A Disciple's Life: The Biography of Neal A. Maxwell

Rating:
Summary: The Path of His Discipleship Has Inspired Me in My Ministry
Review: I had no idea when I bought this book how much I would truly enjoy it. Being an English major myself, I have always appreciated Elder Maxwell's ability to make every word he uses--spoken or written--part of a concentrated, multi-layered whole message. At the same time, I had no idea, really, what his life experience was, and how each aspect (including among other things his converted (to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) father to his work in the U.S. senate) has helped to mold not only his character and wordsmithing, but his spirit and discipleship. What an incredible story. What an incredible man. This book tells an often moving story of a humble life, within which can be found gentle counsel about discipleship. How this man follows his Savior, our Savior, has inspired me to work to greater depths in my own life's ministry.
Savor--and enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: The Path of His Discipleship Has Inspired Me in My Ministry
Review: I had no idea when I bought this book how much I would truly enjoy it. Being an English major myself, I have always appreciated Elder Maxwell's ability to make every word he uses--spoken or written--part of a concentrated, multi-layered whole message. At the same time, I had no idea, really, what his life experience was, and how each aspect (including among other things his converted (to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) father to his work in the U.S. senate) has helped to mold not only his character and wordsmithing, but his spirit and discipleship. What an incredible story. What an incredible man. This book tells an often moving story of a humble life, within which can be found gentle counsel about discipleship. How this man follows his Savior, our Savior, has inspired me to work to greater depths in my own life's ministry.
Savor--and enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Solid but not spectacular biography of influential Mormon
Review: Neil Maxwell is among the most influential intellectuals of the Church of Jesus Christ (Mormon)of the 20th Century. J. Reuben Clark, Hugh Nibley, Bruce R. McConkie, and Joseph Fielding Smith all had great influence and all wrote many books but Maxwell's influence continues to expand.

The author (Hafen) is himself a high Mormon authority so reader's shouldn't expect a lot of criticism. However, Hafen did include what others thought of Maxwell and some of this included criticism of subjects from Elder Maxwell's personal style to his love of alliteration and lots of big words. Overall, this book is not a fulsome litany of praise, but a balanced, serious, and scholarly summary of Maxwell's life.

My major criticism of the book was that it flowed more slowly than I would have liked. The recent biography of Nibley flowed more smoothly and made the reader able to concentrate more on the subject matter than the manner of telling the story. I would also have like to see more about Maxwell's expectations for the future. Hafen documents the insight of Maxwell that was ahead of his time in so many areas.

What does that insight say about future challenges to the Church of Jesus Christ? What about English language and America being less of an influence in the church now that Spanish is the most common language of the Church and most Mormons now live outside the US? What about education in the future now that public schools no longer maintain "an acceptable moral and educational climate"?

However, these minor criticisms do not compare to the strengths of this book in detailing Maxwell's life and thoughts. There is plenty of meat in this book and I made a several page list of Maxwell quotes as I read this book. This book is so superior to books like the biography of J. Reuben Clark by an apostate historian who included lots of little digs at Clark in the name of "fairness" but completely missed the grandeur and depth of the subject.

Overall, the second best Mormon book I've read this year. (Nibley's biography would be first)

Rating:
Summary: Solid but not spectacular biography of influential Mormon
Review: Neil Maxwell is among the most influential intellectuals of the Church of Jesus Christ (Mormon)of the 20th Century. J. Reuben Clark, Hugh Nibley, Bruce R. McConkie, and Joseph Fielding Smith all had great influence and all wrote many books but Maxwell's influence continues to expand.

The author (Hafen) is himself a high Mormon authority so reader's shouldn't expect a lot of criticism. However, Hafen did include what others thought of Maxwell and some of this included criticism of subjects from Elder Maxwell's personal style to his love of alliteration and lots of big words. Overall, this book is not a fulsome litany of praise, but a balanced, serious, and scholarly summary of Maxwell's life.

My major criticism of the book was that it flowed more slowly than I would have liked. The recent biography of Nibley flowed more smoothly and made the reader able to concentrate more on the subject matter than the manner of telling the story. I would also have like to see more about Maxwell's expectations for the future. Hafen documents the insight of Maxwell that was ahead of his time in so many areas.

What does that insight say about future challenges to the Church of Jesus Christ? What about English language and America being less of an influence in the church now that Spanish is the most common language of the Church and most Mormons now live outside the US? What about education in the future now that public schools no longer maintain "an acceptable moral and educational climate"?

However, these minor criticisms do not compare to the strengths of this book in detailing Maxwell's life and thoughts. There is plenty of meat in this book and I made a several page list of Maxwell quotes as I read this book. This book is so superior to books like the biography of J. Reuben Clark by an apostate historian who included lots of little digs at Clark in the name of "fairness" but completely missed the grandeur and depth of the subject.

Overall, the second best Mormon book I've read this year. (Nibley's biography would be first)

Rating:
Summary: A Richly Told Life of a Complex and Many-Faceted Man
Review: President Gordon B. Hinckley has observed that Elder Neal A. Maxwell "speaks differently from any of the other General Authorities." This is a significant understatement. Probably no other latter-day saint speaker or writer of the past century has such a unique voice. Elder Maxwell's sermons and writings could never be mistaken as coming from the mouth or pen of any other person.

This is a richly told life of a complex and many faceted man. Bruce Hafen's work has both breadth and depth. The book is amazingly detailed, but also contains deep insight. This will surely stand as the definitive work on Elder Maxwell's life.

Some additional thoughts:

1. Many readers will discover here for the first time the amazing variety of Elder Maxwell's activities. Writer, Administrator, Political Activist and Athlete -- here is surely a true Renaissance Man.

2. If this biography has a theme, it is Elder Maxwell's triumph over the cancer that beset him in the mid 1990's -- a personal Odessey from which he emerged with powerful new richness and depth of thought.

3. One is struck upon reading this book that Elder Maxwell's path to the leading councils of the Church is one of the most unique things about him. Aside from serving briefly as a bishop of a student ward as a fairly young man, Elder Maxwell had virtually no ecclesiastical leadership experience when in a bold and startling move he was "plucked", as it were, by the First Presidency to head up a dramatically revamped LDS education system.

Rating:
Summary: A true Disciple
Review: This book is not only the biography of one of God's true Disciples in the latter-days, it is also the story of a successful son, husband, and father who loves to learn. The biography begins with the inspiring account of Neal's battle with cancer in the past five years, then backtracks to his days in the service and his experiences in Okinawa, to his beginning days in Washington D.C., and his administrative years at the University of Utah. Towards the conclusion of the book, the author mentions Neal's love of words and his remarkable writing ability. I am LDS (Mormon), but I recommend this book to everyone. Neal is truly a renaissance man and can be an inspiration to us all. He truly is a Disciple of Christ.