What do you think?
Rate this book
Ten Letters: to be delivered in the event of my death
Every birthday, Chris Russell wonders whether the year to come will be his last, and what legacy he will leave behind. Ten Letters comprises the things he would most want to say in the event of his death. Things he has never before dared to say, felt confident enough to say or just not got around to saying, on life, faith and the terrible misunderstandings of both that seem to preoccupy both Christians and non-Christians alike.
275 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2012
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 9, 2017
Would have been five stars if it didn't have a vein of cynicism running through a lot of it. Still a great read though
June 26, 2025
First non-fiction in forever. Thought-provoking thanks Chris!
March 25, 2013
Chris Russell is the kind of writer I'd like to go for dinner with and, if his culinary adriteness is anything like his writing, I'd be full before I got to the main course. 'Ten Letters: To Be Delivered in the Event of my Death' is an unequivocal feast of theology, poetry and artistry that I found myself gorging on almost from beginning to end. Whether imbibing vast meaty banquets or single-paragraph aperitifs, it was with great relish that I consumed it all.
The overarching premise of the book is that Russell, an Anglican vicar, has written ten 'letters' to friends, congregants and strangers addressing theological issues such as faith, sin, worship, celebrity and suffering. Whilst being deeply theologically astute, these letters, which are really a smoke screen for the subjects that the writer wants to address - but a creative and affable one - roll effortlessly along, making the book captivating, interesting and irresistible. There is one particularly harrowing chapter (letter) that deals sensitively with the issue of grief and suffering without the somewhat impersonal answers-based approach that is often proffered in such cases. As a slight aside, I doubt there is a person alive who could read this chapter without shedding a tear.
And that's the joy of this book. Chris Russell takes some important, challenging and sensitive subjects and following a recipe of Biblical exposition, humour, life experience and a generous helping of compassion, lays out on a platter a neat, sumptuous and gratifying feast to nourish both mind and soul.
Russell is heavily influenced by the likes of (Eugene) Peterson, (Rowan) Williams, Wright, Nouwen, Bonhoeffer and Barth, which makes for a compelling and interesting (if polemic) take on a lot of issues. Even if you don't agree with all of Russell's opinions, you will do well to read and appreciate his well-formulated arguments.
Practically speaking, the book is very easy to read, short (170 pages) and the chapters are not overly long. There are quite a number of typing or grammatical errors, and it is slightly disappointing that a proof-reader did not pick these up before the final edit, but these do not hinder or detract from the enjoyment of or engagement with the book overall.
The overarching premise of the book is that Russell, an Anglican vicar, has written ten 'letters' to friends, congregants and strangers addressing theological issues such as faith, sin, worship, celebrity and suffering. Whilst being deeply theologically astute, these letters, which are really a smoke screen for the subjects that the writer wants to address - but a creative and affable one - roll effortlessly along, making the book captivating, interesting and irresistible. There is one particularly harrowing chapter (letter) that deals sensitively with the issue of grief and suffering without the somewhat impersonal answers-based approach that is often proffered in such cases. As a slight aside, I doubt there is a person alive who could read this chapter without shedding a tear.
And that's the joy of this book. Chris Russell takes some important, challenging and sensitive subjects and following a recipe of Biblical exposition, humour, life experience and a generous helping of compassion, lays out on a platter a neat, sumptuous and gratifying feast to nourish both mind and soul.
Russell is heavily influenced by the likes of (Eugene) Peterson, (Rowan) Williams, Wright, Nouwen, Bonhoeffer and Barth, which makes for a compelling and interesting (if polemic) take on a lot of issues. Even if you don't agree with all of Russell's opinions, you will do well to read and appreciate his well-formulated arguments.
Practically speaking, the book is very easy to read, short (170 pages) and the chapters are not overly long. There are quite a number of typing or grammatical errors, and it is slightly disappointing that a proof-reader did not pick these up before the final edit, but these do not hinder or detract from the enjoyment of or engagement with the book overall.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews