Have the times of their lives

Be inspired in our library

There's a whole revolving stand of biographies and autobiographies in the library, just waiting for you to borrow. They come in all sizes and states, and deal with the frivolous and the profound — mostly the latter. The lives of others have enormous power to move or inspire us, so here are a few, randomly chosen.

Hospital by the River (Catherine Hamlin). Reg and Catherine Hamlin were gynaecologists who accepted a short term contract in Ethiopia and stayed on, dedicating their lives to helping women who suffer terrible injuries from unsupervised births. This is a compelling read and an inspiring story.

Frida (Frida Gashumba). Here is the story of someone who was led to forgive her enemies despite the most horrendous crimes imaginable. It describes the terrors of the Rwanda genocide in 1994, and how Frida's life was transformed when Jesus would not leave her alone.

The Narnian (Alan Jacobs). Lots has been written on the life of C.S. Lewis, but I found this biography one of the best I've read.

Till the Night be Past (Theodore Kleinhans) Although I haven't read this biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I have it on my list. It appears to be easy to read, but quite comprehensive enough to cover the main events in the life of this remarkable 20th century Lutheran pastor.

Six Months to Live (Daniel Hallock). The book is short but the theme is profound — the final months in the life of a young man diagnosed with cancer just before his wedding.

Marlene Pietsch