which assumes that the world was created in six days and man in an afternoon, ask him if he can take Shakespeare seriously whose scientific knowledge would have sent a third-grader into peals of laughter.

7. Finally this. If you look at a window, you see fly-specks, dust, the crack where Junior's Frisbie hit it. If you look through a window, you see the world beyond.

Something like this is the difference between those who see the Bible as a Holy Bore and those who see it as the Word of God which speaks out of the depths of an almost unimaginable past into the depths of ourselves.

I enjoyed the excerpts from his memoirs the best—I just Googled it, he wrote four memoirs, which is a lot, but we know our lives the best, so why not write about them? I liked his fiction the least. While there were some brilliant insights in his fiction excerpts, I grew to dislike his writing style. For example, I cringed at the sentence: "We are all of us judged every day" (February 29, "Judgment"). Why not write, "We are all judged every day"? What is the benefit of adding "of us"? Maybe it makes us slow down and think a little about what he is saying? Buecher adds these bloviated phrases so much that reading him, I get exhausted.

The best thing about Buechner, in my opinion, is his fresh and creative take on well-worn Bible stories and theological truths. For example, he vivifies Jesus' parable of Good Samaritan by saying,

I prefer to think that the difference between the Samaritan and the other two was not just that he was more morally sensitive than they were but that he had, as they had not, the eye of a poet or a child or a saint—an eye that was able to look at the man in the ditch and see in all its extraordinary unexpectedness the truth itself, which was that at the deepest level of their being, he and that other one there were not entirely separate selves at all. Not really at all.

Your life and my life flow into each other as wave flows into wave, and unless there is peace and joy and freedom for you, there can be no real peace or joy or freedom for me. To see reality—not as we expect it to be but as it is—is to see that unless we live for each other and in and through each other, we do not really live very satisfactorily: that there can really be life only where there really is, in just this sense, love. (March 24, "A Child or a Saint")

[Malbadeen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used to be the kind of person that woke up really, really, really early and read things "spiritual" and tried to think about things that mattered to me for a few minutes before the day started. I'd like to be that kind of person again. sometimes i pick up a book like this and try to get there again.
Some of the clips are too out of context for me (snippets from his books), but some a like because he just opens up a big hearken question and lets it sit there.
This book is also somewhat of an anomaly as it is the ONLY one I've ever received from my brother, Josh with a message on the inside cover that is not so highly offensive in it's humor that i have to hide it from my kids. True he had to add a sappy picture of someone crying to pull it off, but still it's a completely socially acceptable message from josh - that's something worth holding on to!

[Sandy H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used Listening to Your Life several years ago as my daily meditation resource and loved it--I have always found Frederick Buechner's writings to be thought-provoking and touch that part of me that finds literature to be one of the greatest resources for my spiritual growth. Buechner's non-fiction prose still reads like literature without becoming too frothy--I often used quotations from his works in my preaching. I also appreciate daily meditation resources that don't try to tell me what the meaning is or supplement the writings with the editor/compiler's opinions. This book is solely a collection of excerpts from Buechner's writings--you glean from them what you will.

I still pull this book off my shelf on occasion when I'm feeling the need for daily focus.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was inspired to read this devotional from Philip Yancey's book, Soul Survivor: How Thirteen Unlikely Mentors Helped My Faith Survive the Church (or the official subtitle: How My Faith Survived the Church (obviously a shorter title but misses the main point of the 13 mentors (others), not just "My") - Chapter 11 FREDERICK BUECHNER Whispers from the Wings. Buechner has written novels, memoirs, sermons, essays, dictionaries (defining oft used Christian words) etc. (more than 30 published books) He is a wonderful writer. Buechner is still living; as of July 13, 2022, he is 96. He was born on July 11, 1926 (my father was born in 1926; he died in 2015.) Years ago, I had read a number of Buechner's non-fiction books. On my ever reducing bookshelves of physical books, I have kept a number of his books, specifically the dictionaries - "letters" of faith. Like many evangelical Christians, I had not read his fiction books. Though I don't identify myself as evangelical, but still a Christian, I have not read his fiction books. Reading the devotional which is a collection of many of his books, I was inspired to read more and buy more of Buechner's writings. I even bought a biography of Buechner, The Book of Buechner: A Journey Through His Writings by Dale Brown (The founding director of the Buechner Institute). An expression of my love for this devotional, I have given this book as a gift to a couple of friends. Finishing the book at the end of 2021, I felt like I was saying farewell to a dear friend who corresponded with me daily. Many passages are highlighted. It would be a book that I would reread. Buechner has donated his correspondence and original manuscripts to Wheaton College.

