BOOKS | wendymurray

Wendy's BOOKS (Selected)

A Mended and Broken Heart

The Life and Love of Francis of Assisi

ISBN-978-0465032327, Basic Books, New York (2008, 2012)

A Mended and a Broken Heart explores the life of Francis of Assisi from the point of view a journalist and a Protestant. Wendy researched the book for four years, and then moved to Assisi to spend another year writing it. Being graciously helped by many within the Franciscan community, she has spent many hours in convent libraries and spoke with hundreds of people in the course of her writing. These include scholars, theologians, priests, friars, nuns, bishops, artists, lawyers, maids, scientists, historians, archaeologists, café owners, writers, professors, actors, and, yes, a movie director. Her research led her to explore at great length the mysterious bond that existed between Francis and Clare and in her book she illuminates surprising insights into their unique friendship.

"In a work that is both scholarly and engaging, Murray retells the life of this 'complicated man'--who was a poet, warrior, knight, lover, madman and saint--in a way that even those familiar with Francis's story will find compelling." ~ Publisher's Weekly

Day of Reckoning

Columbine and the Search for America's Soul

ISBN-978-1587430015

April 20, 1999. The day is forever marked in a nation's memory. Columbine High School students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, with chilling detachment, carried guns into their affluent, suburban Denver school and killed thirteen people. Murray sorts fact from fiction and compellingly presents the most comprehensive and searching account to date of the Columbine shootings. (Author Dave Cullen used her book extensively while research his own book titled Columbine.)

"In the frenzy after the Columbine tragedy, many of us missed the real story. Wendy Murray [Zoba]'s sure-footed coverage unearths a cast of young heroes in the center of an irreducibly religious narrative. I think readers will discover a revealing, sober, but mostly inspiring book that lays bare the American soul."

~ Michael G. Maudlin, Senior VP, Executive Editor, HarperCollins

On Broken Legs

A Shattered Life, a Search for God, A Miracle

That Met Me in a Cave in Assisi

ISBN-10 1576836436

Deeply personal and honest, award-winning author Wendy Murray's spiritual memoir ravages the myth that "real" Christian life must be untarnished and sublime. From the simple wisdom of children to surprise miracles from a beloved saint, Wendy found out that God used the chaotic seasons of her life to bring her closer to his heart. With a literary, pensive voice, she discloses an obscure, albeit essential, secret: We follow God best on broken legs.

"Those who have had trouble finding God in the midst of great loss will be comforted to find a companion in Murray and will cherish her literary map to 'the Dark Night'." ~ Publishers Weekly

ISBN 978-0615406084, Ecco Qua Press (2010)

The story of journalist Lucy Shaw unfolds in the exotic location of the Maya ruins in Copán, Honduras. A well-known international journalist, she has been given the assignment to report on the recent discovery of a royal tomb believed to be the remains of the founding king of the Maya dynasty at Copán. From the start, mystery and calamity surround her assignment. The complex and changing characters in the novel are forced to wrestle with the meaning of ritual, the implications of human sacrifice and a romance gone bad. Love, lies and improbable twists leave the reader perplexed until the end.

"The archaeology framework for the story is factual, thorough, and fascinating, and the novel's strongest, most distinctive element. Murray also writes well, developing memorable characters. Murray's fiction debut is thought-provoking." ~ Publishers Weekly

The Warrior King (Novel)

A Love Story with Criminal Interruptions

ISBN 978-0842355131

When struggles and disappointments arise, we risk remaining mired in grief and bitterness. God graciously grasps our shoulders and turns us around, urging us to move forward. Writing candidly about her own life experiences Murray shows how God has stretched her along and propelled her forward with tested faith.

"A lovely meditation on faith and the vagaries of midlife, and as such should resonate with many readers." ~ Publishers Weekly

Wendy Murray