Customer Reviews

From the Library of A. W. Tozer: Selections From Writers Who Influenced His Spiritual Journey

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This book is a huge collection of almost 200 excerpts from Christian authors such as John Calvin, Augustine, Charles Spurgeon, Francis of Assissi, George Meuller, John Wesley, Madame Guyon, Martin Luther, and more. One of the things they all have in common is their influence on A. W. Tozer, a famous Christian pastor and author. The book is divided into eight sections including worship, prayer, and living a Christian life. At the end of the book there is a small biography on all the authors and a list of the works the selections came from which I liked. I did not read this book straight through. It is not to me a book you sit down and read like that. I liked the selections that I read. They are not easy to read and will make you think. It would make a great devotional. I look forward to reading more of the selections. Recommended.


Review copy provided by Bethany House Publishers.

It's been said that you can learn a lot about a man by the company he keeps, if that truly is the case, A.W. Tozer was a great man. From evangelists and preachers, to mystics and monks, James Stuart Bell gathered excerpts from the books that shaped Tozer into one of the greatest preachers of his generation.

"From the Library of A. W. Tozer" has a great index so you can quickly find writings of interest, as well as a list of publications that were used, many of which I will be adding to my library.

The selections are only a couple pages, which makes it great for devotional reading. The content is so rich, I couldn't consume more than that at a time anyway. This will be a staple in my library, and something I will pick up over and again through the years.

So go and get a copy of this one, because there's no way you're borrowing mine.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers who provided this copy to me free of charge for review. A positive review was not required.

I've read many quotes by Tozer but haven't actually read an entire Tozer book (something I plan to change this summer!), but when I had the opportunity to read the literature that influenced this amazing man, I grabbed it quick.

I like the format of this book. The author provides a brief biography on Tozer. The format of the book is nice in that, it is divided into eight sections starting with my favorite topic, worship. Quoted throughout the book are many of the church fathers such as Augustine, Francis of Assisi, as well as reformers Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Knox and nineteenth century theologians D.L. Moody and Charles Spurgeon. There is a wealth of knowledge in this book. Another thing I like about this book is author index in the back. You can quickly find all the writings of a particular author used in this volume.

However, I would not consider this book an "easy" read. This book will make you think so not for the faint of heart. There are writings in the book that are from non-Protestant writers. For some that might be a problem, but these writers influenced Tozer for a reason and as with any other their writings need to be taken in light of Scripture.

I would like to thank Bethany House for the opportunity to read and review this book.

From the Library of AW Tozer





A seven-course meal where every course held a juicy steak would not be as rich a feast as this book which compiles selections from the extensive library of renown theologian, AW Tozer.

From French mystic Madame Guyon, declared heretical by the church, to practical American evangelist Dwight L Moody, this collection pares Catholic and Protestant writings side by side in relative harmony, although the flavor of each is apparent. Plan on reading this in several well-space settings, as it is heavy reading. Organized in such categories as Prayer and Contemplation and Our Counselor: the Holy Spirit, the book can be read devotionally as well as informatively.


I loved it, but I must confess I found it very weighty reading. An excellent resource for the serious Christian's library.

Have you ever wanted to peruse the bookshelves of people you esteem and are influenced by?

Could you imagine peeking into the library of Billy Graham, George Washington, Martin Luther King, Jr. or whomever else you may hold in high regard?

Well, Bethany House Publishers and James Stuart Bell have made that possible for us with the likes of noted American pastor, A. W. Tozer (1897-1963).

In From the Library of A. W. Tozer, Bell has complied short but powerful excerpts from various writers who influenced Tozer's life as well as his thinking, writing, and preaching.

In this treasure of a book, such writers featured include though are not limited to: Charles Spurgeon, D.L. Moody, Francis of Assisi, George Mueller, John Bunyan, John Calvin, John Knox, John Milton, Jonathan Edwards, Martin Luther, and Teresa of Avila.

