The Kolbe Reader

by Anselm Romb

This book contains sixty readings from St. Maximilian Kolbe's writings and letters placed in proper historical and theological context. It is an invaluable asset to anyone desiring a deeper understanding of St. Maximilian's spirituality.

Genres: Faith

213 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1987

Reviews

[Peter Nguyen]

Great saint, poor compilation. Fr. Romb, the editor of the text, describes St. Maximilian Kolbe’s theological writings as “kerygmatic,” or preachable/practical/motivational, rather than speculative; I’m not sure if these collected texts are representative of St. Maximilian’s writings as a whole, but I was hoping more for his Mariology in a systematic form. As it stands, I’m not quite sure who the intended audience is for this work. I don’t find St. Maximilian’s discussion on the price of paper very valuable, for example, and I found Fr. Romb’s commentary on the texts mostly redundant. The best piece by far is St. Maximilian’s famous “Who Are You, O Immaculate Conception?” and I would recommend people interested in St. Maximilian’s writings to just seek out that one letter.

[Rhiana Patterson]

Took me a while because he can be pretty educational and stoic in his writings, but soooo good, such a sweet and wise saint. It’s a gift to see his letters!