Befriending Life
Encounters With Henri Nouen Nouwen
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- $4.900
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- $4.900
Descripción editorial
A beautiful collection of reminiscences celebrating the life and works of the bestselling author of The Wounded Healer, The Return of the Prodigal Son, and The Inner Voice of Love.
Henri Nouwen (1932-96) was a Catholic priest who taught at several theological institutions and universities in his home country of the Netherlands and in the United States. He spent the final years of his life teaching and ministering at the L'Arche Daybreak Community in Toronto, Canada. His writings have touched millions of readers around the world, and since his death, recognition of their enduring value has continued to grow. Oprah Winfrey, one of Nouwen's many admirers, ran an extensive excerpt from The Return of the Prodigal Son in her magazine, O, with Hillary Clinton contributing an introduction revealing the profound effect Nouwen had on her own life.
Nouwen's influence was not limited to the printed page. His one-on-one encounters as a lecturer, teacher, and spiritual guide, and as a leader at the L'Arche Daybreak Community, a home for people with mental and physical disabilities, enriched the lives of a wide variety of people. Now, Befriending Life brings together thoughtful, heartfelt remembrances of Nouwen by those who knew him best, from members of the L'Arche community to such prominent figures as Joseph Cardinal Bernardin of Chicago and Hillary Clinton. Their personal reflections on his life both on and off the page magnificently capture his spirit, compassion, and wisdom. With a wealth of quotations from Nouwen throughout, Befriending Life, like Nouwen's own great books, will inspire readers in all walks of life.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Given the transparent quality that marked the plethora of books Henri Nouwen wrote before his death in 1996, it hardly seems possible that there could be anything more to learn about this remarkable Catholic priest. But this compilation of recollections by those who knew him best opens yet another window into his personality. Nouwen, a theologian, died at the age of 64 after a distinguished academic career that included teaching at Yale and Harvard. He spent the last years of his life at L'Arche Daybreak Community in Toronto, Canada, where he lived among and helped care for the physically and mentally disabled people who form the core of the L'Arche communities. Because L'Arche was the home Nouwen had spent much of his life seeking, it is most appropriate that Porter, a fellow L'Arche member, has drawn heavily from their community in assembling this collection of remembrances. What emerges is the stuff of family reunions: memories of a trip with Henri, a birthday celebration, a baptism, a Bat Mitzvah, a wedding, a death. Each reminiscence resonates with the spirituality that Nouwen was able to impart not only to fellow Catholics, but to those outside his faith. Nouwen's own openness about his weaknesses apparently freed those around him to be frank in sharing their impressions of him. The result is a book that easily doubles as an introduction to the man and a postscript for those who are already well-acquainted with his works.
