Sounding the Seasons: Seventy Sonnets for the Christian Year by Malcolm Guite (review)

150 CHRISTIANITY AND LITERATURE throughout this volume of criticism he has sought to "dissociate the man Czeslaw Milosz from the poetic personae of his narrators" (248) since Milosz himself claimed that a capable artist could employ irony and don the masks of others. Thus, it is often difficult to separate narrator from author and "separate direct monologue from indirect and dramatic monologue" (250). Kraszewski acknowledges that the question that remains unanswered is, when, late in life, did Milosz's faith become more orthodox? And here, two issues-minor shortcomings to some perhaps-bear mention. First, despite the eloquent prose style of the writer, occasional surface errors may distract one, such as this: "After the war, In [sic] 1945, it was another matter altogether" (39). A more salient issue for researchers will be the omission of an index. If one wishes to find commentary upon a given poem, one must scan the chronologically grouped chapters, using the poem's composition or publication date. However,ifone wishes to find commentary upon, say,the connections between Milosz and another poet, or other topics that do not fall neatly into chronological compartments, that information may lie embedded almost anywhere. That said, for scholars of Catholic literature, Slavic literature, and emigre literature-to name a few audiences-I would recommend this volume. I would moreover suggest that those interested in Milosz's considerable and noteworthy body of fiction and non-fiction should peruse this volume. All in all, Irresolute Heresiarch is thought-provoking and valuable criticism. For those who are hoping that Milosz fits into the canon of Catholic poetry neatly, be forewarned that Kraszewski concludes that "Czeslaw Milosz may have been a Catholic, but Czeslaw Milosz is not a Catholic poet" (272). Deborah McCollister DallasBaptist University Sounding the Seasons: Seventy Sonnetsfor the Christian Year. ByMalcolm Guite. Norwich: Canterbury Press, 2012. ISBN 978-1-84825-274-5. Pp. xvii + 82. $14.99. The sonnet has for many centuries been a means of conveying religious ideas in a succinct, but rich and moving manner. The frequent use of the sonnet form by poets such as George Herbert and John Donne, through to a number of contemporary poets, testifies to its enduring value and viability. In Malcolm Guites collection of seventy sonnets for the Christian year, he presents a carefully crafted assortment of poems that can enrich the spiritual lifeof anyone who chooses to read them in a reflective manner. Conceptually based, to some extent, on John Kebles The Christian Year (1827), Guites work offers the same reassuring familiarity with those patterns of devotional behavior that shape the Christian calendar. In an ever- BOOK REVIEWS 151 changing world, the delegated seasons, in which we respond to highlights in the biblical narrative, can provide constancy and comfort. Guites sonnets speak into this space, this need in our lives. In his introduction he unashamedly positions his collection as an aid to weekly worship, as a resource for spiritual reaffirmation and as a supplement to the established liturgies and festivals within the Anglican Church. Any Christian believer, from any tradition, however, could not fail to be touched by their thoughtful, devout, sometimes joyful, often celebratory nature. The sonnets can be read individually or in groups. Each sonnet by its very nature offers integrity and satisfaction when read alone, but reading a sequence of sonnets can also be very meaningful. Guites seventy sonnets are grouped in such a way that they give maximum benefit for anyone wanting to use them for devotional purposes. There are sonnets written in response to the seven Great a Antiphons, sonnets concerned with Christmastide, Epiphany, Holy Week, the Stations of the Cross, and other Significant events on the church calendar. The measured cadences of the iambic pentameter make them all suitable for both public worship or for private devotion. There are some noticeable preoccupations in this collection. Biblical figures are picked out for individual attention, some obviously associated with particular saints' days. There is a sonnet for each of the four evangelists, plus Paul, John the Baptist, Peter, Thomas the Apostle, Stephen, Mary, and Mary Magdalene, amongst others. Some of the most memorable sonnets concern the status of women within the New Testament narrative and other...