Wonderstruck by The Methow: because the universe wants us to be surprised by what comes next

The Wonderstruck essays have been predicated on a profound belief that life is not entirely random... and that the intention of the universal and infinite works itself out through the interactions that we have with one another and all the world around us. Hence my belief that serendipity brought me to the Methow. When people ask how I came to live in this valley, the short answer is: God picked me up by the scruff of the neck and plopped me here. The longer, if still incomplete, answer is: Wonderstruck, the collection of essays which explains my journey of grief and healing from a philosophical and metaphysical point of view. The collection of essays you now hold, however, is specifically about some of the people, places, and experience of the Methow which fill me with awe and wonder. And I really do believe the universe guided many of the interactions here recorded. Everything that you read in these pages is 100% true, if much of it wildly improbable. I have lived my questions, as Rilke once recommended to a young poet, and these essays are a record of my progress, gradually, without perhaps even noticing it, toward living into my own answers. I invite you to question my experience, to ponder whether such a universe can actually exist. But be patient with my words, especially if they resonate, and read them slowly. And also be patient with your own journey as you live your own questions in this very, very surprising universe.

About the Author :
Greg Wright has worn many hats as a writer and editor over the years. He is a published author in several fields and formats, but is most widely known for his long contributions to Hollywood Jesus dot com and his books on Tolkien, Peter Jackson, and The Lord of the Rings. He currently invests himself in poetry and fiction. He also blogs at You Be the Judge and writes Wonderstruck at Medium.

Review :
Inspired to write by "things that intrigue me," the remarkable essayist Greg Wright grasps that our world is "terribly inconvenient." Time and again, it puts us in unplanned, unexpected, and unwanted times and places. But Wonderstruck, Wright's brilliant trilogy, is intrigued by much more than that. In the deep-down feelings they evoke, Wright's compelling essays, as insightful as they are diverse, show that what's unplanned often makes good sense, what's unexpected can fit just right, and what's unwanted may lead to abundant joy. Joining Greg Wright in these pages is uplifting. Wonderstruck will keep you that way, too. John K. Roth Edward J. Sexton Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College Reading Greg Wright's Wonderstruck series you find out what makes him tick and why he finds great value in the unexpected. You share in his voyage of self-discovery, from his leaping off the treadmill of "success" to his faith that every experience in this rich life-from grief to awe-has not been haphazard but divinely inspired. These stories might also urge you on to make a habit of seeing your own life in a new, more generous way. Diana Hottell, The Whole Damn Valley and Earlier Times in the Methow Valley The depth and breadth of Greg Wright's interests and experiences shine in essays informed by nearly fifteen years as caregiver during his wife's terminal illness. Soon after her passing at the end of 2017, he began writing letters and essays addressed in her memory. The Wonderstruck volumes document his increasing conviction that what we dismiss as "coincidence" may be evidence of divine direction and capacious creative possibility. Craig Seasholes, Friends of the Winthrop Library Greg Wright brings his personal and intellectual insight into the art life, spirituality, acting, and of course, wonder. This is the kind of writing that inspires readers to go out and create something themselves. We can love this life, grieve in our suffering, and hope for the new. Let's all get "wonderstruck" once again. Andrew Hackett, The Trace Podcast I have to thank Greg Wright for his Wonderstruck volumes of essays. He has worked hard to promote Methow Valley authors, including yours truly, and his Wonderstruck essays are a valuable exercise in writing about arts and writers of every character. E. Richard Hart, Lost Homeland, Pedro Pino, Zuni and the Courts