The Moment of Tenderness

Discover stories that inspire a "great capacity for wonder" (New York Times) from the beloved author of A Wrinkle in Time: named one of the spring's most anticipated books (Good Housekeeping), this collection transcends generational divides to highlight the power of hope and joy.
This powerful collection of short stories traces an emotional arc inspired by Madeleine L'Engle's early life and career, from her lonely childhood in New York to her life as a mother in small-town Connecticut. In a selection of eighteen stories discovered by one of L'Engle's granddaughters, we see how L'Engle's personal experiences and abiding faith informed the creation of her many cherished works.
Some of these stories have never been published; others were refashioned into scenes for her novels and memoirs. Almost all were written in the 1940s and '50s, from Madeleine's college years until just before the publication of A Wrinkle in Time.
From realism to science-fiction to fantasy, there is something for everyone in this magical collection.
MOST ANTICIPATED by The Millions *Time * Salon *The Lily * BookRiot * PopSugar * Gizmodo * Bustle * Tor * SheReads * Parade * The Christian Science Monitor

Madeleine L'Engle published her first novel, The Small Rain, in 1945. Four years later, she published her first children's book, And Both Were Young. Her Newbery-award winning novel A Wrinkle in Time, which was published in 1962, dealt with themes she toyed with in her diaries for years, from personal shortcomings to Einstein's Theory of Relativity. L'Engle wrote fiction and nonfiction for adults, as well as poetry. She died in 2007.