When Fragments Make a Whole by Lory Widmer Hess [NF Review]

Summary 💬

In this candid and courageous book, Lory Widmer Hess describes her experience of inner transformation through her exploration of the healing stories in the gospels. In a unique blend of poetry, commentary and autobiography, she describes how she engaged with and drew inspiration from these stories. Her approach will inspire readers on their own journey of spiritual growth.

During a difficult time in her life, Lory turned to the accounts of Jesus’s work on earth for comfort and inspiration. She wrote poems about the lives of the people who had been touched by Christ and, over several years, added personal reflections that explored the difficulties she was facing in her marriage, the challenges of raising a family, and setbacks in her career. Gradually she learned forgiveness and self-acceptance.

This powerful book shows how we can connect our experiences to the gospel stories in a creative way that allows us to draw strength from them. At the end of each chapter, the essential meaning of the story is distilled into a simple, contemplative phrase. Readers interested in Christian spirituality will turn to this unique and remarkable book again and again for inspiration and contemplation.

Goodreads

Review ✍🏻

You may be familiar with Lory as the blogger behind Entering the Enchanted Castle. (If you’re not, drop her a follow!) Lory blogs about assorted fiction and non-fiction as well as writing, language, health and spirituality with a reflective eye. So when she released When Fragments Make a Whole last February, I knew I had to check it out even if the main subject fell outside of what I usually read.

I have a wee interest in religious and spiritual practices and traditions. (I actually minored in religion and culture during my undergrad.) Historical folk practices and Zen Buddhism in particular attract both my personal and intellectual interest. Christian spirituality? Not so much, either personally or academically. I grew up in a Christian Protestant tradition so I have a solid understanding of the basics there. I surprised myself a bit by how I recalled most of the gospel stories that Lory draws from.

However, I have no familiarity with anthroposophy. I think one of the Inklings was into it – that’s about the extent of my knowledge on the subject. Lory provides enough background and context (particularly in the preface, which sets out the aim and structure of the book) that I could understand and appreciate her perspective, though I sense there are nuances here which would be greater appreciated by a practicing Christian or anthroposophist.

On the whole, When Fragments Make a Whole is a thoughtful mix of memoir, art, and exegesis. The main challenge I encountered while trying to read the Bible when younger was that everything felt so distant. Lory’s poems bring liveliness and relatability to the stories and people in the Bible. The structure of original poem followed by reflections on the Biblical story and then personal connections with a closing meditation makes for smooth reading.

It can be difficult to review a work that includes life writing, especially one that touches on sensitive matters such as intimate family relationships. I appreciate the candidness shared and respect the boundaries set. Some memoirs can be discomforting to read when we feel the writer has shared too much. Others can be puzzling when we feel the writer has shared too little. Lory strikes a fair balance, so readers can understand and appreciate her healing journey without feeling like we’ve pried too deep.

The Bottom Line 💭

Offering much to digest and reflect on, When Fragments Make a Whole can be enjoyed and appreciated by readers on any spiritual path, though Christians may find even more to take away from this book, with its Gospel focus.

Further Reading 📰

🍂 Read an excerpt (look for “See inside” button)
🍂 Author website
🍂 Interview @ Floris Books
🍂 Reviews: Rebecca @ Bookish Beck
🍂 Related: For more memoirs with a spiritual bent, check out my thoughts on The 1918 Pilgrimage of Takamure Itsue and Joy Ogawa’s Gently to Nagasaki.

Have you read any spiritual memoirs, or memoirs that blend art and narrative?