The Dry Wood

by Caryll Houselander

In the English-speaking world, the Catholic Literary Revival is typically associated with the work of G. K. Chesterton/Hilaire Belloc, Evelyn Waugh and Graham Greene. But in fact the Revival's most numerous members were women. While some of these women remain well knownMuriel Spark, Antonia White, Flannery O'Connor, Dorothy Day - many have been almost entirely forgotten. They include: Enid Dinnis, Anna Hanson Dorsey, Alice Thomas Ellis, Eleanor Farjeon, Rumer Godden, Caroline Gordon, Clotilde Graves, Caryll Houselander, Sheila Kaye-Smith, Jane Lane, Marie Belloc Lowndes, Alice Meynell, Kathleen Raine, Pearl Mary Teresa Richards, Edith Sitwell, Gladys Bronwyn Stern, Josephine Ward, and Maisie Ward.

There are various reasons why each of these writers fell out of print: changes in the commercial publishing world after World War II, changes within the Church itself and in the English-speaking universities that redefined the literary canon in the last decades of the 20th century. Yet it remains puzzling that a body of writing so creative, so attuned to its historical moment, and so unique in its perspective on the human condition, should have fallen into obscurity for so long.

The Catholic Women Writers series brings together the English-language prose works of Catholic women from the 19th and 20th centuries; work that is of interest to a broad range of readers. Each volume is printed with an accessible but scholarly introduction by theologians and literary specialists.

The first volume in the series is Caryll Houselander's The Dry Wood . Houselander is known primarily for her spiritual writings but she also wrote one novel, set in a post-war London Docklands parish. There a motley group of lost souls are mourning the death of their saintly priest and hoping for the miraculous healing of a vulnerable child whose gentleness in the face of suffering brings conversion to them all in surprising and unexpected ways. The Dry Wood offers a vital contribution to the modern literary canon and a profound meditation on the purpose of human suffering.

Genres: Novels, Fiction, Catholic, Christian Fiction, Christian

247 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1947

About the author

Caryll Houselander (1901-1954) was a British Roman Catholic laywoman; a mystic, writer, artist, visionary and healer. Born in London in 1901, Caryll was the second of two daughters born to Willmott and Gertrude (nee Provis) Houselander. Her first book, This War is the Passion. written during World War II, launched her prolific writing career. Houselander's talents included painting and many woodcarvings.

Caryll's "divinely eccentric" life was principally a devotion to contemplating Christ in all and men and women and in all life circumstances. Maisie Ward (a friend of Caryll and author of her principal biography, Caryll Houselander: That Divine Eccentric (Sheed & Ward, 1962), states, "Her message can be summed in a single sentence; we must learn to see Christ in everyone." Msgr. Ronald Knox was quoted as saying about Caryll's writing style, " . . . she seemed to see everything for the first time and the driest of doctrinal considerations shone out like a restored picture when she finished it."

Though she remained a single woman throughout her life, Caryll was engaged for a time to Sidney Reilly, who was the model for Ian Fleming's character, "James Bond."

Caryll Houselander has been described as being a mystic in the tradition of Julian of Norwich, Catherine of Siena, and Teresa of Avila. She is best known for her works such as The Reed of God.

Caryll died of cancer on October 12th, 1954. Her bibliography consists of more than seven hundred written works including poems, short stories and articles, articles for juvenile publications and children's books (for some of these she did artwork for as well), articles for various Catholic publications, and, of course, her own books.

Reviews

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay...wow! This is my first work by Houselander, but I would love to read more. I know she was an accomplished spiritual writer when she wrote this, her one novel, but if she is this good at a first novel her writing must be top-notch elsewhere, too!

I thoroughly enjoyed buddy reading this with Darryl and Elizabeth. Their insights and impressions deepened my reading experience. All books are great to read with others, but The Dry Wood seemed to lend itself especially well to being read in community, with its spiritual insight and omniscient narration of dozens of characters. Like Elizabeth said, I felt myself growing spiritually when I read, not because the novel was preachy, but because the characters longed for the goodness of God in the same way I do, and I felt spurred on and encouraged in prayer.

This was my first book in the Catholic Women Writers series, but certainly not my last! I must admit I went into it with a little trepidation, that it might be mawkish or settle for easy answers, but Houselander does none of that. (There's actually a plotline about commercial sentimentalization of religion!) This novel is simply the best exploration of the Catholic understanding of suffering as participation in Christ that I have ever read. It really clicked for me here, and as a Protestant I had much to take away and mull over. (My very favorite kind of reading!)

