Author:
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Barbara Brotman
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Source:
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Chicago Tribune
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Date:
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11/18/2006
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Format:
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Serial
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This intimate, elegant account of one man's death is a good model for writing about belief with respect and detachment.
We appreciated Brotman's sensitive yet probing approach to faith and belief in this piece. Hers is a more quizzical, curious view on belief than we often see in stories about religious characters. She doesn't just echo her character's words about his faith; she explicitly explores the role of faith in his life and death. She also neither lapses into language that just blindly reflects belief nor keeps a cold distance from it.
The series is a lovely example of honoring a character's beliefs, writing a moving story, while remaining detached. You'll find Brotman's reflections on striking this balance in Related Links to the right.
The piece got lots of online responses, including this: "Stories like this are why people read the Chicago Tribune. Thank you."
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© 2008 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College