Rating: 
Summary: Revisionist History At Its Worst!
Review: If it were possible, I would give this book "0 stars" - maybe even a negative rating!This book claims to be an "extraordinary story providing testament to the power of ideas, the enduring legacy of books, and the triumph of individual courage" - nothing is farther from the truth. Servetus was a heretic, denying such foundational beliefs as the trinity. It is one thing to examine his life and work out of historical interest, it is quite another to hold him up as a hero. What is most disappointing about this book is not so much its historical inaccuracy but its hidden agenda. The authors have tried to hold up Servetus as something he was not in a less than hidden attempt to discredit the ministry of John Calvin, seeking to make him out to be a brutal tyrant in Geneva. The authors disagree with Calvin's theology and instead of arguing against him from Scripture, they resort to attacking his character. How shameful! This is exactly what we see from the world; disciples of Jesus Christ should be better than this! Of course, Calvin's theology is often a controversial subject with many. That's fine! Study the Scriptures, debate the theology, talk to one another, letting "iron sharpen iron." But let's be honest with history. I happen to be one who holds to the more "calvinist undertsanding of the Bible" - I still find great value in the life and ministry of great men like John Wesley. I do not need to attack their character do justify not agreeing with their theology. Let's keep the debate focused on Scripture and not side step the issues by vilifying a man's character. If you are truly interested in the historical account of Calvin's life and Servetus' death, do not buy this book. Spend your money on a good biography like those written by Beza, Wendel, McGrath, or Stickelberger.
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating History
Review: Out of the Flames tells several stories. First it traces the life and remarkable career of Michael Servetus, a lesser-known but highly important Reformation leader who ran afoul of John Calvin for his views on the Trinity and predestination. His death by burning was accompanied by a rounding up of all the copies of his book Christianismi Restitutio for similar destruction. The authors also describe the long tangled provenances of the three copies of Servetus' work which still exist. Throughout the book the authors are often diverted into fascinating tangents which add light to either Servetus' life and work or to the circumstances under which the three copies survived. Out of the Flames will not only inspire you with the story of Michael Servetus and his stubborn devotion to his heretical views, (and to his remarkable scientific and anatomical knowledge) but will also impress and intrigue with the amount of research the Goldstones did in order to track down the three copies.
Rating: 
Summary: Worth reading, despite some flaws
Review: The Goldstone's write in the prologue that, Out of the Flames, is, "...the story of one book - Michael Servtus's book..." and even the title proclaims it is, "The Remarkable Story of a Fearless Scholar, A Fatal Heresy, and One of the Rarest Books in the World." But I think the Epilogue contains a better characterization of what this book aspired to, and sometimes achieved: "But there were also those, no less brilliant, who did not succeed, whose ideas could not take root before they were crushed. Their vision and passion were no less intense, and what they had to say no less vital to the human spirit. It was only circumstance that separated them from the others [Newton, Shakespeare, etc.]."
Navigating your way through the important events of any period in history can be tricky. And the Goldstone's have a lot of ground to cover in a relatively short book - Servetus' story encompasses much of the period generally labeled the Reformation. Only those events and characters in some way related to the story of Servetus', Christianismi Restitutio are included in Out of the Flames. But even this narrowing still leaves a lot of interacting events and characters to write about in only a few hundred pages. The author's do an admirable job in their selections. The narrative does seem to jump around, but the Goldstone's rarely take a long time in bringing it back to Servetus and the Christianismi Restitutio. And, at times, their journey through the Reformation landscape is marred by oversimplification and the occasional twentieth century viewpoint ascribed to sixteenth century characters. Take the Goldstone's brief treatment of the origins of the printing press. Not enough documentary evidence exists to assign motives to any party or even to really know what Gutenberg was up to during significant portions of the experimental phase - Gutenberg periodically "disappears" for stretches of several years. Yet their coverage suggests historians have a complete, concrete picture of Gutenberg and portrays Fust and Schoeffer as greedy men whose sole aim was to steal the invention of someone else for their own profit. Not all of the events covered are oversimplified in this manner. But enough are that it must, in the end, detract somewhat from the story as history.
Out of the Flames is not solely a biography of Michael Servetus. Perhaps half, maybe less, of the book is actually devoted to his life. The Goldstone's spend time on other important sixteenth century characters; John Calvin, Francis I, Marguerite d'Angouleme to mention a few. The "climax" of the book comes when the story gets to Servetus' trial in Geneva - in many respects a clash between two titanic intellects, Calvin's and Servetus'. Here the Goldstone's clearly have their favorite. Calvin comes across as a rabid animal, foaming at the mouth in his desire to execute Servetus at the first possible moment. Granted, Calvin can't really be excused for his actions, but the irony of arguably one of the most effective reformers of the sixteenth century trying to suppress a dissenting opinion is often lost in that bias toward Servetus which softens his own faults (a towering ego and often intemperate, abusive language) and magnifies Calvin's. Such bias doesn't mean that the story the Goldstone's tell isn't worth reading. But it is something readers should be aware of - if for no other reason than to keep some perspective.
