Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Farris:
John, your Hank the Cowdog stories are a lot of fun to read, but they also contain a lot of truth. Do you think authors and stories actually make a difference in the lives of their readers?

John Erickson:
I think people are a lot of times shaped by great books. I was shaped by the King James Bible. It’s branded all over my soul. And also, in the fourth grade, my teacher read Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer aloud to us, and that had a profound effect on me. I’ve got the marks of Mark Twain all over the Hank the Cowdog stories.

Christians are people of the Book. And as Gene Edward Veith, one of my favorite writers has said, “Christians must read.” And that means we seek out good stories. Good stories should bring pleasure but also affirm structure and meaning in human events. A good story should reveal beauty and justice in human experience, and those are deeply Christian concepts. They’re not secular. You won’t find them in Charles Darwin or Friedrich Nietzsche.

Mike:
John, we really appreciate your insights and for joining me this week! It’s been wonderful to talk about writing, and I hope our listeners will be inspired to read some of your wonderful books! I’m Mike Farris.