Eric Metaxas. Seven Men. Nelson, 2015.
Charles P. Stetson with Jack Wyman. Men without Equal in their Times. King’s College P, 1999.

Both Seven Men and Men without Equal in their Times present sketches of men of courage who had a positive effect in the world. In Seven Men, the sketches run about thirty pages each, so they outline the person’s life and discuss the significance of what they accomplished. The eight sketches in Men without Equal run about twelve pages each, so they are considerably shorter.

There is one overlap. Both books have a chapter on William Wilberforce. Metaxas especially notes how impressive his accomplishments were. He was upper class, best friends of the son of the Prime Minister (who later himself would become P.M.), but he looked out for those who could not look out for themselves—not by giving them handouts but by giving them freedom.

Wilberforce’s life work was to end the slave trade in the British Empire. He lived long enough to see slavery itself abolished. But more than that, Wilberforce worked for what he called a reformation of manners. His appeal to what Abraham Lincoln would call “the better angels of our nature” helped usher in the respect and morality that typify the Victorian Age. Stetson would note that if done properly, politics can be a noble profession.

Metaxas begins with George Washington. Our first president has been subject to ad hominem attacks in the last thirty years. Metaxas shows us that, while not perfect, Washington would set the tone for American presidents and, to some degree, American politics in general. Even King George III could not believe that Washington would give up the power he had gained by winning the Revolutionary War. But he did.

Eventually Washington would become president of the country eight years after the war ended, but only because he was duly elected. He also set a standard, broken only once, of limiting himself to two terms. He wanted to show that he was not interested in amassing power or wealth from his position—unlike many “presidents for life” in many countries today. Americans have much to be grateful for including the character of their first chief executive.

Metaxas gives us stories of the lives of men we know about but sometimes only superficially. One of the men is Eric Liddell, the “Flying Scotsman” track star best known today from the film Chariots of Fire. Metaxas tells us what really made Liddell tick. We also learn a lot about what he endured as a prisoner of the Japanese in China and some interesting details about his relationship with Harold Abrahams, the other runner featured in the movie.

Metaxas gives moving accounts of Jackie Robinson and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Both men suffered silently but their character changed the world in different ways. Robinson and baseball owner Branch Rickey implemented change in America even before what we call the Civil Rights Movement began. Though Bonhoeffer died young, he died in the service of his God and his books still affect readers today. Part of Metaxas’ own story, he tells us, comes from the effect reading Bonhoeffer had on his life.

Not surprisingly, Metaxas includes Chuck Colson, the somewhat notorious Nixon “hatchet man” who converted to Christianity and started a very effective prison ministry. Colson is quite quotable. He would acknowledge that crime is not a matter of poverty or society. After all, Colson was not poor. He quotes James Q. Wilson (the closest thing to a saint on my college campus when I was there): “Crime begins when children are not given adequate moral training, when they do not develop internal restraints on impulsive behavior.” (188)

I confess being a bit disappointed with the chapter on John Paul II. It gives an overview of his life, but it seems to miss some of its significance other than a Polish guy became pope. Having said that, it does follow Karol Wojtyla’s transformation from a fairly typical student into a believing Christian. His time as pope, perhaps like Washington, presents a kind of idea or ideal of what a person in his position can effect.

Men without Equal has a few men from the business world, Andrew Carnegie and Kurt Hahn. Carnegie demonstrates perhaps what the rich ought to be doing with their wealth. Hahn founded Outward Bound which has had an effect on the lives of many young people and a program that the author clearly admired.

Stetson reminds us of two famous missionary doctors: David Livingstone and Wilfred Grenfell. Both sketches are an appreciation of what selfless men can accomplish for mankind. Grenfell was Canadian. I only knew his name because he was pictured on a Canadian postage stamp. Now I can understand why he was honored in such a way. He was not so much an explorer but like Livingstone served people as a medical doctor in remote regions.

Stetson features two leaders of the United Kingdom in World War II, George VI and Winston Churchill. From what Stetson tells us of the four sons of the king, Albert, who would become George VI, was the man of character. One could argue his legacy lives on today in his daughter the current queen who is celebrating her seventieth year on the throne this year.

Churchill, we are told, mostly ruled with his words. But that is what leaders do. I could not help but think of President Zelensky of Ukraine these days. The chapter on Churchill is the most entertaining because he is the most quotable. Some of his sayings are quite funny, but many could and do inspire. One example: “An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.”

I was impressed by Stetson’s very short chapter on Nelson Mandela. It is mostly a long quotation from a Mandela biographer, but it opened my eyes to Mandela’s motivation. He is the one person in this book who rose to power during my lifetime, but, to be honest, I saw him as a victim of Apartheid, yes, but also as a politician. Still, when I compare the United States to other American countries, we can be thankful for Washington, In the same way, when compared to many other African states, the people of South Africa can be thankful for Mandela.

Nelson Mandela wrote “I knew people expected me to harbor anger towards whites. But I had none…I wanted South Africa to see that I loved even my enemies while I hated the system that turned us against one another.” (86)

He even invited the family of one of his Robben Island wardens to his inauguration, remaining “humane, dignified, unembittered, tolerant, and forgiving.” (87)

I thank both authors for presenting these men of character to us.

I should note that the edition of Seven Men has a bonus chapter from the author’s next book—Seven Women. That chapter featured Corrie ten Boom. I have read a number of her books over the years and even directed a theatrical version of her The Hiding Place. It was good to be reminded of her accomplishments and how God could use “ordinary people.” If we are to be famous, let us be famous for the things that are true and just.