From Soul Survivor - Buechner's thoughts on evangelical Christians.

He returned to the campus several years later as a visiting professor. For the first time, he was getting regular exposure to evangelical Christians, a breed he had never before met. Some, he told me, reminded him of American tourists in Europe who, not knowing the language of their listeners, simply raise their voices. Such Christians spoke confidently about matters Buechner thought veiled in mystery, and their certitude both fascinated and alarmed him. “I was astonished to hear students shift casually from small talk about the weather and movies to a discussion of what God was doing in their lives. They spoke of ‘prayer diaries’ and used phrases like ‘God told me . . .’ If anybody said anything like that in my part of the world, the ceiling would fall in, the house would catch fire, and people’s eyes would roll up in their heads.” (p. 251)
...
Although he has learned to appreciate the fervor of evangelicals, Buechner speaks of his own faith in more muted tones. He deeply believes that God is alive and present in the world, yet it surprises him not at all that God gives us only “momentary glimpses into a mystery of such depth, power and beauty that if we were to see it head on, in any way other than in glimpses, I suspect we would be annihilated.” (p. 252)

Concerning the book Soul Survivor, it's not a book that I want to read sequentially in a short period. Much to savor. His chapter on MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. A Long Night's Journey into Day is very good. Yancey grew up in the south (born in Atlanta, GA in 1949). Yancey's latest book, Where The Light Fell is a fascinating memoir! Years ago, I attended the same church,as Philip Yancey - Lookout Mountain Church in Colorado. Not a show-off kind of guy. I deeply respect him.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first came across Frederick Buechner nearly 20 years ago in Philip Yancey's Soul Survivor, an important (for me) book about the figures who helped Yancey restructure his faith during a crisis that followed his Christian legalistic fundamentalist upbringing.

Buechner is probably still less known than he should be, and I was late to the party. He's in his 90s now and it's been quite a while since anything new was published. But thankfully there is a long back catalogue.

In a literary sense, it began when his first novel, A Long Day's Dying, was met by extremely favourable critical reception in 1950. Sometime not long after that, he became a Christian and, after studying at Union during the 'glory days' of Paul Tillich et al (a milieu that also brought forth such luminaries as Eugene Peterson), was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. Thence followed over 30 published works... novels, memoirs, essays and sundry.

This book, Listening to Your Life, is a collection of daily readings excerpted from his oeuvre, and it has been my companion for the last 365 days. I say 'companion' because there is a kind of friendship there, a constancy. Prior to this I had it with Thomas Merton through a similar kind of book. My dear old friends Tom and Fred. (Next I want to start forming a friendship with George MacDonald, through his extended poem Diary of an Old Soul.)

I think perhaps Buechner is a bit too low-key or generally agnostic for Christian readers who prefer big inspirational statements and certainties served up on a conveyor belt. He is an artist craftsman of language. His writing walks along with a sense of storied awareness, touching on this doubt and that heartache,  this ambiguity and the humus of humanity. Then, all of sudden, this moment of wonder, mystery, uplift and the presence of the divine.

His is a poetics of real life, and I'm pleased to know him.

[Chad CG · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.3)

I love the idea of a devotional with excerpts from an author I admire. In theory, it’s a dream come true. But having not read all Buechner’s work, in fact only a couple of books, I did not know the context of some of the quotes well enough. It was as if an excerpt were torn from the pages like one of the many hearts a book holds and transplanted into a new page - and now, with no longer it’s original body to call home it became all the poorer and no longer a true heart, but merely a slowly, dying organ trying its hardest to still pump out some kind of meaning. Buechner, from what I have read of him, requires careful reading and the entire context of his work to make sure you’re not missing what he’s putting down. Along this same vein, some of his stuff taken out of context from the whole work can feel dangerously close to blasphemy. Buechner is already bold in his interpretations and applications of scripture, stretching the ways in which we view and live it out, so this extra and wild step felt slightly reckless at periods throughout the year.

