James Wood

Gone are the flat-earth days of scientific rationalism. Humans, it turns out, are naturally hungry for mystery, magic, faith. There have been laments about disenchantment and calls for re-enchantment. Many who forsake traditional religion are drawn to spiritualism and pagan beliefs and practices. Christians, meanwhile, have always affirmed that there is more than meets our eyes, that our world is teeming with angels and demons, powers and principalities, signs and wonders. The “supernatural” is real; in fact, it’s entirely natural. Whether you believe it or not, there are powers you should rightly fear, and one you should serve. On this theme: Joy Marie Clarkson debunks the idea that our world needs re-enchantment. Andrew Davison surveys the unseen world’s place in our cosmology. Alison Milbank considers the matter of angels as creatures like and unlike us. Carlos Eire talks about what drew him to accounts of flying saints. Fleming Rutledge says true preaching is letting the Holy Spirit speak through you. Rachel Pieh Jones recounts dreams of Jesus that changed two lives continents apart. Charles E. Moore tells a story of demon possession, revival, and miraculous healings that weren’t coincidental. Benjamin Crosby asks what “gifts of the spirit” should mark the follower of Jesus. Also in this issue: André Trocmé tells how his town offered sanctuary to thousands of Jews facing deportation. Anti-Nazi theologian Henri de Lubac has a message for today’s Christian nationalists. Mary Townsend gives up her smartphone and starts noticing things. Hannah Rose Thomas paints portraits of mothers who survived the Srebrenica massacre. The winning poems in Plough’s fifth annual Rhina Espaillat Poetry Award. Plough Quarterly features stories, ideas, and culture for people eager to apply their faith to the challenges we face. Each issue includes in-depth articles, interviews, poetry, book reviews, and art.

A tortured young boy navigates his life through emotional and physical turmoil. He leans not into his own understanding of the circumstances. He gains courage to appreciate all the adventures life has dealt him. Forming a community base, strong love, true faith, and a friendship with God, he now can express and share compassion, love, care, hope, and forgiveness.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1859. The publishing house Anatiposi publishes historical books as reprints. Due to their age, these books may have missing pages or inferior quality. Our aim is to preserve these books and make them available to the public so that they do not get lost.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1859. The publishing house Anatiposi publishes historical books as reprints. Due to their age, these books may have missing pages or inferior quality. Our aim is to preserve these books and make them available to the public so that they do not get lost.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1874.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1874.

I denne essaysamlingen har en av vår tids aller mest anerkjente og toneangivende kritikere, James Wood, gjort et utvalg av de beste essayene fra de siste tjue årene av sin produksjon. Her møter vi både Dostojevskij og Cervantes, Auster og Knausgård, Zadie Smith og Keith Moon, for å nevne noen av de endeløst mange som legges under Woods lupe. Samlingen inneholder en type essayistikk som setter spor i samtidslitteraturen: Slående, lettleste og informasjonsspekkede tekster som berører et vidt spekter av tema fra litteratur og musikk, til tanker om livet og erindringer fra barndommen i Nord-England. Seriøs observering er ikke en bok som retter seg primært mot spesialister eller litteraturvitere; den henvender seg til den alminnelige interesserte leser, til alle bokelskere og alle som er nysgjerrig på litteraturens irrganger. Britiskfødte James Wood (f.1965) har i løpet av tre tiår etablert seg so en av de mest markante og toneangivende litteraturkritikere i verden, med sine artikler i ledende publikasjoner som The Guardian, The New Yorker, The New York Times og The London Review of Books. Foruten flere essay har han også utgitt to romaner, noe som kanskje bidrar til at hans innsikter i hvordan god litteratur blir til får en særskilt autoritet og tyngde. Seriøs observering er hans andre essaysamling på Pelikanen.