Philip Zaleski

The Best American Spiritual Writing Philip Zaleski

Brief Description: The Best American series has been the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction since 1915. For each volume, the very best pieces are selected by a leading writer in the field, making the Best American series the most respected -- and most popular -- of its kind. The Best American Spiritual Writing 2005 includes Mary Gordon - Natalie Goldberg - Oliver Sacks - Ptolemy Tompkins - Patricia Hampl - Gary Snyder - Charles Johnson - Harvey Cox - Todd Gitlin - Bill McKibben - Philip Levine - W. S. Merwin - and others Philip Zaleski, editor, is the author of The Recollected Heart, The Book of Heaven, and, most recently, Prayer: A History (with Carol Zaleski). He is a senior editor of Parabola and a research associate in religion at Smith College. Barry Lopez is the author of Arctic Dreams, the illustrated fable Crow and Weasel, and several essay and short story collections, including About This Life and Resistance. He has received the National Book Award and other honors. Review Quotes: "The collection is a thought-provoking and often poignant read."Table of Contents: Contents Foreword by Philip Zaleski xi Introduction by Barry Lopez xvii Christopher Bamford. The Gift of the Call 1 from Parabola Brian Blanchfield. The Acusmata of Pythagoras 10 from Jubilat Scott Cairns. Replies to the Immediate 15 from Western Humanities Review Richard Chess. Kaddish 16 from Image Robert Cording. Advent Stanzas 18 from Southern Review Harvey Cox. Best of Intentions 23 from Christian Century Andy Crouch. The Emergent Mystique 33 from Christianity Today Brian Doyle. Joyas Voladoras 43 from American Scholar David James Duncan. The French Guy 46 from Portland Jean Bethke Elshtain. "You Kill It, You Eat It," and Other Lessons from My Thrifty Childhood 50 from In Character Margaret Erhart. An Entomologist's Dilemma 61 from Turning Wheel Helen Garner. Sighs Too Deep for Words: On Being Bad at Reading the Bible 65 from Portland Todd Gitlin. A Skull in Varanasi, a Head in Baghdad 74 from American Scholar Natalie Goldberg. When the Candle Is Blown Out 79 from Shambhala Sun Mary Gordon. Appetite for the Absolute 89 from Portland Patricia Hampl. Pilgrim 98 from Granta Brooks Haxton. Gift 104 from Atlantic Monthly Edward Hirsch. Self-Portrait 105 from The New Yorker Charles Johnson. Dr. King's Refrigerator 106 from StoryQuarterly Maria Poggi Johnson. Us and Them 112 from First Things Heather King. Wonder Bread 119 from The Sun Philip Levine. The Genius 125 from Georgia Review Thomas Lynch. Passed On 127 from Christian Century Bill McKibben. High Fidelity 130 from Christian Century W. S. Merwin. To the Gods 133 from American Poetry Review Richard John Neuhaus. Kierkegaard for Grownups 135 from First Things Oliver Sacks. Speed 149 from The New Yorker Huston Smith. The Master-Disciple Relationship 168 from Sophia Gary Snyder. No Shadow 184 from The New Yorker Dana Tierney. Coveting Luke's Faith 185 from The New York Times Magazine Ptolemy Tompkins. Two Short Essays 188 from The Sun Kenneth L. Woodward. The Passion's Passionate Despisers 190 from First Things Charles Wright. Wrong Notes 197 from Virginia Quarterly Review Franz Wright. Prescience 199 from The New Yorker Contributors 203 Notable Spiritual Writing of 2004 209 Review Citations:

Booklist 10/01/2005 pg. 22 (EAN 9780618586431, Paperback)

Library Journal 10/01/2005 pg. 80 (EAN 9780618586431, Paperback)

Ingram Advance 10/01/2005 pg. 128 (EAN 9780618586431, Paperback)

Library Journal 10/01/2005 pg. 80 (EAN 9780618586424, Hardcover)

Booklist 10/01/2005 pg. 22 (EAN 9780618586424, Hardcover)

Contributor Bio:  Zaleski, Philip Philip Zaleski is senior editor of Parabola magazine, coauthor of Gifts of the Spirit, and author of The Recollected Heart. His writing on the subject of religion and culture appears regularly in such national publications as The New York Times Book Review and Reader's Digest. He teaches religion at Smith College. Contributor Bio:  Lopez, Barry Barry Lopez (b. 1945) is the author of thirteen books of essays, short stories, and nonfiction. He is a recipient of the National Book Award, the Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and numerous other literary and cultural honors and awards. His highly acclaimed books include "Arctic""Dreams", "Winter Count", and "Of Wolves and"" Men, " for which he received the John Burroughs and Christopher medals. He lives in western Oregon.