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Jul 07, 2011

Lowell rated it:

3.75 stars.

An inspiring biography of a wonderful man. Yes, it will change you. You will want to perform small, simple acts of service for everybody around you. You will serve better in your church. You will study the scriptures on a deeper level, pray better, and love your family more sincerely. You will, in essence, be a better Christian than you were previously.

So why my mediocre score?

I believe there are two ways to write an LDS biography. One says, “Look at the More...

4 comments like (10 people liked it)

Jul 07, 2011

*Christie* rated it:

President Monson is an amazing man. Many times as I read this book I felt a flood of love wash over me and testify that he is a Prophet of God. I cried and laughed and learned. It was a great experience. I want to be more like President Monson; more concerned with people. I love that President Monson sees the big picture. In the book a story is related in which there is an attorney who had married a catholic and been inactive in the LDS church for many years. The attorney's business partn More...

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Jul 07, 2011

Melanie rated it:

I have read a lot of books in my lifetime. When I rate a book five stars, it has to be fantastic. This definitely meets my definition of fantastic, and I want to go a step further by saying that this was absolutely inspiring. I bought this book to read because I wanted to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for President Monson. I was not disappointed at all! What an amazing man he is. At a very young age he was taught about serving the less fortunate. Throughout his entire life his foc More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jul 07, 2011

Corinne rated it:

I'm not giving this five stars because it is particularly well-written, but more because of the overall value I found in the book. I've never read a biography of an apostle or LDS church president, so for me this book was an insight not only into Thomas Monson in particular but into the life of a modern day apostle. Since he has been influential for 40 plus years within the church, it also showed how the church was influenced by his inspiration and hard work as well as what he witnessed in lea More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 07, 2011

Larsen rated it:

I rate this book at five stars because of its subject. We all need to learn more about Thomas S. Monson and to learn to follow his example. I particularly enjoyed learning more about President Monson's growing up, his early life, and family background. He is a real person after all and came from a real family that had its weaknesses and many strengths. Also the book was extremely informative and very inspirational about all that President Monson helped to accomplish in what was East Germany. More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 12, 2012

Tamhack rated it:

His character is truly Christlike. He is very close to the spirit and always looking a ways to server others in the Church and outside of the Church. He is truly the Lord's prophet to the World here on the earth today. He had many fine examples and mentors.

He is always the optimist. "For President Monson, being made "whole" does not mean being fixed, repaired, or made good as new. Wholeness is much more that that; it is a description of a life on earth filled with the S More...

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Feb 10, 2012

Emily rated it:

It was a treat to learn about Thomas S. Monson's life and the responsibilities of leaders for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I had no idea how rigorous the schedule is for general authorities of the church (sometimes he would be gone for 5 weeks at a time overseeing the church members in the Pacific, Europe, etc) and how supportive their wives and children need to be. I found myself in tears several times, overwhelmed by some of the Christ-like accounts of President Monson's More...

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Aug 08, 2011

Jody rated it:

This is a hefty tome but well worth the read. The five stars really are attributed to President Thomas S. Monson, current President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and Prophet of God here on the earth today. If I were rating the author, it may only earn four stars, but she did a really good job at this monumental task anyway. I read the biography of President Gordon B. Hinckley by Sheri S. Dew and loved it so much that I then listened to the whole thing on audio. I guess More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 07, 2011

Danette rated it:

I loved reading about President Monson. He is such a kind and thoughtful person who reaches out to individuals in such a unique way. His life is inspiring and makes you want to be a better person. I finished this book on a plane ride from Aruba to Miami. As I was finishing it, I noticed the man next to me was looking at his phone and I saw "The Chruch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" on the screen. I asked him if he was a member. He said Yes. He was from the Dominican Republ More...

