Robinson's gentle novel Gilead spans generations of fathers and sons and explores a reverend's complicated relationship with his troubled young namesake and the evolution of his faith and preaching.
“I wish I could leave you certain of the images in my mind, because they are so beautiful that I hate to think they will be extinguished when I am. Well, but again, this life has its own mortal loveliness. And memory is not strictly mortal in its nature, either. It is a strange thing, after all, to be able to return to a moment, when it can hardly be said to have any reality at all, even in its passing. A moment is such a slight thing. I mean, that its abiding is a most gracious reprieve.”
Marilynne Robinson's Gilead chronologically precedes her novel Lila and takes the form of the aging Reverend's recollections and letters to his young son.
The book spans generations of fathers and sons from the Civil War to the twentieth century, includes reflections about the war, and it's a beautiful book, so I decided that it's going on my Civil War list.
Gilead is largely an exploration of the Reverend's complicated relationship with his troubled young namesake and the evolution of his faith and preaching. This is a gentle, slow-paced story from the heart-wrenchingly gorgeous writer.
I mentioned Gilead in the Greedy Reading List Six Fascinating Historical Fiction Stories about the Civil War.
I'd love to hear what you think about this book!
Marilynne Robinson is also the author of Home, Lila, Jack, Housekeeping, and other books.
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