Bonhoeffer (book review)

August 10, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

I’ve always been an admirer of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s work, but Eric Metaxas’ sweeping biography has given me a whole new appreciation for this influential theologian.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy takes you behind the scenes that influenced this great man. You will see how his family helped encourage Dietrich to be such a deep thinker. Then you will read how Bonhoeffer’s thinking was sharpened as he challenged the Nazi’s co-opting of the church in Germany, leading him to call pastors back to a biblically-sound foundation.

By perhaps the most compelling storyline is how this pastor could join the band of German citizens who agreed that Adolph Hitler must be assassinated. Although to us now it may seem like an easy decision to make, to those who lived through the events leading up to Word War II, it was an excruciating decision. Eric Metaxas does a masterful job of taking us inside the thinking process that led Dietrich Bonhoeffer to his decision.

And through all of the turmoil swirling around him, Bonhoeffer found time to not only teach young pastors, but to leave behind some timeless teachings in his masterful books.

If you are already familiar with Bonhoeffer’s writings, this biography will give you a whole new appreciation into the man who crafted the books. If you aren’t yet familiar with Bonhoeffer’s books, Bonhoeffer will whet your appetite to know more. Don’t miss out on this one!

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Patton: The Pursuit Of Destiny (book review)

August 17, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

Disclaimer: I am a huge admirer of General George Smith Patton, Jr. So it should come as no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed Agostino Von Hassell and Ed Breslin’s biography Patton: The Pursuit Of Destiny.

It’s also no surprise that I relished reading about Patton’s military genius and his relentless preparation to be a man of destiny. What did surprise me was the candor with which the authors dealt with the shortcomings of Patton. For all of his military genius, there were areas of his life that always seemed to get the best of this general. On the battlefield, he had few equals, but away from the heat of battle, his insecurities could get the best of him. I appreciated how the authors showed Patton playing to his strengths while still struggling with his weaknesses. While many biographies show great men and women overcoming their struggles, Patton shows the general living with his struggles and still achieving greatness in spite of them.

I also learned more about Patton’s family lineage in this book that helped me understand what drove this military hero. I read about a man who was a voracious learner, highly competitive, and a man who set extraordinarily high standards for himself. His biggest weakness: he couldn’t abide those who didn’t share these same lofty goals for their own lives or profession.

If you enjoy military history, a study of a larger-than-life leadership persona, or a biography with an unflinching look at a great man’s angels and demons, you will enjoy reading Patton: The Pursuit Of Destiny.

I am a Thomas Nelson book reviewer.

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Lead Like Ike (book review)

July 27, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

There is so much to like about Lead Like Ike by Geoff Loftus!

If you like military history, you will love the narrative of the strategies and implementation that Dwight D. Eisenhower (or “Ike”) oversaw. It is an amazing retelling of how Ike had to balance so many pressures from not only the Germans but within his own ranks as well, to lead the Allies to victory in Europe during World War II.

If you like business strategies, you will enjoy the way Loftus renames the military build-up in Europe during WWII “D-Day Inc.,” and assigns titles like Board of Directors, CEO, C-level staff, and competitors to the battles in Operation Torch, Operation Overlord, the Battle of the Bulge and others. You will see how Ike functioned as an effective CEO to lead D-Day Inc. in their head-to-head challenges with their German competition.

And if you like biographies about strong leaders, you will see the incredible leadership principles that Ike employed in his personal life and in his military career. You will see a man firmly fixed on his goal, but also a man who felt deeply about the individual soldier, sailor, and airman under his command.

Sprinkled throughout the book (and summed up nicely at the end of each chapter) are strategies for success, implementation plans, and tips for personnel management.

The only thing that disappointed me about this book was that it came to an end! I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I believe you will too. I give it five-out-of-five stars.

I am a Thomas Nelson book reviewer.

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