A Stone for a Pillow: Journeys with Jacob
Book #2 of The Genesis Trilogy. This special reissue of a classic work of spirituality from the author of A Wrinkle in Time offers life-transforming insights on the rich heritage of the Bible and shows how the characters of this ancient text are relevant for living the good life now. Includes a new reader’s guide.
In this book for the curious, spiritual seeker, Madeleine L’Engle offers relevant lessons drawn from the life of Jacob from the Old Testament. Here, the son of Isaac becomes a spiritual companion to L’Engle, equipping her to deal with earthly and psychological struggles. Throughout her journey, L’Engle offers contemporary answers to questions that burden modern day readers and believers.
With her customary fearlessness and candor, she broaches such topics as the significance of angels, redemption, sexual identity, forgiveness, and the seemingly constant conflict between good and evil.
Madeleine L’Engle possesses the same ambidextrous skill of storytelling as other literary giants, including C. S. Lewis and George MacDonald. Her fictional stories appeal to generations of readers, and are equally embraced in both the secular and religious markets. But, it is her ability in her nonfiction to engage with the historical text of the Bible through a dynamic unpacking of protagonists, antagonists, and matters of faith that establishes the Genesis Trilogy as a highly treasured collection of spiritual writings. A Stone for a Pillow acts as a compass for those traveling through the tumultuous landscape of faith in our cynical and divisive modern culture.
With a foreword by Rachel Held Evans.
Reader’s Guide included.
Originally published in 1986.
Genre: NonFiction
Other Books in the Series
Audio Excerpt
Reviews
“Despite my lack of religious beliefs, I always enjoy reading L’Engle’s non-fiction. She is not afraid to tackle difficult texts from the Bible, and she understands that saying that something is a story or myth does not mean that it is false or a lie.”
-Erika RS, Goodreads, 2013
“…[This book] meanders around the story of Jacob, occasionally settling on an event, then flitting to something else, a personal recollection, a challenging story, all the while somehow retaining the focus that Jacob’s story is our story…. Throughout the book Madeline [sic] keeps returning to her jury duty experience, and the fate of two slimy defendants, who seem much like Jacob. She has no choice but to ‘bless the bastards’: ‘God will bless, but we must play our own part in the blessing.”
-Robert G. Leroe, Amazon, 2009
Articles
“The Gospel of Madeleine L’Engle: More Than Just A Wrinkle in Time”
Claris Van Kuiken, 201 7 / re-published
“The Books: A Stone for a Pillow: Journeys with Jacob (Madeleine L’Engle)”
Sheila O’Malley, 2005 / The Sheila Variations