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Jul 07, 2011

Dave rated it:

I had a hard time keeping a consistent interest in the book, there were some chapters I really enjoyed, however they were few and far between. I think the author was trying to write a tribute rather than a biography.....still some really good stories worth reading like the chapters that covered his service in communist Germany. In all, I really enjoyed learning more about Thomas Monson and have really gained an appreciation for the kind and compassionate person he is

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 16, 2012

Amy rated it:

This book was inspiring, faith-promoting, testimony-building. It changed me. I learned so many things - not only about Thomas S. Monson, but also about church organization, church history. etc. It helped me develop a deeper love for this remarkable man and strengthened my testimony in many ways. I highly recommend it to everyone because there is so much to be gained from it. There was just one thing that bothered me a tiny bit about this book - and I hate to even sound like I am complaining More...

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Jul 22, 2011

Alan rated it:

There are a select few books over the years that have literally changed my perspective and made a real difference in my life. This book is one of those. I think I just read it at the right time and place in my life for it to hit me the way it did. I would recommend this book to anyone, whether they be of the LDS faith or not. The characteristics that make President Monson so special are applicable to anyone, anywhere, at anytime.

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 07, 2011

Kendra rated it:

I'm not good at writing reviews and, in this case, I'm sure I wouldn't do it justice. There were times when I thought the author jumped around a little much but I gave it 5 stars because of the impact it had on me. I came away realizing what a great man Pres. Monson is and I'm sure he's humble enough that he was uncomfortable with the idea of a biography written about him. What a Christ-like life he has led.

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Aug 21, 2011

Greg rated it:

While the subject matter of this book is definite 5-star material, the execution left very much to be desired. So many entire paragraphs in this book were simply lists of names or dates or places with absolutely no point. Honestly, I would rather read Leviticus and Numbers than ever pick this book up again. This author would labor over details of the background of a anecdote, only to complete it without giving any of the important details of the resolution. One in particular stands out in my More...

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Jul 07, 2011

Jeff rated it:

I was inspired. There are not many books that cause me to think about myself, but this one did. His life and his character are a wonderful example of true Christianity. He exemplifies the pure love of Christ, and his life story is more about one on one interactions with the humble than it is about leadership and association with the lofty.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 16, 2011

Ruth rated it:

3.5 stars.

Most of you probably know that Thomas S. Monson is the current president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He is an absolutely fascinating man. One of his strengths is his personal warmth and love for other people. In 2009, Slate.com ranked him number one in its list of eighty most powerful octogenarians in American.

This book is full of lots of details and many wonderful anecdotes about President Monson, but overall, it was kind of uneven writ More...

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Jul 07, 2011

Lydia rated it:

The first few pages were slow for me (though interesting) but I flew through the last 400 pages. What an amazing example of caring about every single person. I have found myself sharing stories and insights from this book many times over. I also found his time behind the wall in Germany fascinating.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 18, 2011

Zinger rated it:

This was a very well written biography about Thomas S. Monson. I realized one of the major differences between him and I, is that he looks at the world and sees all the positive things in it and is attracted to it. I see lots of negative things in the world and am repulsed by it. A big difference in how to view the world.

The only reason I did not give the book 5 stars, was because I thought the it was lacking in talking about his challenges in life. The book covers a lot of topics, More...

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Jul 07, 2011

Loralee rated it:

Several years ago, my sister Barbara and I were attending a Women's Conference at BYU. Pres. Monson was the concluding speaker of the Friday afternoon session. We were so excited to hear him speak that we didn't leave the Marriott Center all day. As each session ended, we moved closer and closer to the front of the large room until we had extremely good seats. When President Monson walked into the room, we reverently stood. The Spirit confirmed that he was an apostle of God. As he spoke th More...

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Jul 07, 2011

Nathan rated it:

I truly enjoyed this book and came away with an even stronger testimony that Thomas S. Monson is truly God's prophet on the earth today and that he is a true disciple of Jesus Christ. I hope to be a better person as a result of reading this book.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 13, 2011

Kyle rated it:

My mother said it best when she stated: "This book is a priesthood training manual." The way President Monson lives his life and conducts his affairs is so very different than the rest of us. He has no hidden agenda or selfish intention. What he values and places priority on is to help others feel good and to serve them.
Now, this review needs to be on the book, not the life of the man. The book was well written. It started a lot stronger than it ended but it still carried with i More...

