Author Brian Doyle to speak at the Cathedral of the Madeleine

Intermountain Catholic

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Brian Doyle

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Humanities Council invited author Brian Doyle to read from his recent works as part of their annual statewide Utah Humanities Book Festival. Because Doyle is Catholic and has a tie to the Cathedral of the Madeleine, he will read in the Bishop Hunt Choir Room at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 1. Doyle also will be the kickoff-speaker at Orem Reads on Sept. 29 and at Brigham Young University Sept. 30.

Doyle is particularly interested in reading in the Cathedral of the Madeleine because his father-in-law, Robert Miller, was educated by Holy Cross sisters in the basement of the Cathedral School. "I never got to meet him, but to stand where he stood, to try to see his story in that freighted air will be sweet," he said. "He was a track star at Judge Memorial High School and moved to Oregon to run track at the University of Portland. I will be particularly moved by the occasion."

Doyle said his readings are "a total mysterious burble." He will read all sorts of things along with bits from his recent works: "Mink River" a novel, and "Elegies and Epiphanies."

"Elegies and Epiphanies," is a book of proems, Doyle said. "I call them proems because they look like proems but they read like prose," he said. "I will also read from other recent works because it doesn’t seem fair to read from just one book. I also sometimes sing, which is technically disturbing the peace, and sometimes I find myself simply telling stories at high speed and with a high and unseemly glee."

"Doyle is a very fine and established non-fiction writer and essayist, especially in spirituality," said David Pace, Utah Humanities Council director. "He has appeared several times in collections as one of the best spiritual writers and one of the best American Essay writers. He has a very strong following in Utah with both Catholic and Mormon writers and with those who are interested in spiritual literature because he writes from an Irish-Catholic religious background. What is interesting is he writes spiritually so other religious groups can access his religious view of the world. He writes of universal spiritual principals."

Orem Library Librarian Elliott Wilcox, a long-time fan of Doyle, was excited to invite Doyle to come for Orem Reads. "Doyle has read several times for us and this year we are reading Marilyn Robinson’s 2005 Pulitzer Prize winning fiction novel "Gilead," and we asked Doyle and other writers of high caliber to talk about their spiritual and religious writing, and specifically Robinson’s works over the years," said Wilcox. "I thought Doyle would represent this topic very well to the community."

Doyle is an award-winning author, essayist and editor of the University of Portland’s "Portland Magazine." His books include "Saints Passionate & Peculiar," "Credo" and "Two Voices," the latter of which won a Christopher Award and a Catholic Press Association book award.

Doyle’s essays have appeared in "The American Scholar," "The Atlantic Monthly," "Orion," "Commonweal," "Georgia Review" and "Harper’s," among other periodicals. His essays have also been reprinted in the "Best American Essays" anthologies of 1998 and 1999, in "Best Spiritual Writing 1999, 2001 and 2002, and in the anthologies "Thoughts of Home (1995), "Family" (1997), "In Brief" (1998) and "Resurrecting Grace" (2001).

Doyle grew up New York City and has lived in Chicago and Boston. "I have lived in Oregon for the past 20 years because I fell in love with an Oregonian," he said.