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What are We Doing Here?

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( 1,006 ratings, 211 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
What are We Doing Here? is a collection of new essays by Marilynne Robinson, a celebrated writer known for her novels Gilead, Home, and Lila. In this work, Robinson explores the mysteries of faith and the challenges of our modern political climate. Drawing on the ideas of thinkers like Emerson and Tocqueville, she offers profound reflections on political and cultural life, urging readers towards heroic generosity despite contemporary pessimism.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book is ideal for readers interested in thoughtful essays on politics, faith, and culture, especially those who appreciate literary nonfiction and philosophical reflections.

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New essays by the Orange and Pulitzer Prize winning author of Gilead, Home and Lila. In this collection, Marilynne Robinson, one of today's most important thinkers - admired by President Obama, and so many others - impels us to action and offers us hope.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
New essays by the Orange and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of GILEAD, HOME and LILA. In this collection, Marilynne Robinson, one of today's most important thinkers—admired by President Obama, and so many others—impels us to action and offers us hope.

Marilynne Robinson has plumbed the human spirit in her renowned novels, including LILA, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award; HOME, winner of the Orange Prize; and GILEAD, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

In this new essay collection, she trains her incisive mind on our modern political climate and the mysteries of faith. Whether she is investigating how the work of great thinkers about America like Emerson and Tocqueville informs our political consciousness or discussing the way that beauty informs and disciplines daily life, Robinson's peerless prose and boundless humanity are on full display. What Are We Doing Here? is a call to continue the tradition of the great thinkers and to remake political and cultural life as "deeply impressed by obligation [and as] a great theatre of heroic generosity, which, despite all, is sometimes palpable still."

In our era of rampant political and cultural pessimism, we run the risk of becoming bogged down in disillusionment and of losing sight of ways out of the mire. In What Are We Doing Here?, the incomparable Marilynne Robinson offers us balm: impelling us to action, but offering us hope.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised for its grace and intelligence, Robinson's essays define universal truths about humanity. The Guardian highlights her sophisticated and persuasive argument encouraging loyalty and creativity, while the Telegraph describes the book as a bracing and challenging read.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780349010441

Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 March 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Virago Press Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 26.0mm

Width: 126.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 260g

Pages: 336

About the Author

Marilynne Robinson is the author of Gilead, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Critics Circle Award; Home, winner of the Orange Prize and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; Lila, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award; and Jack, a New York Times bestseller. Her first novel, Housekeeping, won the PEN/Hemingway Award. Robinson's non-fiction books include The Givenness of Things, When I Was a Child I Read Books, Absence of Mind, The Death of Adam, and Mother Country. She is the recipient of a 2012 National Humanities Medal, awarded by President Barack Obama, for 'her grace and intelligence in writing.' Robinson lives in Iowa City, Iowa.

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