Customer Reviews (1)

Collected critical articles
This slim volume collects previously published literary criticism on the novel "Morte d'Urban" and the collections of stories "Prince of Darkness" and "Presence of Grace." Since it appeared in 1968, only the New Yorker story "Keystone" and the title story of what would be in the 1975 third story collection are also covered here. Most valuable are Thomas Merton's appreciation of the novel, Sister Kirsten Molloy's interview "The Critic and Creativity" from the early 1960s, and the attack by Twin Cities bishop James Shannon in what Powers characterized as "the juicy Hibernian tone" of clerical umbrage. In fact, objective readers may find the prelate is more even-tempered in his evaluation of Powers than two other priests whose critiques also appear alongside professors with primarily New Criticism approaches than the norm for the 60s.

Among these, Naomi Lebowitz is best at her analysis of order and disorder, nature and the artificial, the Church and the human condition as dichotomies at work in the stories. Leo Hertzel also gives an insightful comparison to the Franciscan brother Juniper of the early days of the Friars Minor and how his counterparts might fare in the bureaucratic realities that Powers shows so well in his fictional rectories and chanceries and golf courses. The bulk of the critical attention follows that of most readers and reviewers and Powers himself: it concentrates upon the clerical stories in the two collections to date and the novel. (In 2002, both novels were reprinted by NY Review Press and the three volumes of a total of thirty stories had been gathered-- with no new additions-- into one volume.)

A short list of a few other studies follows the articles gathered, but no real biographical information is included. This "Christian critic series" book, edited by Fallon Evans who only contributes an extremely brief forward, is marred by some typographical errors. However, along with Hagopian's entry in the Twayne series of American author book-length studies (also reviewed by me; with a detailed bibliography and sufficient biographical information as well as close readings of the fiction to date), this anthology represents the two published contributions from 1968 that helped boost Powers in the critical realm to his postwar level of recognition as one of the finest mid-century chroniclers of the human soul at war with the body, the material, the faltering and the officious. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from New Criterion, published by Foundation for Cultural Review on September 1, 1999. The length of the article is 2498 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: This article examines the life and work of contemporary American author J.F. Powers. Topics discussed include the novel Morte D'Urban, the religious themes of the work, and Powers' critical reception.

Citation Details
Title: Sub specie aeternitatis: J. F. Powers, 1917-1999.(Critical Essay)
Author: John Derbyshire
Publication: New Criterion (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 1999
Publisher: Foundation for Cultural Review
Volume: 18Issue: 1Page: 75

Article Type: Critical Essay

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document, covering the life and work of J(ames) F(arl) Powers, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thompson Gale. The length of the entry is 2447 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

Customer Reviews (1)

Incredible A Lost Treasure.
This book won the national book award in 1963 for fiction. Our hero Father Urban is a little quirky and self-centered; yet even with those faults it is hard not to sympathize with him. I approached this book with some regret. It was the last of Powers' works I would have the chance to read. So I took my time and slowly read chapter by chapter, savoring the book over a much longer period than I normally would. The book was both satisfying and a bit of a disappointment. It was satisfying in that I have now completed the published books of J. F. Powers. It was also sad because of this fact. It was a bit disappointing in that the story feels unfinished. Like a chapter was left out when it went to printing.

Some of the plot was inevitable, and predictable, but the characters you meet along the way make the book very engaging and entertaining. I am a post Vatican II baby. As such, I do not know the Latin Mass - have only read books, and seen films of what the church was like before that period. Powers is a master at creating characters, and characters that are believable. His priests, brothers, monsignors and even bishops are believable to anyone who has had serious interactions even with clergy of today. I know of a priest locally who could be an Urban walking off the page to take up ministry today.

Many segments of this book were previously published as short stories in a variety of sources. Powers was a master at the short story, but his creative genius was his ability to take those short stories and turn them into a convincing novel. He has done this with both his published novels - this book Morte D'Urban and Wheat That Springeth Green. Both books were nominated for the National Book Award and Urban won. That is the testament to Powers' power and prowess with the quill. It is also witness to his ability to transcend the short story, a genre that appears to be going by the wayside, and to compile books of great depth and insight. Modern author Chuck Palahniuk, the author of Fight Club, wanted to write a book of short stories, but his publisher, even with his popularity after Fight Club, would not allow him a book of short stories. Then Palauniuk wrote Haunted a collection of characters' personal stories told by a group of writers locked in a building. Powers achieves what Palahniuk does not in that his stories flow together seamlessly, where Palahniuk's are obviously individual stories.

This book is worth the read for anyone wanting a glimpse of insight into post World War II Catholicism, especially in the Midwest. But it is also a great study of people and why they do what they do - what drives them to achieve, their dreams and ultimately their failures and defeats. Unfortunately I have now read all of Powers' fiction. Fortunately the 2 books and 3 collections of short stories can be savored again and again. I can predict I have not finished with reading Powers, or Urban. ... Read more

Product Description
Anthology of prize winning short stories published between June 1944 and April 1945. ... Read more