Customer Reviews

Henri Nouwen (Modern Spiritual Masters)

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This collection of the selected writings of Henri Nouwen is a gem. Nouwen was one of the greatest theological thinkers and spiritual writers of the last century, and this book makes it clear why. Jonas begins with a fascinating portrait of Nouwen, the man. This is one of the most in-depth and fascinating spiritual biographies I have read in a long time! Jonas' close personal relationship with Nouwen himself and his background as a therapist give real depth to his observations. The introduction as a stand alone piece is well worth the price of the book!

The second part of the book is the meat: selections from Nouwen's own writing. They are organized thematically, around such topics as Community, Intimacy, and Being the Beloved (central to Nouwen's theology). Each selection is perfect... a self-contained revelation. I used this book as the starting point for a series of sermon's using Nouwen's thought... and it would be wonderful for personal study and devotion as well. This is the book to start with if you want to understand Henri Nouwen!

As a relative newcomer to Henri Nouwen's work, I found this book a wonderful gift. The excerpts are short and accessible yet rich with this extraordinary man's transformative spiritual vision. Organized into intuitively sensible sections, the collection makes a perfect first sampler, pointing clear pathways to further exploration. It would have to be a first choice for anyone wanting to learn more about this fragile and profound man's finest spiritual writing.

But the jewel in this little treasure chest is Jonas's introduction. Beautifully written, the essay-which comprises fully a third of the book-tells the story of this fragile, Christ-like man in a way that I can only imagine would be as informative to those deeply familiar with Nouwen's writing as it was to a neophyte like myself. Jonas weaves together biographical information with literary analysis, broadly-known stories with never-before-told vignettes from his own friendship with Nouwen. And throughout, he holds a graceful balance among collegial respect, psychological insight, spiritual affiliation, clear-eyed scrutiny, and loving tenderness, while retaining an appropriate respect for the boundary between truth and sensationalism. I emerged from reading this soon-to-be classic collection at once informed, inspired, and grateful.

In this masterful and lovely book, Robert A. Jonas provides a first-rate overview of the life and thought of Henri Nouwen, one of the most popular and influential spiritual writers of the twentieth century. The selected readings are carefully chosen and brilliantly organized to present thestructure of Nouwen's theology, and the introduction is both generous and candid inits portrayal of the gifts and the struggles of Nouwen's life. This is a book to savor, a bookthat readers will return to again and again forspiritual insight and refreshment. It is by far the best single volume of Nouwen's writings and the best critical introduction to his life and work.

Robert Jonas' lengthy introduction to this book is one of the best things on Henri Nouwen I have read. It is the fruit of a profound connection with his friend and mentor and speaks at a deep level about Henri Nouwen's vision. The selections of themes, excerpts and the introductions to these segments are excellent. They invite the reader to leave "the house of fear and enter the house of Love."

While I would say that this book is well-done overall, I really believe that the first section (inappropriately titled "introduction") is the best part. Jonas does a very nice job sketching out the life and story of Henri Nouwen, who he knew personally - lending a familiar touch to the work. What remains, making up about half the book, are snippets of wisdom collected from Nouwen's corpus. They are good, but I found that they are often taken out of context and are better left to be read in their entirety.

By way of initial introduction, this is a nice start for someone interested in learning about Henri Nouwen, but does not know where to start.

This is a great introduction to the life and writings of a unique spirit. Henri Nouwen's thoughts on life, death, self, community and God have touched me deeply. This book provides well-chosen and organized excerps of his many writings. About a quarter of the book is devoted to an overview of his life. It is a friend's perspective and provides an interesting background to the writings. The author writes in the acknowledgments that he hopes the book will honor Nouwen's life and work. I think it does that very well. Thank you, Mr. Jonas.