Stones and Stories by Judith E. Anderson

Stones and Stories is a concise primer on literary analysis and hermeneutics, building off the intriguing extended metaphor of stones.

Stones and Stories: A Primer on Literary Analysis, Hermeneutics, and Writing by Judith E. Anderson. Resource Publications, 2019. 96 pages.

Reading Level: Teens, ages 12 and up

Recommended For: Teens, ages 12 and up, in an educational setting (home, co-op, or classroom)

It’s amazing how many biblical allusions there are to stones (and rocks). Some stones have names (such as Ebenezer; 1 Samuel 7:12). Some rocks and stones are metaphorical (Peter, the rock upon which Christ built the church, or Christ himself as the cornerstone). Some rocks are just rocks (such as the rock Moses struck for water), but a closer reading of the passage hints at symbolic references, too. Judith Anderson unpacks many of these references in this short book, using them to highlight different ways of interpreting Scripture (hermeneutics) and both reading and writing.

Can a short volume really tackle three such weighty topics? After all, copious textbooks have been written for all three areas. A primer is, by definition, an introduction to the basics. In that sense, Anderson succeeds in introducing an average student to the ways in which we can interpret Scripture as well as how to understand what we read in other books and how to write more elegantly. Short chapters combine the three ideas and offer opportunities for practice. This would be a great choice for homeschool families or co-ops who want a quick, concise guide to writing that includes much biblical insight and content. It will be less satisfactory for those wishing for a true hermeneutics guide. Students who have extensive writing experience or use a robust writing curriculum won’t need this book, but students who are typical “science-geeks” or STEM-focused and have resisted the longer, more drawn out writing curricula will find Anderson’s brevity and directness helpful.

Considerations:

• Because most of the writing prompts will need to be done on separate paper anyway, this book would probably work just fine in e-book format (I previewed a print copy).

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5

• Worldview/Moral Rating: 5 out of 5
• Literary/Artistic Rating: 4 out of 5

Read more about our ratings here.

Related Reading From Redeemed Reader

• A Review: Wordsmith Curriculum, a writing curriculum by Janie that is a bit more extensive than Stones and Stories, but still direct and concise.
• A Resource: Favorite High School Video Courses (all but one relate to writing)
• A Reflection: Laid-Back Grammar

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