Albert Schweitzer: A Biography, Second Edition

Albert Schweitzer Library

by James Brabazon

The second edition of this biography of humanitarian Albert Schweitzer has been updated to include documents discovered since the work was originally written, including the letters between Schweitzer and Helene Bresslau written during the ten years before their marriage. This correspondence tells of a complicated love story and throws a completely new light on Schweitzer's personality and the genesis of his decision to go to Africa. The author's ongoing research has also included more recently released documents from the State Department regarding Schweitzer's battle with the United States Atomic Energy Commission to halt H-bomb tests.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir

596 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Richard Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is a book that you really need to read over a period of several months. I would classify it as a difficult read just from the standpoint of the depth of the material discussed and the breadth of the book in both time span and geographical nature.

The beginnings of the book would indicate to me that Schweitzer most likely had some sort of an autistic bent to his personality. A young man so absorbed in intellectual and musical things almost to the point of compulsion. His talents, focus and intellect must have staggered even the brightest persons whom he met. A simple genius would master the organ and playing concert level Bach, or, master theological though on Christianity, or, master law, or medicine; but to master all of these as well as becoming a world renowned missionary and survive the rigors of prison and African life as well as two world wars puts this man on a plane that is truly interstellar.

Take your time, read through the letters and excerpts of his writings and try to fathom what it must have been like to have lived during his times. Try to imagine how a person with his passions, energy and drive could change our own world today.

I would have loved to meet the man out in the Cameroonian bush near Nyasoso which I visited in 1967 as a Peace Corps Volunteer and have him explain how he envisioned the kind of medical facility that would improve people's lives in that remote terrain.

Read it and be humbled!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another long book, 500+ pages. It is very, very well written. At all times I felt that the author was giving me not just a comprehensive look at Schweitzer's life but a real look at it. "Real" meaning an understanding of who the man was in his times, over the whole course of his life. Not a view distorted by public opinion, academic critic nor of skewed focus.

This author seems to have achieved the task of understanding the whole man as a person, not as a legend or a myth. And because of that, I feel as if I have an understanding of the whole man. The author also did a good job of explaining Schweitzer's Reverence of Life philosophy and showing how it came to be manifest in words and deeds throughout his life.

I did not come to feel I had "befriended" Schweitzer in any way but that I understand his great contribution to humankind and understand his Reverence for Life philosophy in a true manner. This understanding is enough. I am glad I read this book.

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this well-written biography more than 30 years ago, Carla's gift to me. Schweitzer was well-known as an organist and a humanitarian who operated African hospitals. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in the 1950's.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not an easy read but an incredible man.

[Patricia]

I'm about half way through this 550 page biography. It's well written and fascinating, but slow going. I set it aside to catch up on books for my book club and a book I'm reading with my granddaughter for home school, but we are going on vacation next week and this is on the top of the pile to finish. Studying how Brabzon, a noted biographer, captures a life and makes it readable and intriguing while also totally enjoying learning about this deeply focused goal oriented man.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

intriguing...I read this book because I was leading a discussion on Albert Scweitzer's autobiography "Out of my Life and Thought"...I learned a lot from both books...