Henri Nouwen: A Restless Seeking for God

Rating:
Summary: Deeply insightful and inspiring
Review: Beumer's overview of Nouwen's life, work, theology and spirituality is a remarkable gift coming so soon after Nouwen's untimely death. One is drawn deeper into reflection, not only on Nouwen's thoughts about "home," "community," "ministry," "service," etc., but, unavoidably, into one's own heart and soul. The author does not present Nouwen as a "canned" saint, but truly as a "restless seeker," a real person with positive and negative traits -- someone who, throughout his life, tried with all his might to find a place, both within and without, that he could call "home." I would highly recommend this book to those who have studied Nouwen's works as an excellent summary of his spirituality and theology. I would also recommend it to those, like myself, who desire a first or second taste of this modern-day mystic.

Rating:
Summary: The Most Disappointing Biography of All
Review: The author, an acknowledged friend of Henri Nouwen, suggests in his preface that he took a researcher's more objective approach to writing about Nouwen than writing from his personal knowledge of the man as friend. This is the poorest approaach anyone could choose. If I were a friend who was writing a biography about another friend, there is absolutely no question that I would write the story from my personal interactions than from research. I must say that this book, as a result of the very "academic, distant and studious" road the writer took to write it, is extremely poor. That it was published at all is quite disappointing.

"Plastic statutary on paper pulp"! Don't bother. Check out Michael Ford's excellent narrative published this year. It's an honest, well researched, close-up of Nouwen's life that does justcie to the man Henri was.

Daniel J. Maloney

Rating:
Summary: Insightful biography and study of Henri Nouwen
Review: The original text of this insightful biography and study of Henri J. M. Nouwen was completed by his longstanding friend, Jurjen J. Beumer, but was not yet at the printers when the great spiritual writer suddenly and unexpected died at the age of 64 in September 1996. So with minimal changes, including the addition of a final tribute by Jurjen J. Beumer to Nouwen, and an account of his final days, we have this first detailed 'portrait' of Nouwen published within a year of his death.

A key theme in Nouwen's many writings was that the particulars of a person's life, especially their spiritual experiences, often speak the most universally. In this spirit, Nouwen's books, particularly the latter ones, incorporated many stories from his own life, naturally creating much interest in those who had benefited from the spiritual guidance his writing gave them.

The first and largest part of Beumer's book is a biography of Nouwen, including his childhood in Holland, his years of study and early priesthood, his decade as a professor at Yale, his life in the United States, his periods of searching at Genesee Abbey and in Latin America, and his final years in community with handicapped people at the L'Arche community of Daybreak in Canada. Nouwen is presented as an always restless seeker who gradually becomes more at home with God and with himself. This spirit of ongoing searching for meaning, and the true simplicity and honestly of his writing, made Nouwen a spiritual figure of great understanding and relevance to people of our troubled and uncertain times.

The rest of Beumer's 'portrait' consists of a series of chapters that are a synthesis and analysis of Nouwen's writings. He examines the basic themes and key concepts of Nouwen's spirituality, his views on the links between spirituality and ethics, and his distinctive theological insights. Beumer's final reflections are on Nouwen as a seeker and as one who dared to release the grip on his own life.

The book includes many photographs, ranging from charmi! ng images of Nouwen 'playing priest' as a child to a one, years later, of him covered by children at Daybreak, as well as photos of him as a young priest at the opening of the Second Vatican Council and of his funeral mass.

Devotees of Henri Nouwen will find this credible book irresistible, both for the fuller picture of his life than has hitherto been available, but also for the opportunity to consider his significant and unique contribution as a spiritual guide. [Book of the Month Selection, John Garratt Catholic Book Club.]