The River of Grace: The Story of John Calvin (Paperback)

~ Joyce McPherson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This is Joyce's third biography and continues the fine work she has already done in A Piece of the Mountain (Blaise Pascal) and The Ocean of Truth (Sir Isaac Newton). The River of Grace is unique in that it is the only biography of Calvin available for the young adult market. Joyce focuses especially on Calvin's childhood and youth, tracing his days at the university and the circumstances of his conversion. She traces his early and precocious leadership of the Protestants in France and his flight from France to Basel, Strassburg, and Geneva when King Francis I began executing Protestants. The result is a warm and affectionate picture of the leader of the second generation of the Protestant Reformation. "... if Luther sounded the trumpet, Calvin was the one who orchestrated the score." Written on a 5th/6th grade reading level, but worth reading out loud to younger students. Older students and adults will also find this to be a valuable introduction and an aid in understanding the author of the Institutes of the Christian Religion.

About the Author

Joyce McPherson is the author of several biographies for young people. She has a BS from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She and her husband, Garth, homeschool their six children in Florida. Joyce has written about the vibrant faith of famous men in a variety of fields. Her lively biographies bring history to life and illustrate the impact of the Christian worldview in Western Civilization.

Product Details

• Paperback: 159 pages
• Publisher: Greenleaf Press; 2nd edition (1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1882514548
• ISBN-13: 978-1882514540
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #167,728 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #4 in	Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Renaissance
  #47 in	Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Biographies > Religious
  #47 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > History & Criticism > Movements & Periods > Renaissance

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It may be a children's book, but I learned so much from it!, June 19, 2000

By	Virginia Knowles (Florida) - See all my reviews

After reading two of Joyce McPherson's other books, I knew I was in for a treat when I picked up River of Grace, the biography of John Calvin. While the language is easily understandable for a child, it holds the interest of the adult. I have even seen my husband, who rarely picks up a book, reading this one. John Calvin is famous as a theologian, but I found out lots of things that I didn't know about him. It made his life come alive for me.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good introduction to Calvin for young readers, December 23, 2007

By	Writing and Living (Missouri, USA) - See all my reviews

Like most protestants of my generation (at least the ones that I know), my knowledge of church history is...dismal. Anything that happened between the book of Acts and 1980 is a fuzzy area for me.

So although The River of Grace: The Story of John Calvin is written for young readers, I still learned a lot.

The River of Grace traces Calvin's life from his boyhood to his death in Geneva in 1564, from his early studies for the Catholic priesthood to his conversion and his eventual leadership in the Reformation.

Calvin's beliefs and his objections to Catholicism are incorporated into the story but not belabored. I'm sure this was to keep younger readers from getting bogged down. Readers will still walk away with a better understanding of the peril Calvin and his friends were under in their work to teach and make the Scriptures available to the people.

Learning about church history gives me a greater appreciation for the sacrifices that have been made by others to advance the Kingdom of God. My faith is strengthened as I am reminded to never take my freedom to worship for granted.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sensitive Portrayal of a Sensitive Man, January 17, 2008

By	Chatelaine "HiddenArtist" (Connecticut, USA) - See all my reviews

I was delighted with this sensitive biography of John Calvin. McPherson writes simply to children, not down to children. She begins in John's childhood, and touches on the events and issues of his life. She shows his thoughts with frequent quotes him from his letters and other writings. This book is a great introduction to the life and heart of a great reformer, and an excellent work.