A review by lory_enterenchanted
The Crosswicks Journals: A Circle of Quiet, The Summer of the Great-Grandmother, The Irrational Season, and Two-Part Invention by Madeleine L'Engle

4.0

A reread, the first I've done of all 4 books in the wake of the New Yorker profile, "The Storyteller." I'm fascinated by L'Engle's coverup of certain key facts in her life, even as she makes herself a champion of truth (as opposed to mere factuality). So much of what she says is indeed true and beautiful, and has been a great influence on my life. Knowing that she was not herself able to face certain truths doesn't do away with that, but raises questions for me about the effect of trauma, and the tendency of spiritual bypassing, particularly for those of us who are highly verbal and find comfort in words. Words can become a kind of wall as well as a window, and as a writer and spiritual seeker I want to be mindful of that.

My star rating is for artistry. On ethics, I'd have to rate it low.