Book Review: 7 Men and the Secret of Their Greatness

I knew I would like this book by the second paragraph of its introduction, which I found hard to put down. In describing the goal of his book, Eric Metaxas promises something different: a book of biographies written to challenge our current definitions of “What is a man?” and “What makes a man great?” Metaxas tells us the stories of seven great men (eight if you count his mention of the Duke in the introduction). In the process he delivers on his promise, asking the reader to see masculinity through a different pair of glasses.

As promised in its title, this book is an introduction to greatness. It is a reminder that by developing and following the right convictions people (men in this book, women in the companion book which I am reading next) have achieved great things. Each of these men are known for the impact they had on the human story. What is often overlooked is how the faith which was at the core of their beings lead them in a lifetime of making the world a better place. They did not set out to be great. They set out to follow their callings. By reading their stories we are encouraged to follow their examples.

With enough facts to feed those who love reading biographies and yet light enough to entertain those who normally run from non-fiction, “7 Men” is a book that I recommend for all types of readers. While the target audience appears to be people of faith, as well as those seeking to find lives that were changed by their faith, this is at its core an introduction to people we may think we already know. I give two thumbs up with an exclamation mark to “7 Men,” a book that both informs and enriches the lives of its readers.

Eric Metaxas’ web page: http://ericmetaxas.com/

7 Men: http://ericmetaxas.com/books/7-men/