CartAn Up Hill Battle with Celebration of Discipline Author
For Immediate Release (April 2010)
People might assume that having a father well known for his writings on spiritual disciplines would ensure a smooth and easy relationship. Yet in the new book Wisdom Chaser: Finding My Father at 14,000 Feet ( InterVarsity Press ) by Nathan Foster, readers learn of the often difficult connection he had with his father, Richard Foster, made more demanding by Nathan's resentment of the work that often took his dad away from home. It wasn't until they began climbing mountains together that Nathan was able to experience a deeper level of understanding, appreciation and love for his father.
The younger Foster, a two-pack-a-day smoker who struggled with alcohol addiction, came up with the idea of climbing "the fourteeners" of Colorado—the mountains with peaks over fourteen thousand feet. Although neither one had experience in mountain climbing, they quickly became enamored with the beauty of the scenery and the challenge of the sport. As they became stronger climbers, their connection to each other grew more robust as well. "He never came across to me as particularly bright or clever," writes Foster of his father. Yet by the end of the book he comes to realize that he is very worthy of respect and admiration and, as Nate says, is "one of the good guys."
And what does Richard Foster think of his son's book? "I did not see any of the text of Wisdom Chaser until the manuscript was finished," admits Foster. "When I did read it—at Nate's request—I was astonished at the depth of insight into life and human relationships that he had drawn from our various hiking expeditions. I am delighted that Nate has not only told a great story, he has also given us vital insights into the living of these days."
Richard Foster will also have two new books published with InterVarsity Press in the coming months: Meditative Prayer (expanded version) will be released in fall 2011, and Spiritual Direction will come out a year later in fall 2012.
"It has been my pleasure over the past couple years to work with both Richard Foster [Longing for God] and his son Nathan," says editor Cindy Bunch. "Working with each of them was an enjoyable process as both father and son have a most necessary quality for a writer—they don't take themselves too seriously. I think both of them would say that writing does not come easily to them, and yet they both give great attention to the nuance and detail of the writing, working to get each word right. In Wisdom Chaser we see one of the profound lessons Richard offered Nathan was that setting a slow, steady pace is the way to get up the mountain. For Nathan this was also the way he found himself writing his first book. Slow and steady. Just like his father."