A Whole Life in Twelve Movies
A Cinematic Journey to a Deeper Spirituality
by Kathleen Norris; Gareth Higgins
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Pub Date 15 Oct 2024 | Archive Date 15 Nov 2024
Baker Academic & Brazos Press | Brazos Press
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Description
In A Whole Life in Twelve Movies, Norris and Higgins invite readers along as they discuss acclaimed movies that can help us better understand our lives--from before birth to death and beyond.
Featuring 12 films, including 2001: A Space Odyssey, Malcolm X, and Babette's Feast, this book is perfect for individuals or groups to watch and discuss movies over the course of a year. Each chapter recommends additional films and includes discussion questions ideally suited for churches, small groups, and book clubs.
As readers watch and read, they will journey through the human life cycle and explore themes of existence, goodness, belonging, vocation, identity, success, generosity, dealing with conflict, and what it means to be human. The book outlines a cinematic path toward a deeper spirituality and a more meaningful life for people across the faith spectrum and seekers alike. It includes a foreword by James Martin, SJ.
Advance Praise
“As a fan of Kathleen Norris’s Cloister Walk and Dakota, I loved reading her honest engagement with various films in this book. Higgins and Norris add to a conversation that the filmmaker has begun and draw from their experience of life to give these humble films more depth. I wish there was more writing about films like it. I feel my perspective about the world widening through it.”—Lee Isaac Chung, director of Minari and Twisters
“In A Whole Life in Twelve Movies, Norris and Higgins do what they do so well: weave together stories and commentary that remind us what it means to be human, to long for love and connection, and to search the world around us for moments of kinship as we carry grief, joy, healing, and longing inside our own hearts. Art is powerful, and in the pages of this book you’ll find an incredible guide into one of the most effective forms of art—film—to explore our connection to ourselves, spirituality, and one another. Whether you’re an avid movie watcher or hoping to dive into these films for the first time, please read this book and let it lead you into curiosity and wonder. You’ll be so glad you did.”—Kaitlin B. Curtice, award-winning author of Native, Living Resistance, and Winter’s Gifts
“This book is a loving embrace of a new way of seeing—which used to be an old way of seeing. With eyes and souls wide open, Norris and Higgins dare to engage cinema on its deepest and most meaningful levels; they dare to believe in it as art. Most scandalously of all, they dare to believe movies can teach us how to live better, if only we’d allow them to. This book is a treasure.”—Scott Teems, writer-director, Rectify, Narcos: Mexico, and The Quarry
“There are few pleasures as distinct as viewing a great film, then chasing it with a spirited chat with a friend. This book is loaded with that lovely feeling. A rich format and rich set of films; Norris and Higgins make excellent tour guides who can lead us into the vast landscape of world cinema.”—Josh Jeter, producer of Terrence Malick’s A Hidden Life
“Norris and Higgins seem to engage movies for the same reason I do: in the faith that better is possible and that good stories show us the way. Their experience of said stories and which stories have the most meaning for them are, of course, different from my own. But isn’t that the gift? In the movies they have invited us to, I get to experience the world through their eyes, and my own experience is broadened. What will we choose to do with the broadening of our experiences? This is the charge these two movie lovers so deftly set before us.”—Melvin Bray, equity designer and author of Better: Waking Up to Who We Could Be
“Reading this beautiful book is like having an endlessly fascinating conversation with two friends about film, when those two friends are always wise, thoughtful, and funny and have inspiring things to say about the movies they love. . . . For me, the first thing I want to do after watching a powerful film is see what others have to say about it. At heart, it’s a desire for conversation, for learning, and for being challenged. This book is an answer to those common desires.”—James Martin, SJ (from the foreword)
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781587436338 |
| PRICE | US$19.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 192 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Reviewer 1394760
A Whole Life in Twelve Movies is built on a curious and amazing concept, and the structure of the book ensured an engaging read.
Kathleen and Gareth discuss the respective film and topic (an important pillar of life for each chapter) and leave us with questions to answer.
Nice selection of themes, films and tender discussions.
Yakub T, Educator
Norris and Higgins has done a beautifully connection between movies and journey to deeper spirituality. This is a hard work to do but they made it. I hope that all of you can get blessings from reading this book.
Stephanie F, Reviewer
Have you ever left a great movie and just wanted to talk about it, what it meant to you, how it made you feel, what the other person felt? A Whole Life in Twelve Movies by Kathleen Norris and Gareth Higgins does a marvelous job of shining a light on how movies can reflect a part of our lives and inspire us to go deeper. The book highlights 12 movies that have been meaningful to the authors and they challenge you to go deeper.
The format of the book is great as a read-alone book but also has tremendous application for friends who like movies and enjoy sharing too. I may well encourage my small faith community to make this our next focus!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
Wesley S, Reviewer
A wonderful book for the spiritual seeker and cinaphile alike, I highly recommend this book. It's a mix of movies you've likely seen and ones you've likely not, which makes it a satisfying journey through old and new experiences. You're sure to find something that resonates with, challenges, or enriches your spiritual life in these pages.
Maryanne H, Reviewer
To begin with, as a longtime fan of Kathleen Norris, I’m always excited to read any new book she writes. And I’m a recent Gareth Higgins fan, following his work on The Porch. So seeing them collaborate on this new project, A WHOLE LIFE IN TWELVE MOVIES: A CINEMATIC JOURNEY TO A DEEPER SPIRITUALITY was exciting from the start.
The format of the book is to identify twelve phases of human growth and development and discuss each phase by pairing it with a movie. Then each author interprets the movie, based on what they see on the screen and their own personal experiences. In addition to these probing essays, there are questions for discussion at the end of each chapter and suggestions for further movie viewing on the specific topic.
This is a good book when read straight through; an outstanding book if paired with actually watching the movies.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Brazos Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Literary R, Reviewer
If you are a cinéaste who loves to explore spiritual elements in films, this book is for you. Beautifully written and organized, the book led me at first to just skim the list of films included, then dig deeper to find the spiritual treasures in movies I've seen and now must-watch. A must-have for every lover of the cinema!
Susan D, Reviewer
A Whole Life in Twelve Movies by Kathleen Norris and Gareth Higgins is a well written, and organized, discussion of twelve films that relate to different aspects or stages of human life. These films have been produced over a wide period of time, and some are more obscure than others. After each of the authors discusses the selected movie in each category, categories such as “waiting to be born,” “childhood,” “community,” or “the breaking and remaking of self,” they provide a list of questions for readers to use for self reflection after they experience the film (or even after reading the preceding discussion).
While I believe I have only seen four of the primary films discussed, I want to see those again and find the others, several of which I had never heard about prior to this book. Each chapter also uses other movies as comparison or examples in the discussion. There is also a list of films related to each chapter provided at the end of the book. I found this book thought provoking and thoughtful and plan to try to locate several of these films. This book could be used as a springboard for discussion among friends or groups. Recommended.
Thanks to Brazos Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.
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