Houselander is just an incredible writer, from her sentences to her structure to her insight into human nature. I felt the whole time that I was reading a novel by someone with vast spiritual maturity (including the humility to know her own limitations). Her mercy toward her characters, and her flow between seriousness and humor, reminded me of Jane Austen. There is not a character in this book whom Houselander does not love and give a chance for redemption--she embodies the gospel in the very act of novel-writing! I am always in want of more church scenes in literature, and Houselander's are really marvelous and plentiful. This is where her blend of humor and seriousness shines. While she takes the act of worship seriously, she also knows that worshippers are people. Houselander perfectly exemplifies how to have a humorous tone about church that does not belittle people or the act of worship.

So glad this book has been republished. It's definitely not my last by Houselander nor my last time reading this novel, and I'm eager to pick up more from the CWW series from CUA! Keep 'em coming. I am also eager to revisit the chapter about Houselander in Women of the Catholic Imagination, ed. Haley Stewart, after reading The Dry Wood.

-----

“And God accepted the offering, the fragments of love were gathered up into the wholeness of Love and nothing was wasted.” (319)

[Dominika]

Lots of spiritual richness in here. I wish Caryll Houselander had written more fiction and developed her gifts as a novelist further. My one critique is that at a certain point it started feeling like a non-fiction spiritual work overlaid on a novel rather than the spiritual writing and the narrative being seamlessly combined. But still, there's so much to reflect on and there were many lines that were really convicting that I needed to read right now.

I'm grateful to Elizabeth for getting this beautiful book into my hands ❤️

[Darryl Friesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sitting here speechless… And wishing there was some way to press a secret Goodreads rating button that would unlock the ability to give this a bonus star on top of the highest possible rating of 5 stars…

This book is centrally about seeing Jesus in every human being we encounter or with whom we interact, and about the redemptive and transformative potential of pain and suffering. It is written so exquisitely that my soul actually ached as I read certain passages. It is stunning in every way.

Houselander’s ability to bring this community to life, as each of its members has to deal with little Willie Jewel’s suffering in their own way, was inspiring and convicting. I want to love my neighbour better after reading this book. I even want to go through pain for them, if need be. I want to be Jesus to others, and see Jesus in them.

My favourite paragraph of the book, from many, many contenders:

“Men forget. They cease to understand what the Incarnation meant, what God means by it, it has to be proved to them over and over again, in each successive generation. That is what the saints do, they live Christ’s life again, prove His longing to be loved again in the medium of the particular people they live among, so that once again, men can see how God loves them and in responding to Him, lay hold of their own happiness.”

I’m mildly devastated that Houselander only wrote this one novel, but I’m going to eagerly seek out her large catalog of non-fiction works of theology and devotion.

To my buddy readers, Melody and Elizabeth, thank you for enriching this reading experience so meaningfully. Looking forward to the next one!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this is not my favorite novel of the year, I will be shocked. Brilliant buddy read with Melody and Darryl. So moving. I could actually feel the Holy Spirit at work in my soul as I read, deepening my love of God and my understanding of the depth of Christ’s work on the cross and in the Incarnation. I'm hoping to write more. Thank you thank you to the Catholic Women Writers series for making this novel easily available!

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not sure what to even say about this novel. First, I had no idea Caryll Houselander wrote a novel. I have read her other spiritual books and they were wonderful.

This story about a priest who died and everyone was sure was a saint, about a child who was born very handicapped and of all the people of the parish who so badly wanted a miracle, was simply beautiful. I will admit I cried many times reading this book when my heart was convicted by my own failings.

As a Catholic, nothing on this earth could ever compare with the beauty of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass or the knowledge of Jesus Christ as my savior or the Holy Spirit pulling me ever closer into the arms of God or the deep gratitude to God for bringing me out of darkness and into His light. This book reminded me of every single one of those things. What a treat.

We are all created in the image of God and we all stumble through life and not everyone gets to be a part of the Truth. This book encompasses every type of person, in their journey, in their faith, in their lack of faith.

Wowser!!!

[Laura Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surely, this novel is the crown of twentieth-century fiction. Love and Responsibility triumphs among all literature but within fiction, I think this must be unsurpassed

Edit: this was my enraptured review immediately after reading but I think that this does have some faults upon further reflection, more to come

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely stunning

I’ve known Caryll Houselander’s work for years, but 8 never realized she has written a novel. This is her one and only work of fiction and it is truly magnificent. She manages to capture all of humanity in a story that weaves together the inhabitants of a small town, united by the death of their old and much beloved parish priest and the a small, dying child. Her descriptions are beautiful enough to bring you to tears. I’ve always enjoyed her non-fiction, but am amazed at the ability she had to write such real characters and such a well thought out and true to life story. If you want to be uplifted, reminded of all that is truly good and beautiful in this world, and in the world to come, give yourself the gift of reading this fantastic book by Ms. Houselander.

