Jeanne Murray Walker is a poet, playwright, memoirist, and teacher. Most recently, she co-edited with Luci Shaw a book of essays on the topic of ambition by members of the Chrysostom Society. We talked about her experience as an ambitious young woman in the era of the “mythical character” of Betty Crocker, ambition and motherhood, and the problems of ambition without direction or models of what to do with it. My own relationship with ambition is quite fraught in ways that might warrant a sequel to this, and this conversation gave me a ton to think about–I hope you find it equally thought-provoking!
Listen below, subscribe in iTunes, look for it in the Sticher app, or use the LibSyn site to browse the archives and stream or download as many episodes as you like.
Show Notes
Ambition the book (read more about it and/or order from this link)
Jeanne’s web site | Helping the Morning: New and Selected Poems (her most recent collection)
Luci Shaw (I’m quite fond of The Crime of Living Cautiously and God For Us)
The Chyrsostom Society (Full disclosure: I’ve recently become a member–I couldn’t resist the invite from a group that once counted Madeleine L’Engle among its members!) Some personal favorites by members: The Holy Way and Forgiveness by Paula Huston, The Message from Eugene Peterson (his own paraphrase of the Bible – talk about ambition!), Better Food for a Better World and The Good Life by Erin McGraw, Still by Lauren Winner, and so many more…
Another take on girls and ambition – Victoria Stapleton of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers interviews Sherri Winston
Theme Music by Dave Connis
Add a Comment