Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl

N. D. Wilson

Average Rating 7/10 (1 Review)

A visual, poetic exploration of the narrative nature of the world and the personality of the Poet behind it all.

When Nate Wilson looks at the world around him, he asks "What is this place? Why is this place? Who approved it? Am I supposed to take it seriously?" What could such an outlandish, fantastical world say about its Creator?

In these sparkling chapters, Wilson gives an aesthetic examination of the ways in which humanity has tried to make sense of this overwhelming carnival ride of a world. He takes a whimsical, thought-provoking look at everything from the "magic" of quantum physics, to nature's absurdities, to the problem of evil, evolution and hell. These frequently humorous and uniquely beautiful portraits express reality unknown to many Christians - the reality of God's story unfolding around and among us. As the author says, "Welcome to His poem. His play. His novel. His comedy. Let the pages flick your thumbs."

Review by Keiki Hendrix (181009) Rating (7/10)

Review by Keiki Hendrix
Rating 7/10
A refreshing Christian perspective on our physical ‘world’ in all its magnificence.

Just as some carnival rides are not recommended for those with weak hearts, this book should also carry a disclaimer. The pace is quick, the references wide reaching and very well researched but there may be some who cannot bear the jolts and jerks. As for me, I loved it.

Preparing for this review, I rediscovered the definitions in the title of N. D. Wilson’s Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl: Wide-Eyed Wonder in God’s Spoken World.

• Wide-Eyed: meaning with the eyes open wide, as in amazement, innocence, or sleeplessness.
• Wonder: the emotion excited by what is strange and surprising; a feeling of surprised or puzzled interest, sometimes tinged with admiration.

There are times when one needs to search out something one has know or grown accustomed to just to rediscover it. This book is quite appropriately named.

In short, I would tag this book as C. S. Lewis on steroids. Written in bursts that provoke deep thoughts, each chapter is filled with short takes of the writers life with scientific observations on the world that may have stopping to catch your breathe. Be prepared to reread sections, first perhaps for clarity and at times to soak in the doctrine that lies beneath.

If you are a careful reader (meaning you must research statements before taking them as your own), you will find yourself searching out many of the statements made. This added to my enjoyment of a book in that it sparked my interests on other topics beside the main theme of the book itself.

From a span of the ‘philosophers’ to the magic of ‘quantum physics’, you will certainly not be bored and you just might view this ‘world’ in a very different way. I will accept the idea that N. D. Wilson suggests... that this life and this world is God’s novel and I have been written in.
Keiki Hendrix (18th October 2009)