Suggestions, Protests and Rants

Written between ages 20 and 25, these essays represent the best of Westbrook’s early non-fiction writings. Treating primarily on issues of creativity and theology, they are a testament to Westbrook’s passion for God and art. Passion, often, in the Latin sense which, as Westbrook points out, is best translated as “suffering”. Though there is humor veiling many of the essays, the young author’s conflict with his maturing faith and creativity shines through; forces he believed were intertwined, yet were often found in conflict as his faith drove him to write and writing drove him to temptation. This early collection are outpourings of real passion. As opposed to his stories, these essays were not constructed over time, most were spontaneous pieces with little review. These are raw writings from a young artist who is less interested in convincing you he’s right and more concerned with figuring out what he actually thinks. A fascinating read for any Westbrook fan.