The role of man has been under attack in contemporary American society. Popular media displays men as deadbeat fathers, unexplainably absent, or dull and simple-minded, at best. We seem to have lost our ability to look up to men as heroes. In fact, we seem to have lost our ability to identify manhood at all, and to see what it is that makes men great.

While 7 Men isn’t blatantly about reestablishing the role of man in modern America, this is a theme that underpins the entire book.

Author Eric Metaxas has identified seven men who’s stories define greatness: George Washington, William Wilberforce, Eric Liddell, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jackie Robinson, Pope John Paul II, and Charles W. Colson. Some of those names may be familiar. Some may not. But all of them did what it took to live lives of greatness during their times. Whether that was abolishing slavery or leading a new nation to freedom, or being faithful on the mission field or establishing a prison ministry, each of these seven men displayed greatness in their lives.

Unfortunately, there isn’t enough space to go into much depth in any of these lives. However, Metaxas has written extensive biographies of two of these men; Wilberforce and Bonhoeffer. Instead, 7 Men is more a series of snapshots, showing how these men stood for their convictions, stood for their faith, and stood for God in spite of the public and popular opinion of the times.

There is much we can learn from these seven men, among others. I hope this becomes a series of books written about some of the greatest men the world has known.

I definitely encourage you to grab a copy today. But be warned; once you start reading it, you may not be able to put it down…

Question: Who do you think exhibits (or exhibited) greatness? In other words, who needs to be added to this list? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

I received this book free from Harper Collins Christian Publishing as part of their BookLook Bloggers review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.