These one or two-page excerpts are inspiring, piercing, challenging, thought provoking, encouraging, and on, and on, and on...

As a matter of fact, as Francois Fenelon is quoted in the book, "Without the actual inspiration of the Spirit of grace, we could neither do, nor will, nor believe any good thing. We are, then, always inspired, but we incessantly stifle the inspiration. God does not cease to speak, but the noise of the creatures without, and of our passions within, confines us and prevents our hearing."

And then there is the challenge of George Mueller to us, " Do not men believe that God means what he appears plainly to have asserted? Or, if we believe that he means it, do we fear the charge of fanaticism if we openly avow to take him at his word?"

Upon reading through this priceless treasure of a book, I found myself constantly realizing how such great people of the faith like A. W. Tozer were inspired, strengthened, challenged, and encouraged by what they immersed themselves in by way of their Bible reading and related study.

Do yourself a favor and get your hands on this one book that combines writing from countless invaluable resources. Definitely a blessing to own and dig into as a daily devotional guide, as an occasional necessary resource, or as frequent reading material. Great resource packed with wisdom and inspiration!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Bethany House book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

the Living Room Couch (blogspot)
review you want to read

Snack of Choice:
The childhood favorites are still in style. Drakes Coffee Cakes reign supreme in the Collins household, especially at the 2 for $5 price. Adding to the tradition is new revolution in coffee that has taken me by storm, and at the helm is the Caribou blend K-cup. The duo is dynamo and without equal - cause I only use sugar and cream.

Story behind the story:
I feel like it's been two years since I've done a review. SO MUCH has changed, but I've promised to keep the sentimental for another day and another blog. This particular selection is courtesy of Bethany House publishers. They don't require a positive review, but they would like a review. So here we go...

Story Line:
Someone raided Tozer's library. From Augustine of Hippo (AD 354 - 430) to his contemporaries, like G. Campbell Morgan (1863-1945), and all the great theologians in between show their faces in this work. I'm not sure how they compiled this work - was it based on those he quoted in his own works or was it revealed by the polaroid of his office? - still unsure...

The short topical excerpts are broken up in almost a systematic theology. Beginning with worship and working through each member of the Trinity, and addressing issues like prayer and the Christian life - these authors are squeezed for every drop of nourishment they can provide.

I have to say, I hope no one judges me on the contents of my library - I'm still working on it.

The Real Story:
A. W. Tozer is one of those names within the Christian community that has been elevated to the realms of the "classics". This quotable author produced works such as "Pursuit of God" and "Knowledge of the Holy" that leave the reader breathless, challenged, and changed. I've never felt that way; mainly because I have never read his work. So this was my great chance, or so I thought. I misread or misunderstood the content of the book and was anticipating a "best of" collection. I, honestly, was disappointed, but through no fault of the author or its publisher.

Attempting to dismiss that disappointment, I do find value in this resource. It's for sure a great coffee table book, nightstand book, or any other place you might sit and spend time but not too much time... It has potential to be more in the right hands, but I'm just not sure if mine are adequate.

Check out:
Proverbs for more wisdom in small doses.
Anything by Spurgeon!

Rating:
3 out of 5 books on a famous guys shelf

This is a gem. Every Christian needs to have a copy of this. Profound readings - you can use it as a devotional.

The name A.W. Tozer is widely known in the world of Christian Bible teaching. Though Tozer passed away in 1963, his books, messages, and teachings continue to influence Christians today. From the Library of A.W. Tozer, compiled by James Stuart Bell, offer readers a unique look into the writings that influenced Tozer and his ministry. These selections range from prayers and poetry to letters and sermons. Well-known authors such as John Bunyan, John Milton, and Dwight L. Moody are included alongside anonymous and obscure authors.