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Jul 10, 2011

Camzcam rated it:

Whether or not you believe he is a prophet, the biography of Thomas S. Monson should convince anyone that he is a truly compassionate and Christian man. This was an inspiring read that brought tears to my eyes many times--I was sorry to have it end. The only negative I can say is that the writing at times became a little too detailed and tedious. I really didn't need to know the name of every board, committee, and organization that President Monson served on...after a while, they all began to More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 06, 2011

Becky rated it:

There are times when a truly significant book affects my life. This is one. Some of my favorite quotes:
"The five most important words in the English language are "I am proud of you." The four most important are "What is your opinion?" The three most important are "If you please." The two most important are "Thank you." The least important is "I."

He measures the abundant life by the capacity "to face trouble with More...

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Feb 02, 2012

Melissa T rated it:

One of the best books I've ever read. I found myself crying again and again as I read about the incredible things President Monson has done. We have often about how personable he is, and stories about him going off to the rescue of the one. It was awe-inspiring to so many of those stories in one place, and then to find out how much ELSE he has done! I read it on my Kindle, but I think I'm going to buy the hard copy so that I can read it again and mark it up.

It was a book I was sa More...

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Dec 19, 2011

Heather rated it:

Such an inspiring book--Swinton repeats many times how people's lives are changed by coming in contact with Pres. Monson. I feel like I'm a better person just for reading about his life. I'm so impressed with all the dedication and time he has put into the Church--especially service he has given to individuals, and the value he places on individuals over policies/meetings. I want to be more like him. I loved learning more about Monson's childhood and time as a bishop and mission president, a More...

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Feb 17, 2012

Sandra rated it:

I feel a little guilty giving a prophet's biography less than five stars but I really did not care for Heidi Swinton's writing. I absolutely loved Sheri Dew's biography of President Gordon B. Hinckley. President Monson's biography was not sufficiently in chronological order for me. It felt like we were jumping from one year to another, one continent to another as if one story reminded her of another. I really did not come away feeling I had learned anything new about President Monson. It se More...

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Oct 02, 2011

Matt rated it:

This is as much a history of the modern church as it is a biography of President Monson. President Monson has basically been at the center of the church for almost 50 years. This book tells the story of how the church became what it is today and how President Monson participated in and influenced the process. I, like many other reviewers, did not particularly like the style of the writer. She repeats herself a lot. But the subject is so impressive, engaging, and inspirational that I never wanted More...

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Aug 05, 2011

Matt rated it:

Excellent book. I think Swinton did a great job selecting the stories and events to highlight as well as isolating a main theme. I've heard many of the stories before, in conference primarily, but she provides the context in a way that brings new light the the anecdotes. One thing I didn't like is that she occasionally made blanket statements about someone's goodness or abilities without immediately substantiating them - the kind of lily-gilding one can get away with in a religious setting bu More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Jul 07, 2011

Brad rated it:

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Certainly one of the best biographies. Besides being incredibly uplifting and inspiring, there is also fascinating history. I knew Thomas Monson is a great man, but I didn't know how much he has done behind the scenes for the expansion of the LDS church. Anyone familiar with divided Germany will be amazed at how he earned the trust of the Communist government, even as a religious leader. It is inspiring to read about the faithful East More...

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Sep 30, 2011

Kathrine rated it:

Normally Deseret Book publications are not my preferred genre, though I am a much better person for having read this one. I began it because my Book Club chose it, but I finished it (well over 500 pages) because I fell hopelessly in love with Pres. Monson. I proclaim him a Prophet of God, and a man who walks as closely to Christ's example as is mortally possible. He truly leaves the "99" in search of the "1". I was deeply touched by personal accounts where his ministry mad More...

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