The Mind of the Maker

An investigation into the nature of God and creativity from the author of the Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries, with an introduction by Madeleine L’Engle.

The Mind of the Maker will be relished by those already in love with Dorothy L. Sayers and those who have not yet met her. A mystery writer, a witty and perceptive theologian, culture critic, and playwright, Dorothy Sayers sheds new, unexpected light on a specific set of statements made in the Christian creeds. She examines anew such ideas as the image of God, the Trinity, free will, and evil, and in this text, a wholly revitalized understanding of them emerges. She finds the key in the parallels between the creation of God and the human creative process. She continually refers to each in a way that illuminates both.

This classic, with a new introduction by Madeleine L'Engle, is by turns an entrancing mediation on language; a piercing commentary on the nature of art and why so much of what we read, hear, and see falls short; and a brilliant examination of the fundamental tenets of Christianity.

From the opening of Genesis, it is clear that God and man share one vital trait: the ability to create great works out of nothing. More than any other group, artists feel impelled to create, and this urge brings them closer to God. By contemplating the creative drive of humanity, we can better understand the works of God, and by listening deeply into the tenets of Christianity, we can better understand the creative spirit of man. In this searching, wide-ranging treatise, one of the greatest minds of the 20th century shows us what it means to be an artist—and what it takes to make humankind.

This book is masterfully narrated by UK narrator and actor Jane McDowell. Fans of Dorothy L. Sayers may recognize Jane's clear soprano voice from other recordings of Sayers's works.

©1941, 1968 Anthony Fleming. Produced and published by Echo Point Books & Media, an independent bookseller in Brattleboro, Vermont.