Circle of Quiet

About the Book

The Newbery Medal–winning author of A Wrinkle in Time reflects on her life and muses on creativity in this memoir, the first of her Crosswicks Journals.

Personal Reflection

Every so often I need OUT. . . . My special place is a small brook in a green glade, a circle of quiet from which there is no visible sign of human beings. . . . I sit there, dangling my legs and looking through the foliage at the sky reflected in the water, and things slowly come back into perspective.

About the Memoir

Set against the lush backdrop of Crosswicks, her family's farmhouse in rural Connecticut, this deeply personal memoir details Madeleine L'Engle's journey to find balance between her career as an award–winning author and her responsibilities as a wife, mother, teacher, and Christian.

The Themes

As she considers the roles that creativity, family, citizenship, and faith play in her life, L'Engle reveals the complexities behind the author whose works—honored with the National Book Award, the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, and countless other prizes—have long been cherished by children and adults alike.

Writing Style

Written in simple, profound, and often humorous prose, A Circle of Quiet is an insightful woman's elegant search for the meaning and purpose of her life.

Additional Content

This ebook features an illustrated biography of Madeleine L'Engle including rare images from the author's estate.