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Leaving Alexandria: A Memoir Of Faith And Doubt (2012)

by Richard Holloway(Favorite Author)

4.1 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0857860739 (ISBN13: 9780857860736)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Canongate

review 1: I felt I should have likedthis book more. Richard Holloway is a respected public figure in Scotland, an excellent writer and philosopher, so what was the problem? I think part of it was my expectations of an autobiography even though it is clearly labelled a Memoir of Faith and Doubt. There was too much religion and not enough family, but again the clue is in the title.I enjoyed the earlier parts of book where the young working class boy left the safety of the Vale to enter a monastery. But it was there that his doubts began and from here I never got to grips with Holloway's motivation or ambition. I found many of the episodes repetitive and became frustrated by his need to disrupt his family to meet his ambitions. I am sure that there was some measure of consultation ... morebetween family members but this was not shown - the family appeared secondary. I think the book would have been more enjoyable and more powerful had it been written as an autobiography and still included the career (doubts and all)
review 2: Brutally honest autobiography from former Anglican priest and bishop, Richard Holloway. Deep exploration of the church, theology, morality, faith and doubt. He finishes the book with a poem by Israeli poet, Yehuda Amichai, which sums up Holloway's fearless examination of his life in the church - From the place where we are rightflowers will never growin the Spring.The place where we are rightis hard and trampledlike a yard.But doubts and lovesdig up the worldlike a mole, a plough.And a whisper will be heard in the placewhere the ruinedhouse once stood. less

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