I found reading From the Library of A.W. Tozer: Selections from Writers Who Influenced His Spiritual Journey as a supplement to my daily devotions was a helpful tool. Many of the selections are based on solid Biblical teachings, some are prayers of worship, and some are letters with practical teachings. While I did not agree with every selection in the book, I think that the majority of the selections are useful and applicable to Christian life. My advice in reading this book is to keep your Bible right beside it. The teachings in the book are good, but what the Bible says trumps anything that man says.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Since I first read The Pursuit of God and The Knowledge of the Holy, I have been a fan of A.W. Tozer. His reflections on God were deep enough that I would re-read them for pleasure but not so difficult that I had to re-read them just for understanding. Tozer himself was apparently a voracious reader, and this volume gave me a chance to read excerpts from writers who influenced his spiritual journey.

I loved this book! I used it during my devotional time for several weeks. Some of the writers featured were known to me (Spurgeon, Moody, Calvin, etc.) but many were saints I had never heard of. My favorite selections were from St. Anselm (who was the Archbishop of Canterbury around 1100 AD), and I have been inspired to read more of his work. The writing is a bit archaic (which is totally to be expected) and is definitely deep, not fluffy. But I didn't expect Tozer to be reading The Hardy Boys.

The book is well-organized. The devotional readings are organized around topics such as worship, prayer (my two favorite sections), exhortation and doctrine. Also, there's a very helpful section in the back where there is a brief bio of each featured author.

There are so many classic Christian works from throughout history that I'd love to read. I've read parts of many of them, all of some of them, but it's difficult to get to them all. I've really been enjoying the copy of From the Library of A. W. Tozer that Bethany House recently sent to me. A.W. Tozer is the author of the classics The Pursuit of God and The Knowledge of the Holy among others.

From the Library of A. W. Tozer takes excerpts from a wide variety of works throughout church history...from the earliest church fathers to modern time...and arranges them by theme. Each work included is one that had a profound influence on A.W. Tozer's life and thought and is fairly short, about 1 to 3 pages in length.

The eight chapters cover these themes:

* Worship: The Chief End of Man
* Prayer and Contemplation
* Exhortations and Prophetic Words
* Our Counselor: The Holy Spirit
* Jesus Christ: Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King
* Practicing the Presence of God
* On Christian Doctrine
* On Living the Christian Life

In these pages you'll find the writings of Augustine, Thomas a Kempis, Martin Luther, D. L. Moody, and many others. From early church fathers, to monks, mystics, and reformers, there's a wide variety of thought represented here. There's also a biographical sketch of Tozer himself and, in a section in the back, a brief (about a paragraph) biography of each writer and a list of the works excerpted.

This is not a book to sit down and read straight through, but I've really been enjoying working slowly through it as part of my daily devotional time. This is definitely not a substitute for Scripture reading or Bible study, but it makes a nice addition. I like the way the book is organized...it's very interesting to read about the same subject from such a variety of viewpoints. By reading one excerpt a day I get a broad sweep or overview of the thoughts of a very diverse group of people from throughout church history on a given topic. Some of the writers and works I'm very familiar with, others I've heard of, still others are totally unfamiliar. It's been thought-provoking and has exposed me to some writings that I may have never sought out on my own. While it would be difficult to read complete works of so many writers on each subject, this compilation offers the opportunity to become familiar with a wide variety of perspectives. Each excerpt brings out a different unique facet of the topic at hand.

If you'd like to delve in to some of the great works of Christianity from throughout the ages but don't know quite where to begin, From the Library of A. W. Tozer may make an excellent starting point. The excerpts here are sure to whet your appetite to seek out at least a few of the originals to read further, and it provides well-rounded views on a variety of topics. It offers exposure to a number of great thinkers throughout church history, making it excellent for personal study or even as an addition to a high schooler's study of church history and/or literature. I think it'll be an excellent fit when my oldest daughter and I study church history together in a couple of years.

It's a unique book that offers a valuable glimpse of Christian thought through the ages!

Thanks so much to Bethany House for providing a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.