Madeleine L'Engle died!

[BAMF]

Author Madeleine L'Engle dies at 88

I just found this story. I didn't know she had died! Her book A Wrinkle in Time was my favorite book when I was a youngin (along with just about every Goosebumps book). I remember when I was in 3rd grade, the first time I read it, my teacher put me and about 3 other kids in a sort of advanced reading group. We pretty much sat out in the hallway and read this book. Then, we had to make a play out of it, with only 4 of us! Needless to say, we clowned around a lot, but I was still totally enchanted by the book. This article mentions a quote from L'Engle about her not talking down to her audience. I picked up on this when I read the book the first time, and God knows I appreciated it. R.I.P Madeleine!

[Laure]

When I was a kid, I pictured Madeleine L'Engle as being really old, so I was surprised she just died recently. I read A Wrinkle in Time in grade school too, in the '60s in my case! I liked it because it was an "idea book". Reminds me of another favorite book from my childhood - it was called "The Swing in the Summerhouse". It was also sort of a science fiction/fantasy/idea book. Its author, Jane Langton, is apparently still alive & kicking, writes mysteries for adults. Maybe I'll see what the library has by her (in my ample spare time - HA HA).

[BAMF]

I pictured her as really old too! Hah! Did you ever see the movie Pocahontas? There's a tree in that movie that has a woman's face in it. She has this really gentle, wise kind of voice. That's how I pictured L'Engle. Odd! Right! It's an idea book...it was much different from anything else I'd ever read. I mostly read RL Stine books when I was little (he's still alive...phwew!). Goosebumps out the wazoo. But they were purely entertaining, and I remember this book made me think a bit more. I think I'm going to check it out from the library and give it a read again.

I never read that Langton book. I should check it out. (Yeah, it might be a children's book, but...whatever, that just means it'll be a quick read)

[Robert Campbell]

I also read A Wrinkle in Time in grade school (early 1960s). I remember it as a remarkable story.

Robert Campbell

[James Heaps-Nelson]

L'Engle was a favorite of mine too. In my adolescent years, I fondly remember AWrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door and A Swiftly Tilting Planet.

Jim

[BAMF]

Hey, I'm glad to hear other people have read her!

[Ellen Stuttle]

Hey, I'm glad to hear other people have read her!

I've not only read her, I met her several times at publishing functions. (I was a Young Readers editor in the '70s.) She was one of the very great writers of books for young people of all ages, and a lovely person. A pricking of tears came to my eyes when I saw the news of her death.

Ellen

___

[Chris Grieb]

Ellen, Kori, Jim, and Robert; I meant to post about her on my blog and on OL.

I am delighted you all have read her.

I did not read her in childhood but in adulthood. I did not read C S Lewis until adulthood. As a Christian writer she was very good.

I may reread A Wrinkle in Time.

There was a wonderful post about on National Review Online.

Edited September 11, 2007 by Chris Grieb

[Judith]

I picked up everything I could find by L'Engle after I read "Wrinkle" in about 1999 or 2000. She was a wonderful writer.

Judith

[emb021]

I read "Winkle" way back in school (not sure if middle or high), back when reading most SF was frowned up in school.

I read several of the sequals, but for some reason was ignorant of her other works until much later. I optained several of her 'young adult' novels, usually the ones with connections to the Winkle series. All well written.