There is a scene in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women when Jo confesses some trepidation about the direction of her latest story. It’s “just about our little life,” she tells Amy and Meg, “domestic struggles and joys.” Who’s going to be interested in that?
Amy, always the challenger, counters, “maybe they don’t seem important because people don’t write about them.”
Jo isn’t convinced - “no, writing doesn’t confer importance, it reflects it.”
Amy shakes her head - “I don’t think so, writing them will make them more important.”
This is such a brilliant scene in an equally brilliant movie that makes us all question the nature of narrative. Who gets to tell the Story and Why?
When I had the chance to speak with
about her latest books, she brought up this scene, an illustration of why profiling women and women’s experiences - whether through food, writing, domestic life, family, etc. - is so important. Writing women’s stories makes them important. And I truly believe these two new books Haley has brought into the world both bring to the fore the power, dignity, complexity, and beauty of women’s lives.
If there’s one word I would associate with Haley it is generous.
For years she invited people into her life, an often chaotic one (no flushing toilets on a farm with small children! I am still in awe!), but an incredibly beautiful one. These blogging days gave birth to a podcast, Fountains of Carrots, which became a point of connection for many a literary minded Catholic woman. I remember discovering FOC and feeling like I had finally found ‘my people!’ These were people who loved books, a good British period drama, adventurous living, travel, the outdoors. They also loved their families and excitedly welcomed children into the world, bemoaning and celebrating all the delightful chaos of family life. They loved art. They loved their faith.
It was (is) a beautiful world and I’m incredibly grateful to Haley for introducing me to it all those years ago simply by sharing some of the ups and downs of her own life. Her writing, her sharing, made it important.
On this podcast episode we discuss her two new books, focusing in particular on the Catholic Imagination (what exactly is that?), the sacramental reality of the world, and how reading a good story can change your life. We also dive a little bit into some of the more unfortunate online discussions re. women that have been circulating lately and how limiting they are. Instead of boxing ourselves into narrow images of womanhood and motherhood, Haley and I discuss the ways we can open our minds and hearts to the many beautiful ways of being a woman in the world.
I highly encourage you to check out Haley’s books (they would make the perfect Christmas present!) and follow along with her work. Thanks again to Haley for coming on the podcast!
If you’d prefer to listen to this podcast elsewhere, just look up ‘Born of Wonder’ on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you stream your podcasts!
This podcast was free for you to listen to, but took time, preparation, and editing to create. Please consider upgrading your subscription to support the work I do. Thank you!
You can purchase:
Women of the Catholic Imagination: Twelve Inspired Novelists You Should Know from Amazon, Word on Fire, or wherever you buy books.
The Catholic Kids' Cookbook: Holy Days and Heavenly Food from Amazon, Word on Fire, or wherever you buy books.
On Substack Lately:
Why you should put bumper stickers on your car
The Lord of the Rings is a Christmas movie
Good Throwback Listening for This Time of Year:
S4:22 EP64: Advent, The Battle of Helm’s Deep, and Light in the Darkness
S2:14 EP23: Advent with Maria von Trapp
S6:15 EP91: The Art of Hibernation
Email me anytime: marquettekatie@gmail.com
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