But then amidst the slumps of weird and hard to understand devotional days, there are these beautiful moments in his writing where you literally hold your breath. He has a way of stirring a vivid image alive in you and putting wings and names to ideas you never could let free. He understands life and art and what it means to truly live. He see’s the world boldly, like a child. He’s a writer, and a liver, a dreamer and a follower of the way. He’s passionate about storytelling and the power of words. All of this resonates deeply with me and had the impact of really shifting my mornings towards a deeper understanding of God, others, and myself.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book takes snippets of all Buechner's writing, both fiction and non-fiction. Each day has typically a half page snippet on some subject or other. Sometimes, a series of days will cover a similar theme, for example, a sermon that Buechner once gave will be broken down over a 7-day period.

I haven't read Buechner widely and hoped this might provide a good introduction to encourage me to read more widely of his works. In fact, it's probably done the opposite, as I'm not rushing off to read more of his books. Even though I am tempted to read one of his fiction stories.

The book covers so many different topics in relatively brief snippets that it made many days unfulfilling. I regularly walked away not really caring for what I'd just read which isn't the ideal response from a daily meditation. However, there some days where there was a nugget of wisdom but these were too short in supply in my opinion.

This could serve better as a series of meditations for 'life' rather than a spiritual one but I probably wouldn't recommend it for that either.

I did persevere and read every day's meditation over the course of the last year but I'm happy to have finally finished it.

[Sydney Avey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book goes on my devotional classics shelf, alongside my leatherbound copies of My Utmost For HIs Highest, Streams in the Desert, and The Valley of Vision. In the spiritual tradition of self-examination, Buechner strikes a chord with me on so many subjects. His way of expressing what I feel is note perfect. For example, "Faith in God is less apt to proceed from miracles than miracles from faith in God." A sentence like this will motivate me to look for miracles throughout my day. His treatise on memory in the November section and the power of stories in the August and December sections gave me much to ponder.

A good devotional challenges the believer to consider more deeply the meaning of life. Buechner's insights affirm some of my own observations ("Sin is easier to write about than grace..."), challenge me ("We can love him, we can learn from him, but we can come to know him only by following him--"), and often leave me smiling. That he is both a theologian and a novelist seems fitting. His words speak to my heart.

[Matt Maples · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a strong, solid devotional for the year

This was a strong, solid devotional for the year. I am glad I read it, and I find Buechner’s writing creative and engaging. The only real challenge that I had with the book was the disjointed manner that the different day’s devotionals often seemed to have with one another. When I read such a great storyteller, I hoped for a better overall narrative from this book, but I recognize that he didn’t write for this book specifically. Rather, this book is made up of selections from his other books. So that is both good and bad, but I recommend this book if you’re looking for a good devotional for the year.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this collection of 365 excerpts from Buechner's long and prolific body of work to be uneven, but brilliant at points. Some were awe-inspiring insights about God and spiritual matters, some were gorgeously written observations on life and the human condition, and some made me wonder if he was even a true believer, a question that I believe he may have sometimes shared about himself. All in all, it was a worthwhile daily devotional book, but I would not necessarily recommend it to anyone but mature believers who can sort the truth from the doubt.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having never read any of Buechner’s books, this was recommended as a good place to start, to get a feel for his writing. The book is divided into 365 daily meditations, all drawn from his other works. I’ve now added several of his other works to my “want to read” list. I like his writing style and find that he is one of those authors who gives voice to thoughts I’ve had but have never expressed.

[Luke Magnuson · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.”

“Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid.”

[Stanley Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This work started my Buechner reading during the first part of the year. Read numerous works by Buechner, primarily his autobiography and other nonfiction works. No hesitation in giving 5 stars, there was no disorganization in this devotional, I have enjoyed reading almost everyone of these bits of wisdom. Highly recommended...SLT

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding. Each 'day' (somewhat like a devotional, but really 'food-for-thought' writings) , he tells a short story about something he experienced which profoundly moved him spiritually.

His language is beautiful. Buechner gives descriptive pieces about how people feel and interact.

Loved this so much - bought several copies and gave to friends.

[Rosalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

These meditations were really hit and miss for me. They are excerpts from larger pieces (sermons, etc.) and sometimes they really lacked context for me. Other times of course, they were beautifully reflective.

[Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good to read daily or continuously

Really enjoyed this book and the author's viewpoint. Found myself reading it not just as daily meditations but will probably also go back and do so.