John Henry Newman: A Biography

John Henry Newman: A Biography truly is a thick brick of a book, yet beautifully designed for accessible reading. Ian Ker has achieved an enormous accomplishment, distilling the life this complex, hugely influential figure. Ker provides the curious with a definitive, exacting rendition of Newman's life. With enormous precision, Ker peels back page after page of Newman's spiritual journey, capturing the essence of his dry wit, superlative intelligence, and spiritual rigors. John Henry Newman was a catalyst of the Oxford movement, instrumental in influencing J.R.R. Tolkien's mother. After she died too young, her boys were nurtured by Newman's Birmingham Oratory. We have savored much of Tolkien's writing on art and creativity, including "Tree and Leaf" and "On Fairy Stories" contained in The Tolkien Reader . It took us ages to plow through John Cornwell's poorly executed, oddly organized, and politically motivated book, "Newman's Unquiet Grave: The Reluctant Saint." Ian Ker's vivid, detailed biography is a breath of fresh air. Highly recommended! "Even on the ... legends of a popular mythology He casts His shadow, and is dimly discerned in the ode or epic, as in troubled water or in fantastic dreams. All that is good, all that is true, all that is beautiful, all that is beneficent, be it great or small, be it perfect or fragmentary, natural as well as supernatural, moral as well as material, comes from Him" (Newman).

I hesitated a little as to whether I should read John Henry Newman A Biography or not. I was wondering if the half of A Biography might be redundant as a simple calculation suggests Apologia covers more than two thirds of the life of Newman (Newman was born in 1801 and died in 1890 while Apologia was first published in 1864). What was the outcome? Still worthwhile, is my answer. Certainly, Newman’s life till his conversion in 1845 is duplicated but A Biography’s description is more detailed than Apologia’s. Ker described Newman’s life and thought in more detail than Apologia by quoting plenty from Newman’s letters and diaries. That enables the reader of Apologia to read between the lines. Plus, Newman’s life was more eventful than one may think. The Oxford Movement was not his sole achievement. In 1850s, he was engaged in higher education as the Rector of the Catholic University of Ireland. In 1860s, he reemerged as a controversialist as shown by Apologia. In 1870s, which started with the First Vatican Council that defined Papal infallibility, Newman struck a blow against Catholic extremists by publishing A Letter to the Duke of Norfolk, and adumbrated a mini-theology of Councils in his private letters, which would in future cast light on the Second Vatican Council. Such a decade ends with the fact that Newman was created a cardinal in 1879. Ker employed plenty of quotation from Newman’s works in writing this biography. Those quotations were useful for a reader like me to select books to read next. On the other, I thought Ker’s explanation by his own word about the historical backgrounds such as laws and persons were in some cases insufficient. I managed those cases by conducting search by myself though.

This a definitive intellectual history of Newman's thought and life.It is not for the casual reader but more for the professional historian or someone seriously interested in the subject. Newman was a major voice in the Oxford Movement, an advocate for a more educated Catholic laity and a voice of reason and moderation against the more ultramontane members of the English Catholic hierarchy. In short, a man of great faith, intellect, and passion for truth.

Not often does one find a 700 page book that is hard to put down. Ker is an amazing scholar. I feel I must reread this and underline so much wisdom. Newman's spiritual journey is conveyed in his own perceptive view of his life as it was transformed by his integrity and hard-liner search for truth.

Ker's work on Newman is a masterpiece. Beautiful yet thorough, Ker's writing skillfully navigates 19th century Britain's theological and ecclesial waters. Very worth reading.

I received my book without the dust cover. I've been a costumer since 1998, never happened before. Book is great, by the way, very well written, comprehensive

A first rate intellectual biography of a major figure in the religious debates of our times. Thank you Ian Ker.

School

Es un libro excelente. Muy documentado y a la vez muy ameno

Bought as present and he seemed to really enjoy reading it.

As described and prompt delivery. Very happy.

Excellent biography.

bought for my hubby who was happy to have a used copy. He was very pleased with it. Thank you