Skip to main content

Review: Uncommon Character

Uncommon Character book cover on blue background

I've greatly benefitted from reading many stories of faithful saints who have persevered until the end of their lives for the glory of God. While Uncommon Character by Douglas Feavel is not comprised exclusively of Christians, it is fascinating to read the stories of those who demonstrated uncommon qualities in their lives, opening up the door to discuss just what it is that constitutes heroic attributes in others.

Many thanks to Douglas Feavel and LibraryThing for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Thoughts content is also posted on LibraryThing.

Book Synopsis

A captivating non-fiction anthology filled with heroic profiles, epic tales, and timeless parables. You'll meet valiant personalities who've challenged and changed the world in remarkable ways. Their unforgettable stories are religious and secular, historical and current, unknown and familiar, foreign and domestic. Prepare to encounter priests, farmers, pilots, immigrants, missionaries, engineers, martyrs, businessmen, lawyers, pioneers, presidents, soldiers, writers, and scientists — their dynamic legacies are destined to become part of us and our heritage. Collectively, their stories answer the pertinent questions of our time: What makes a genuine hero? How can a hero personify godly character? Why is personal character so vital for our families and country?

These are unique tales told with zest; these are unforgettable tales to long treasure. Enjoy the exciting profiles and parables; then share them in family, church, workplace, ministry, and educational settings.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

This was a book that admittedly took me some time to get through as the number of biographical stories was quite dense. I found that this book could almost be divided into two books, with the appendix having enough material to constitute its own title. I appreciated getting to know a lot of the people throughout history whose stories may not be as familiar to readers today; however, many of the people selected are not necessarily adherents of the Christian faith. I would say that this book focuses more primarily on attributes that build up character in the forms of values and virtues over the fruits of the Spirit and Christlike godliness. With this in mind, I found that there was plenty to learn from individuals who exemplified sheer resistance and persistent determination in their lives. It would have been interesting to group some of the stories together under certain headings, such as those involved in the Second World War and others throughout history who stood up to menacing forces, as I found that those were the tenacious characters I couldn't get out of my mind.

In reading the appendix, it makes sense that this book is mostly told from a storytelling perspective where the author delivered oral presentations that were then captured in a written format. As a result, each chapter needs to almost be approached as a lecture where a great person from history is being visited. I liked that the author took the time to add accompanying notes as this made the stories come to life even further. Readers who are students of history will find a lot to mine in this book and Christians will enjoy how this book wraps up, culminating in the best story about finishing well and an uncommon character that is worth emulating.

Book Summary

  • Format of book: 📱
  • Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Recommendation: 👍
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

All the Cheese

I've been coming across content within the past several weeks that has stereotyped Christian books (and other mediums) as being cheesy on Christian accounts. While this isn't a new label or even a new topic, what has surprised me somewhat has been seeing more Christian authors jump into this conversation who wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. Although some authors will name others whom they believe are writing non-cheesy fiction, I feel as though the damage has been done by repeating this blanket statement. While readers have freely been engaging in this type of commentary for some time, it's been interesting to see authors chime in, where in some cases, there seems to be an emphasis on self-promotion over reflection. I'm not stereotyping and saying that all authors or even the authors I'm connected to respond with this tactic (because I really don't think they do!), but there are a few out there from my limited experience who seem to respond to this disc...
11 comments
Read more

Fallen

This is a post that I wish I didn't have to write. Please understand that I recognize that we are all fallen; therefore, everything that we create is marred, imperfect, and tainted due to sin. What I'm exploring is what happens when there are authors or other creators who have acted in a way that harms others and there is little-to-no news of repentance or reparations being made. I'm not writing anything investigative as many skilled and brilliant Christians are already doing so. I'm more writing as a bystander who is grieved at some of the news that has come up and attempting to process it all. The first news that really impacted me was learning about the passing of Jennifer Lyell, former Lifeway Vice President, whom headlines have also called a Southern Baptist Convention abuse survivor . This hit close to home for a multitude of reasons even though prior to yesterday, I hadn't heard of her story. One of the reasons it affected me was because the professor who was...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: The Maker of the Mountain

I'm always on the hunt for children's books that share concepts about God in an understandable manner, so I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to read this book set in the mountains. The Maker of the Mountain by Sandra McCracken and Tim Nicholson is a story that I would be happy to share with the children in my life as it combines Bible verses with a map and delightful scenes in nature. Many thanks to Merge Public Relations for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis What is God like? Little Brown Bear is on an adventure to find the maker of the mountain and discover what he is like. Along the way, the bear meets new friends who share that the maker is like a bridge and a gate, a rock and a boat. And he’s always there to light our way home. This charming story offers: Imagery from the Bible to help young readers better understand what God is like A map of the bear’s world with corresponding Scriptures...
Post a Comment
Read more