

#1167
Mentioned in 19 episodes
Gilead
Book • 2004
In 'Gilead', Marilynne Robinson crafts a deeply personal and introspective narrative through the eyes of John Ames, a 76-year-old pastor writing to his seven-year-old son in 1956.
The novel explores themes of faith, forgiveness, and redemption as Ames recounts his life, his family's history, and the tensions between his abolitionist grandfather and his pacifist father.
The book is a meditation on the human condition, highlighting the beauty in everyday moments and the profound bond between fathers and sons.
It won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Critics Circle Award.
The novel explores themes of faith, forgiveness, and redemption as Ames recounts his life, his family's history, and the tensions between his abolitionist grandfather and his pacifist father.
The book is a meditation on the human condition, highlighting the beauty in everyday moments and the profound bond between fathers and sons.
It won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Critics Circle Award.
Mentioned by
































Mentioned in 19 episodes
Mentioned by 

as an example of an author who uses typology in their work.


Miri Rubin

192 snips
Typology
Recommended by 

for understanding empathy in human relationships.


Maryanne Wolf

64 snips
196: Focus & The Reading Life, with Maryanne Wolf
Mentioned by 

as one of 

's famous novels.


Tyler Cowen


Marilynne Robinson

42 snips
Marilynne Robinson on Biblical Interpretation, Calvinist Thought, and Religion in America
Recommended by ![undefined]()

as a novel offering a positive depiction of fatherhood through letters between a dying father and his son.

Naomi Fry

23 snips
I Need a Critic: May 2025 Edition
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

in the context of writing about religious faith in fiction.

Matthew Sitman

16 snips
Political Fictions (w/ Vinson Cunningham)
Mentioned by 

as an example of a novel deeply embedded in a specific place.


Barbara Kingsolver

13 snips
Writing Lessons Episode 4: Sense of Place Featuring Barbara Kingsolver
Mentioned by 

as one of 

's award-winning books.


John Anderson


Marilynne Robinson

12 snips
Marilynne Robinson, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Novelist And Author
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

in comparison to ![undefined]()

's book.

Collin Hansen

Allen Levi

11 snips
The Great Novel That Almost Wasn't
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

as one of the best novels of the last few years, noted for its unique perspective and inclusion in the New York Times best books of the century list.

Henry Oliver

11 snips
Henry Oliver: The Literary Moment
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

as a possible nightmare version of the 1950s.

Jeanette Winterson

Jeanette Winterson: 40 Years of Storytelling
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

, who appreciates its high wisdom-to-sentence ratio and tender exploration of Calvinism.

Mollie Hemingway

'You're Wrong' With Mollie Hemingway And David Harsanyi, Ep. 161: Obamagate
Mentioned by 

and ![undefined]()

during their power ranking of Pulitzer winners, placing it highly for its profound exploration of faith and family.


Jeff O'Neal

Rebecca Schinsky

The 10 Best Winners of The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction of the Century So Far
Mentioned by 

as one of her favorite books.


Gretchen Rubin

Ep. 527: What a Favorite Book Reveals, Photo Selection Tips & Family Secrets Explored
Mentioned by Barack Obama as an author whose writing process he found interesting.

President Barack Obama
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

in relation to her ideas about the new creation and the enduring significance of earthly experiences.

Andrew Peterson

Finding God in the Garden with Andrew Peterson
Mentioned as the unique novel they are tackling in this episode.

The Everyday Ecstasy of Marilynne Robinsone's GILEAD
Mentioned by 

while discussing the importance of expressing love to children.


Ryan Holiday

Let Them Know They Give You This
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

in the closing remarks, referencing the pastor John Ames's perspective on the planet's beauty and worth.

Kaitlyn Schiess

Why did God make the other planets?
Mentioned by 

in the introduction, highlighting her novels and their themes.


Krista Tippett

[Unedited] Marilynne Robinson and Marcelo Gleiser with Krista Tippett
Mentioned by 

in relation to a quote about the story of the world being like an epic told in heaven.


Ross Douthat

Religion Strikes Back: Why Everyone Should Believe in God (ft. Ross Douthat)