Biography recommendations sought!

Status
Not open for further replies.

he beholds

Puritan Board Doctor
My husband and I have made summer reading lists (he's a teacher with summer off) and I would like to add some biographies to my list. I watched an interesting documentary on Jefferson and Hamilton the other night on PBS, which made me want to know more about Jefferson, so if anyone has a recommendation for that, please let me know!

I would also like a biography of a Puritan or other Reformed hero of the Faith. I would like it to read like fiction, that is, in a story format. (Do all biographies naturally do this? The few I have read do, but I am afraid some may just be facts, facts, and facts.) I would like to be entertained and informed as I read. Our old PB Librarian had a snippet about Jonathan Edwards on a recent blog entry, and I could read more about him, but I would really read about anyone, were the story good enough. I don't need their whole life story, but all the good parts. (No six volume treatises, please!)
 
Good Reads

I have recently enjoyed/profited from these:

Amazing Grace William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to end Slavery by Eric Metaxas very moving and inspiriing

John Newton From Disgrace to Amazing Grace by Jonathan Aitken insightful into the gradual awakening of a soul to progressing sanctification

The Forgotten Man A New History of the Great Depression by Amity Shlaes very relevant in light of today's economy.
 
A few off the top of my head:

Idelette, by Edna Gerstner [about Calvin's wife; don't overlook the book's dedication page!]

Marriage to a Difficult Man, by Elizabeth Dodds [about J. Edwards & his wife]

Francis Makemie of Ramelton - Father of American Presbyterianism, by Barkley

Life of John Murray, by Iain Murray, in vol. 3 of The Collected Writings of John Murray
 
I hear John G. Paton's autobiography is pretty incredible (though I haven't had time to read it myself).
 
Lady Jane Grey was a niece of Henry VII who was brought to the throne of England for Just nine days after the death of Edward VI.

Edward VI was Britain's strongest supporter of the protestant Reformation and wanted to more fully reform the Church of England. He was ill from an early age and knowing that he would die and that his sister Mary I would come to the throne (who was a Roman Catholic) the Lord's of the realm wanted Lady Jane Grey to take the throne. Jane was every bit the supporter of the Reformation in Europe and was the perfect choice to reform the nation. Unfortunately the throne was seized by Mary's supporters and Jane was sent to the tower. She refused to recant her protestant beliefs and was beheaded.



Alison Weir is a historian who wrote this as her first piece in story format. Lady Jane is portrayed as a great and godly woman of God.
 
Two great biographies of General Douglas MacArthur,

Old Soldiers Never Die, Geoffrey Perret
American Cesear, William Manchester
 
I greatly enjoyed DG Hart's biography of Machen, Defending the Faith. It was fascinating to learn more about the man and his times but it also helped clarify some of my convictions about the role of the church in society, etc. I highly recommend it.
 
I second Clark's recommendation of Dallimore. It may be somewhat lengthy, but it doesn't feel that way! Informative, well told, and devotional in scope. I really enjoyed Muether's biography of Van Til. Iain Murray's biography of Lloyd-Jones is also excellent. Murray has an excellent biography of Jonathan Edwards, as does George Marsden.
 
The Heroes of the Faith series are good easy reads. I have read a few of them from my church library, such as Spurgeon and Carver.
 

Marriage to a Difficult Man, by Elizabeth Dodds [about J. Edwards & his wife]


I haven't read this yet, but several of my friends said it was an exellent read, especially for married couples! I've been meaning to get it!
 
The Heroes of the Faith series are good easy reads. I have read a few of them from my church library, such as Spurgeon and Carver.

I don't necessarily like easy reads, just not all facts. But we have one of those, so maybe while I wait I should pick it up...

Edit: I think ours is on Muller. Have you read that one?


Marriage to a Difficult Man, by Elizabeth Dodds [about J. Edwards & his wife]


I haven't read this yet, but several of my friends said it was an exellent read, especially for married couples! I've been meaning to get it!

That does sound great!
 
Last edited:
Faith Cook also has a biography of Lady Jane Grey, called Nine-Day Queen of England. I can recommend that one highly. In fact, all of Faith Cook's biographies are very interesting.
 
I love biographies and have read many, but I'd have to agree with the person above that John Paton's autobiography wins first prize. He was the first missionary to the New Hebrides cannibal islands (well, there were a couple before him that got cooked and eaten before they made any converts) and he went through terrible trials inc. the death of his first wife and baby. Later he remarried and eventually there was a massive revival on one of the islands. It is just marvelous (you can skip over his childhood years in the beginning if that part is too slow).

There is a newer companion volume- Letters his wife Margaret wrote about their life on the islands. Sheer delight to read.

Speaking of wives submitting, when the wives started to get rebellious, the men used to cook and eat a couple of them and then the rest would behave for a while. It was not an easy calling to be sent to that place !!!!
 
Rev. Keister (greenbaggins) nailed it well with those he recommended esp .Murray's superb book's on LLoyd-Jones and Edwards and may I also add A.W Pink to great biographies penned by Murray
 
Have you ever read "Here I Stand?" Biography of Martin Luther. It remains one of my favorites.
 
Marriage to a Difficult Man, by Elizabeth Dodds [about J. Edwards & his wife]

I have ordered this one on ebay. (the only recommendation that I could find for cheap so far...)

'Innocent Traitor' by Alison Weir

Its a biography of Lady Jane Grey told as in 1st person chapters and in a story format.

I got this out of the library and LOVE it so far. I'm about halfway finished and nervous. I also picked it for my book club book (mostly or all non-Christians, so I'm hoping this will bring good conversations).
 
A biography that I've just finished, and thoroughly enjoyed, is The Life of John Newton, by Josiah Bull. He interacts a great deal with Newton's Letters, (an edition of which Bull edited and which was recently republished as The Letters of John Newton) and Newton's own autobiographical account, which I don't believe exists in recent printing. These aren't exactly "novel-like" but are nevertheless reading that is hard to put down as you see the transformation of this man from slave trader to slave of Christ.

I also can't pass up recommending The Memoir and Remains of Robert Murray M'Cheyne. It's a long book - but well worth it.
 
Lady Jane Gray is my kind of hero. The reformed faith & sound money! We could use one or two like that today....
 
Hope you're getting the edition of Marriage to a Difficult Man that is annotated by the Pipers. Dodds grasp of reformed thought is astonishingly weak for someone attempting this subject! The Pipers notes try to straighten this out.
 
I am suprised no one mentioned the autobiography of the Prince of Preachers - The 2 volume autobiography of CH Spurgeon by Banner of Truth.
I also second the biographaries of Whitefield and Lloyd-Jones. I would also mention the recent book Lloyd-Jones - messenger of grace by Ian Murray.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top