Character Counts: Leadership Qualities in Washington, Wilberforce, Lincoln, Solzhenitsyn

by Os Guinness

Book Overview

Presents stories of four public figures who displayed strength of character in the face of adversity, enabling them to change the world.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0801058244
• ISBN13: 9780801058240
• Release Date: March 1999
• Publisher: Baker Publishing Group (MI)
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.7" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Guinness chooses four outstanding men, from the past 250 years, to demonstrate the moral leadership

Guinness chooses four outstanding men, from the past 250 years, to demonstrate the moral leadership qualities that are sorely lacking in our world today. These individuals, George Washington, William Wilberforce, Abraham Lincoln, and Alexander Solzhenitsyn all have left unmistakable footprints of integrity across the pages of time. By virtually any standard these are truly great men, and they are great because of their excellence of character. In an age that honors image and bows at the feet of spin-doctors, it is refreshing to be reminded that it has not always been so. And one can wish, if the Lord tarries, that we might once again live in a world in which integrity is back in style. That is not to say that all four of our heroes were true Christians. Wilberforce seems the best candidate, followed by Solzhenitsyn, Lincoln and Washington. This book however does not give any concrete evidence for the conversion of any of these men, save Wilberforce. Of course we are all rooting for them, but the sad truth is that while each possessed great virtues, most likely they lacked saving faith in Jesus Christ. This is almost certainly the case of Washington, who remained a Deist until the end of his life. And while honest Abe spoke much of God and often quoted Scripture, Christ and His saving grace is missing from his speeches and writings. Many have reported that Solzhenitsyn is a believer, but this volume provides no proof.

As this book shows, Lincoln was a great man (get over it!).

I'm dismayed to see the severely outdated political agenda of the Allens of North Carolina overshadow their opinions and reviews of Dr. Guinness' excellent book. I really doubt that the Oxford-educated Dr. Guinness should be "ashamed" of himself for his "lack of scholarship" in any area he chooses to write. Nor do I believe he is simply parroting the "Yankee propaganda," (referred to in another Allen "review") which is an entirely laughable concept.As for the book:A person's actions stem from their beliefs, which form their character. We have all seen examples -- at the corporate, political, and personal levels -- of those in leadership exhibiting less-than-ideal character, which corrupted their actions. This wonderful book provides a pleasant contrast to some of our contemporary leaders by examining the lives, actions, and beliefs of some truly amazing people; especially and including Abraham Lincoln, a wartime president who took extraordinary strides and went through unbelievable hardships to preserve our country.I'm currently reading my 4th book by Dr. Guinness, and have come to admire the author as a very strong Christian thinker and writer. As others have noted, he writes in the tradition of C.S. Lewis, and it is not hard to imagine him speaking to you personally as he guides you through his observations and reasoning.I also recommend "Fit Bodies, Fat Minds" and "Prophetic Untimeliness," as well as "The Call."

Very Fine Little Study

Did the reviewer who found this "dull" read the same book as I did??? This is a very well-crafted, nicely written, penetrating look at some important topics. I greatly enjoyed it.

good biographies

This is a good starting point for the people studied. I found Wilberforce the most interesting, but that was because he was the least known to me.The force of character in shaping events is an interesting point of reference for a biography.I can't help but notice that stubbornness was a common trait.

Interesting character comparison

Very interesting book that reviews four of the most facinating men in history. Worth reading if you are a fan of all or just one of the men, or even if you just want to find out more about them.