[Gerri Bauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad this lost classic has been rediscovered. What a treasure. It's one of the best Catholic novels I've read. Written shortly after World War II ended, the story takes place during the war and is set in an underprivileged village in the English countryside. Characters' inner and outer journeys revolve around the memory of a recently deceased, much beloved parish priest and the reality of a sickly village boy. The villagers deem the priest a saint soon after he dies and pray for his intercession in the life of the boy, who has been ill since birth and never expected to live even as long as he has. Through that story lens, Houselander weaves a number of deep themes about the nature of love, belief, suffering, redemption, what it means to be Catholic, and more. Highly recommend.

(Many thanks to the Catholic University of America Press for the blog post by Olivia Schmitz that introduced me to this and other overlooked Catholic novels. If you want to read the blog post, the link is https://www.cuapress.org/2022/10/06/t....)

[Ruth D · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a book for spiritual reflection, I enjoyed this. As a novel for plot, I found this disjointed and hard to read. Nonetheless, thankful this work is being done through CUA to bring back the work of female Catholic authors in a high quality print.

[Andrew Cunningham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid story with a thought provoking prose on suffering, leadership and what it looks like to be holy.

[Anna Maria Cartaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

a beautiful book about suffering

[Lynnette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Readers unfamiliar with the Catholic faith may find some of the story a bit difficult to understand, but this is a lovely story touching on suffering, poverty, and faith, among other themes. Much of the prose is profound, thought provoking, and beautiful.

[John Koontz · Rating 5 out of 5]

There have been many writers who have been held up as exponents of an essentially Catholic sensibility in fiction. This is as true of those at work today as it is of those who wrote in the past. And though I have read numerous works over the years by many authors affiliated one way or another with Catholicism, I have never encountered a work of fiction that plumbs the human encounter with the Divine as knowingly and as deeply and as harrowingly as The Dry Wood. It simply is a brilliant work.
There is scarcely a quarter in the spiritual realm -- however dark or anguished -- that the novel doesn't scrutinize, sometimes with light humor, sometimes with gentle but unmistakable irony, sometimes with heart-breaking compassion. But most often it treats its subject with a clear-eyed, unstinting discernment that grants the reader an unobstructed view into the true heart of things.

Although it is superbly well written, its power lies not in its mastery of language or of form -- although each is on display here -- but proceeds from a complex but untroubled faith, trusting the will of God while relentlessly pursuing it.

I don't know if it's fair to compare Houselander with Undset or Dostoevsky. This is her only novel and she adopts a less "existential" point of view. The stakes are indeed high here. There are moments of spiritual tension and the resolution is never certain until the end, which sustains the drama and allows it to unfold. But it strikes me as capturing a rare air of serenity, which fosters a sense of its uniqueness.

She may not be "like" Dostoevsky or Undset, but, in my opinion, her novel deserves to be ranked with their best.

[Francisco Piedad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Houselander's only published novel is brimming with her earthy spirituality. Her love for the transcendent flowering beneath the frigid, cracked ground of tedious humanity shines through characters you'd love to love unconditionally if only they weren't also a challenge to actually living out the Beatitudes Houselander champions. "Blessed are the poor..." And since all who walk this mortal flesh are poor, blessed are we all. Love that tires and chafes, but never grows weary; hope that allows bereavement; and faith more sure of its doubts than its dogmas - this is the stuff of saints. This is the clay Houselander shapes into a broken vessel of a novel. Caryll Houselander here writes the poorman's Halleluiah.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Numerous catholic friends have recommended her work The Reed of God, but I am sometimes daunted by purely theological works. This one is a novel - though the storyline is just enough to hold together the characters and show the community where they live. It is really the story of the inner life of various characters in the community.

The community is poor and filled with suffering but there is a striking difference between the external reality and the inner joy & faith seen throughout the book.

It is heavily religious and theological for a novel. It invites slow reading and pondering. Reading one chapter a day could almost be a prayer time.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uh. I need a broken-down rating like they have on Amazon reviews. This book is filled with profound insights and fascinating characters. At the same time, it is disjointed and tangential. There are so many characters, I got lost for a time. Although, I believe I understand how she felt the plot was settled, I dislike so many loose ends. It felt disjointed.

[Serina Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Houselander took my breath away with this book. I could hardly go a page without underlining a moment or more of profound wisdom and beauty that i want to return to. Devastated that this is her only novel, but I will be seeking out her other works no doubt.

[Jane Tennyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An old story

This was a story from a different era (pre-Vatican I I). The writer spent a great deal of paper on writing very descriptive paragraphs but not near enough time on the story. In short- a four hundred page book with a hundred page story.

[R CZ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful truth

When a woman understands the love of God so very well that she can write it into a story of every man, the world
Is blessed by her in it telling. Thank you Caryll.

[David Daugherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instantly became probably a top ten for me. An absolutely unexpected and powerful book.

[Sr.MaryJohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Houselander is not a novelist, I enjoyed this read because of her down-to-earthness in sharing a story of God's little miraculous work in a small town.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sorry, Caryll. 😭

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little clunky at times, but a moving and heartwarming allegory of the Passion told through the characters of a little seaside town.