Posted on 09/07/2007 6:53:01 PM PDT by fkabuckeyesrule
Madeleine L’Engle, award-winning author of many children’s and science-fiction books, including “A Wrinkle in Time,” has died of natural causes in Connecticut, accordintg to her publisher. She was 88.
L’Engle wrote in many genres over an incredibly productive lifetime, but “Wrinkle” is the book that made her name. Published in 1963, it won the Newberry Award for children’s literature, and according to the New York Times, had sold more than 6 million copies by 2004.
That’s not quite up to “Harry Potter” numbers, but for several generations, “A Wrinkle in Time” was sort of our “Harry Potter.” I first encountered it in elementary school - I don’t remember which grade - and it is the first book, other than the works of Dr. Seuss, that I can rememer being passionately in love with. (Another Potter similarity: Because the book departs from a Christian concept of God, it’s been the target of book banners.)
“Wrinkle” told the story of Meg Murray, a somewhat bookish girl, who gets swept away on a series of grand adventures in space and time with her weird little brother, in an attempt to rescue her father, a famous scientist who had disappeared. L’Engle built in a lot of real science - relativity and all that - but to kids, it’s just a bang-up adventure.
She went on to write a series that spun off from “Wrinkle,” called the “Time Fantasy” series, as well as books for grown-ups. But the only thing I ever read by her, I’m sad to say, was “A Wrinkle in Time.”
I’ve given it to various young relatives as a gift over and over, and now I need to think of a young person in my life to give a copy.
I’d love to hear about other encounters with the works of Madeleine L’Engle.
Rest in peace.
A wonderful author, a great loss. Prayers.
“A Wrinkle in Time” was my favorite book when I was a child. Wonderful book, very inspiring & imaginative.
Good books. I didn’t read them as a child, but I introducted them to my children and grandchildren.
One of the more influential books I read back before I began smoking dope.
Me too! Sounds like we went through some of the same things at about the same period of time.
met her at the praise gathering in indianapolis. magnificent woman.
Her account of her married life, “Two-Part Invention” is also terrific.
A Wrinkle...was the first book of any length that I read as a kid. Had to be 1963. I think it was also the first time that I read under the covers with a flashlight.
That was one of the best books ever. I remember our third grade teacher reading it aloud to us, chapter by chapter. I’ve read it to my children. Talk about creativity and science fiction.
RIP, Miss L’Engle.
Red Planet, Heinlein was my first, but “Wrinkle” not long after. Yes, a flashlight book. Never understood that, it was my parents’ fault for teaching me to read before the schools could bore me to tears with “See Dick run”.
Sad to hear of her passing, but a lasting mark was made, is still being made on literate youth.
I read Wrinkle back in junior high. I still like it a lot. Sad to hear this, though I knew she was in very poor health lately.
I read Wrinkle at 10 years old, checked out of the Levelland, Texas Library. Ms. L’Engle introduced me to science fiction. I re-read the stories with my kids. Such a good woman and good stories. God Bless her and her loved ones.
A WRINKLE IN TIME will last as long as children’s literature does, I think. L’Engle’s followup books to it were good, but WRINKLE shines in my memory — a great, gripping story, a beautiful spiritual dimension, and terrific characters — Meg, Calvin, Charles Wallace, Aunt Beast ... it’s been 20 years since I picked up that book, and you see the names still fall trippingly from my tongue (okay, keys). Thank you for your wonderful contribution to literature, Ms. L’Engle!
“Red Planet, Heinlein was my first, but “Wrinkle” not long after. “
I red “Have Spacesuit, Will Travel” by Heinlein in 2nd grade (1964) and loved it. I read “Wrinkle” in third grade. By 4th grade, I think I had read all the SF books in the elementary school library.
Then I started going to the local suburban library..
“A Wrinkle in Time” was also my now 25 y/o daughter’s favorite book when she was young. God only knows how many times I had to read it to her and her brothers! I just emailed them the link. Feels almost like losing a member of the family. May she rest in peace.
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