Reflections on Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell Part I: The Nature of Fairies

Last updated on: November 4, 2016 at 10:15 am By David Russell Mosley

David Russell Mosley Ordinary Time 4 November 2016 The Edge of Elfland Hudson, New Hampshire Dear Readers, Last night, I finally finished, for the second time, Susanna Clarke’s excellent Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. This book is part historical fiction and part fantasy. The book takes place in the time surrounding the Napoleonic wars, and is primarily set in England. While much is similar between Clarke’s 19th century world and the 19th century world we know from history, there are... Read more

Writing on the Edge of Elfland: Two New Book Projects, An Arthurian Novel and a Spiritual Memoir

Last updated on: November 3, 2016 at 10:46 am By David Russell Mosley

David Russell Mosley Ordinary Time 3 November 2016 The Edge of Elfland Hudson, New Hampshire Dear Readers, I have to admit that I feel somewhat uncomfortable sharing this news with you. I don’t entirely know why. Perhaps it is because many of heroes in writing were not outspoken in such a public manner about the new works they were undertaking. Of course, many of them had groups to which they belonged or friends to whom they frequently wrote and these... Read more

The Unveiling Light in the Time between Times: From Halloween to Advent

Last updated on: November 2, 2016 at 11:09 am By David Russell Mosley

David Russell Mosley Ordinary Time All Souls’ 2016 The Edge of Elfland Hudson, New Hampshire Dear Readers, The triduum of Hallows’ eve, All Hallows, and All Souls, is nearly over. And so we enter this time between times. While technically it is still Ordinary Time, there is a definite shift in the air. Halloween reminds us (if All Saints’ and All Souls’ don’t, though they should) that we are entering a time of celebration. Sure, we need the fasting of... Read more

Looking for Jesus: My Son’s Loving Interaction with Icons

Last updated on: November 1, 2016 at 9:50 am By David Russell Mosley

David Russell Mosley Ordinary Time All Hallows’ 2016 The Edge of Elfland Hudson, New Hampshire Dear Readers, Happy All Hallows’, also known as All Saints’ Day! I hope you remembered the dead last night and today reflect on the departed who reside in heaven and whose prayers are often a help to us. Today, I want to tell you about something I have witnessed the past two days. One of my children, Theodore, has been kissing my icons. Now, for... Read more

Keeping the Hallows in Halloween

Last updated on: October 31, 2016 at 9:32 am By David Russell Mosley

David Russell Mosley Ordinary Time All Hallow’s Eve 2016 The Edge of Elfland Hudson, New Hampshire Dear Readers, I had hoped to put together something of a ghost story for you today. Alas, a relatively busy day yesterday, and somewhat late rising this morning means my creative juices are a bit low. I hope instead to write you a Christmas ghost story come Christmas time. Instead, I want to reflect a bit on Halloween and All Saints’ Day. One myth... Read more

Not Quite Loving Love, Henri: A Review of Nouwen’s Collected Letters

Last updated on: October 27, 2016 at 10:00 am By David Russell Mosley

David Russell Mosley Ordinary Time 25 October 2016 The Edge of Elfland Hudson, New Hampshire Dear Readers, Yesterday I finally finished reading my copy of Love, Henri which is a collection of letters written by Henri Nouwen and edited by Gabrielle Earnshaw. I have to admit that I have mixed feelings about Nouwen. His books were particularly popular at my college in the mid aughts. Perhaps its the way he was introduced to me, perhaps it was simply the fact... Read more

The “Matter” of Devotion: Further Reflections on the PMR Conference and Christianity as a Matter Affirming Religion

Last updated on: October 25, 2016 at 10:25 am By David Russell Mosley

David Russell Mosley Ordinary Time 25 October 2016 The Edge of Elfland Hudson, New Hampshire Dear Readers, As I mentioned in a previous letter, I recently attended the Patristic, Medieval, Renaissance Conference. The theme for this year’s conference was “A Matter of Devotion: Matter and Spirit in Theory and Practice.” While not every paper I heard dealt with this issue, it was one that struck me. The idea, in part, was to look at how physical, material objects matter (see... Read more

Reading on the Edges of Elfland: October 24th Edition

Last updated on: October 24, 2016 at 3:45 pm By David Russell Mosley

David Russell Mosley Ordinary Time 24 October 2016 The Edge of Elfland Hudson, New Hampshire Dear Readers, Today I just wanted to share with your the books I’ve been reading lately. They’re a combination of new reads and old. Joseph of Nazareth by Federico Suárez The first book on my list was given to me by my spiritual director. In this book Suárez seeks to meditate on the little that Scripture tells us about the adopted father of our Lord.... Read more

A (Not so Brief) Review of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Last updated on: October 21, 2016 at 9:43 am By David Russell Mosley

David Russell Mosley Ordinary Time 21 October 2016 The Edge of Elfland Hudson, New Hampshire Dear Readers, Two nights ago I got into bed and began to read. I wasn’t tired and so I just kept reading. I read until the book was done. The book, or better the play, was Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I’ve done a fair amount of thinking about it and thought I would share some of those thoughts with you. Fair warning ahead,... Read more

Reflections on the Patristic, Medieval, and Renaissance 2016 Conference

Last updated on: October 20, 2016 at 4:09 pm By David Russell Mosley

David Russell Mosley Ordinary Time 20 October 2016 The Edge of Elfland Hudson, New Hampshire Dear Readers, As I’ve already mentioned, this past weekend I drove down to Villanova for the annual Patristics, Medieval, and Renaissance (talk about a mouthful) Conference, or PMR for short. Since starting undergrad, I have been to 6 conferences (some of them more than once), and so far, I must say, this one has been my favorite. I’ve you’ve never been to an academic conference,... Read more