7 Men And The Secret Of Their Greatness By: Eric Metaxas

7 Men And The Secret Of Their Greatness is a great retelling of the lives of men that have shaped and pointed our society to hope, freedom and Christ. I have to admit, coming from a younger generation, and being born in Europe I have never heard of some of these men, and of the 7 mentioned only known 2 of their stories. The book begins with George Washington, then William Wilberforce, Eric Liddell, Dietrich Bonheoffer, Jackie Robinson, Pope John Paul II, and finally ends with Chuck W. Colson. Each of these men had different challenges to face; each had different temptations and struggles to endure, and each had an incredible character that was rooted in their Christian faith.

Before beginning this book, I already mentioned that I had no idea how some of those men had ever impacted society let alone know their Christian experiences. Each has an incredible testimony and this book gives a great overview of all of them. In a 200-page book not everything about these men could be said, you may need thousands to capture each man’s story. Most of us don’t have the time to read hundreds or thousands of pages about each individual so Eric Metaxas does a fantastic job to capture the essence of who the person was, what they are known for, and how through their life and accomplishments Christ and his work was exemplified.
It’s a wonderful book, especially if you enjoy biographies, and would recommend it to anyone looking for great examples of living out your Christian faith and standing up for your beliefs and how Christianity has shaped society for the better. Thank you Thomas Nelson for blessing me with this book.

The Tank Man’s Son: A Memoir by Mark Bouman

The Tank Man’s Son by Mark Bouman was a deeply touching and moving memoir. The things Mark had to endure no one on Earth should ever go through. In great detail Mark recounts his childhood events at the hands of a neo-Nazi, authoritarian and deranged father. From the physical beatings he received to the psychological trauma that was engraved into his mind that he was worthless and stupid, Mark retells his stories in great descriptive detail. It’s hard to believe that such a story can even be true in America. Sure we hear of domestic violence and child abuse (sadly and unfortunately quite often) but this is on a whole other level. What’s most surprising is how despite his upbringing Mark never turned out to be like his dad. The incredible way that God has prepared Mark for his mission is a testament that even when Satan intends to destroy a person and means something for evil, God can turn it around and use it for His glory.

It’s an incredible memoir that will have you doubt the fairness of life but will also leave you amazed at the grace and the transforming power of Jesus Christ. I highly recommend this book to all. Thank you to Tyndale for blessing me with a copy of this book.