I would add:
Gene Wolfe, The Book of the New Sun
I need to read those again so I can discuss them intelligently.
In addition, I've got some reading to do! Apart from Simon's Night and The Lord of the Rings, I haven't read any of those!
I've only read a few short stories by Gene Wolfe. But I do know that he's a Catholic -- a convert, I believe. If I recall correctly, Wolfe said that his favorite theologian was St. Thomas Aquinas and his favorite priest was Fr. Andrew Greeley. Not sure exactly how that works ...
I've heard that his BOOK OF THE NEW SUN series is very Catholic in its imagery.
In terms of SF writers, we shouldn't forget Russell Kirk, who penned a series of ghost stories -- one of which won the World Fantasy Award in the late 70's.
Jeff,
Is this Jeff Vehige of UD Theology fame?
This is Mike Fagge. I don't know if you recall. If you are the same guy, "Hey there!!" If you are not, sorry for the mistake but "Hey there, anyways." I am trying to find good literature for my freshman "Christian Understanding of the Human Person" class that I teach. Any suggestions on good "simple" texts that get the graced nature of mankind across in a clever way?
Any help would be appreciated.
God Bless
Yes, this is the Jeff Vehige of UD theology fame. How are things going with you? From your comment, I'm assuming you teaching at Duquesne. Are congratulations in order DOCTOR Fagge?
In terms of your question -- I don't have any idea of what you might be looking for. However, I've found Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find" a fine story for explaining the need to live life in view of death.
The key to understanding that story is the opening paragraph that calls the grandmother's son "Bailey" her "only boy." At the end of the story, she identifies the Misfit with her son. (This makes more sense when you get a feel for the grandmother's character throughout the story.) At any rate, one of the last lines of the story reads: "She would have been a good woman if there had been somebody there to shoot her every day of her life" (or something like that).
This might be a little abstract for freshman. But the story begs the question: Why do humans need death to help define them?
Also, I'm sure there's a lot of Catholic interpretations of this story on the web. I remember reading one in which the writer pulled out some of O'Connor's understanding on grace in this story.
But maybe this isn't want you're looking for.
Read the story anyway -- it's good.
I was suprised to see how short your list was. I would definitely add Greene's "Heart of the Matter" - very dark in true Greene fashion, yet the undertones of faith and hope are ever present.
I have a tendency to see long reading lists as lacking an element of reflection. I don't want to know everything someone has read and thinks is worthwhile -- only those books/stories that hold a special place in his heart.
I've read The Heart of the Matter, and it is my least favorite Greene novel. I can't recall enough of the story now to be able to comment more than that; but I remember thinking after I finished it that I was glad I'd read the novels I listed first.
I would add Walker Percy to this list. But I love O'Connor's writing too.
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