When I Was a Child I Read Books Essays

Sincethe1981publicationofMarilynneRobinson'snovel,"Housekeeping"--astunningdebutthatwasnominatedforthePulitzerPrize--shehasbuiltasterlingreputationnotonlyasawriterofsharp,subtlymovingprose,butalsoasarigorousthinkerandincisiveessayist.Hercompellinganddemandingcollection"TheDeathofAdam"--inwhichshereflectedonherPresbyterianupbringing,investigatedtherootsofMidwesternabolitionism,andmountedamemorabledefenseofCalvinism--isrespectedasaclassicofthegenre,praisedbyDorisLessingas"ausefulantidotetotheincreasinglycrudeandslogan-lovingcultureweinhabit."Inthisnewcollectionshereturnstothethemeswhichhavepreoccupiedherwork:theroleoffaithinmodernlife,theinadequacyoffact,thecontradictionsinherentinhumannature.Clear-eyedandforcefulasever,Robinsondemonstratesonceagainwhysheisregardedasamodernrhetoricalmaster.