I didn't keep track of how long it took me to read those novels (was it 15-20 hours a piece?). Like most people, I'm pretty busy with lots of responsibilities. How do I justify that use of time?
First, as a leader and preacher, communication skills are at the heart of what I do. Good writers remind me of the ability of fresh, well-crafted phrases to speak powerfully to heart and mind. Over and over again, Enger's writing made me pause, reread, and take delight in his creative construction of ideas and scenes. Such encounters with beautiful word-craft gently rebuke me for relying on stock phrases too often. To me, just inspiring me to be a better communicator justifies the time with a good novel in my hands.
Second, the pace of our lives often leaves little space for examining the direction of our lives and the meaning that so often goes unnoticed. Good writing subtly reveals truth, sometimes truths that we already see, but from an angle that we have never experienced. The good writer helps us walk in other people's shoes, experiencing their struggles and victories. So, if I, as a sojourner in faith seeking to walk with others on their journeys, gain greater insight about myself and others, have I not invested my time wisely?
Third, I simply enjoy reading a good story, finding that it lifts me up into a good place (yet, sometimes the story may lead me through some dark places, too). If I read good stories with a grateful heart, I believe God is glad—and no other justification is really necessary.
One last thing, I whole-heartedly endorse both of Enger's novels and eagerly await his next. His stories show such insight into life in general and the life of faith in particular. He must be a believer, but as good fiction writers must do, doesn't preach, but seeks only to reveal—and reveal he does. I finished both novels with a burning heart and tears down my cheeks, feeling like I had reached across some boundary and got a taste of what is Good, True, and Beautiful.
Comments