In addition to the thread of antitrinitarianism (the heresy that got Servetus burned at the stake) the story of Michael Servetus is about a scientific discovery that lay buried in the primarily theological, Christianismi Restitutio. Servetus was trained in the medical profession, though theology seems to have been of greater interest to him. As an assistant to Vesalius, one of the great anatomists of the sixteenth century, Servetus discovered the role of the heart in circulating blood throughout the body. Even Vesalius, who got so much else right, missed it. But Servetus never mentioned it until much later, and only in passing. Because the Christianismi Restitutio was suppressed for its heretical ideas, William Harvey would receive credit for his independent discovery several decades later. Here is the circumstance the Goldstone's talk about in the Epilogue that separated Servetus from celebrated men like Newton and even Harvey.
The last few chapters of the book are devoted to tracing ownership of the remaining copies of Christianismi Restitutio up to the present. Here the irony that one of those copies happened to be Calvin's own is not lost; it was Calvin who ordered that all copies of the book be burned to ensure that Servetus' heresy would not spread.
Despite the faults I have noted, I enjoyed reading Out of the Flames. The bibliography at the end of the book contains some useful entries for biographies of Charles V and Francis I.
Rating:
Summary: Out of the Flames
Review: The Goldstones have written another wonderful book. The story of Michael Servetus and his books is masterfully told. The life, work and period of Servetus come alive. A great work on an obscure, but important figure in history. The twists and turns, deceit, treachery and conflict all play out in the life of Servetus who escaped the Inquisition only to be burned at the stake by Calvin along with all the copies of his last book. But, his last book survives not completely destroyed by Calvin. The story of the remaining copies of the rarest book in the world is as interesting as the life of Servetus himself. Servetus has also left lasting legacies, which make him an important figure in both religious and medical history.
Rating: 
Summary: wonderful historical narrative for bibliophiles
Review: The husband-and-wife writing team of Nancy and Lawrence Goldstone deliver a delightful history of Michael Servetus and the book that got him killed -- a volume considered so infamous that all copies were ordered destroyed. Only three copies are still known to exist, making it one of the most valuable books in existence. The authors bring to life the man and his times, discussing religion, science, literature and history as well as Leibniz, Voltaire, Calvin, Priestley and Osler, incorporating a vast array of knowledge as they tell the story of a genius and his tragic end. There are a fair number of illustrations, a bibliography and an index.
Rating:
Summary: Truly a wonderful book
Review: The story of Michael Servetus is one that every free-thinking human being should know--it is both inspiring and thought provoking. The narrow minded individuals that led to his demise have many present day counterparts. There are many lessons to be learned from this book.
Rating:
Summary: Unitarians prove Servetus is oneof them
Review: The writing is excellent. Breezy, smooth, engrossing. It is the poor fact checking and research that diminish the quality of the book. The authors simply allow their desire to prove a point to manipulate the facts.
Something as simple as Calvin desiring his burning rather than beheading, pg 196, their's is the only book, that i have seen, that says he didn't seek beheading. Certainly a little point, but it is an accepted fact that they dispute, without even a footnote to warn the reader.
But it is the tone and the choice of words that points to a polemical work not a history, putting this into the genre of historical fiction rather than history. For on almost every page something jumped out as either a distortion or a misguided attempt to prove a point by involving people's emotions in the case, rather than to spread out the issues for us to understand them.
I appreciate the point they so evidently wish their readers to believe, but i believe careful even handed scholarship would be a better way to prove it than how this book turns out. To demonize your enemies and to confer sainthood on our friends is good polemics but justifiably called fiction when applying to real people.
Rating:
Summary: A Must reading for UUs
Review: This book reads a bit like a mystery, a bit like a biography, and very much like a history of the life and times of several of the "greats" we all hear about. The interplay between Servitus and Calvin is of particular interest. Certainly, this book would give anyone a better understanding of the times, but in particular, Unitarian Universalists will find an important part of their history in these pages.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: This fascinating book does a superb job at placing Servetus in the context of his time: Guttenberg, the Reformation, and Calvin. The rich and exciting descriptions gives a full flavor of the world in which Michael Servetus lived and died. I, do wish, however, there was more discussion of Servetus' theology. Nevertheless, a wonderful book that leaves me wishing Servetus were still around to discuss and debate issues.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: This is an excellent book, it gave us a compact and well written story about Miguel Servet and Calvino.
Miguel Servet was assasinated for his way of thinking, again we have another great thinker killed because of his written thoughts
It is fast paced and not only gave us the story but also a brief analysis of the political and religious situation of the era and the repercutions on the future
Well done Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone
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