I don't read a lot of biographies, and it was in reading Scott MacIntyre's By Faith, Not by Sight that I realized why. When I read a biography, I read to be changed. I consider a good biography one that compels me to live my own life differently afterwards.

Some biographies that have been significant in my life are:

The Autobiography of George Mueller
The Hiding Place
A Chance to Die
The Heavenly Man

To me, these biographies are somehow in a league apart from By Faith, Not By Sight.

In By Faith, Not By Sight, MacIntyre shows us a young man who overcame great odds to attain the American Dream. In contrast, the biographies that I find to be of greatest value depict someone who has cast aside the American Dream, and overcame great odds to live radically for Christ.

Please know that I don't wish to judge harshly the unique and God-given life-story that Scott MacIntyre has to tell. I can't claim that my own life story is a model of radical, inspirational devotion to Christ.

And of course, there are facets of MacIntyre's story that I found helpful and educational. I was particularly intrigued by his in-depth look into the world of kidney failure, dialysis & organ transplant. I had no idea of the impact that these medical conditions have on the lives of those who live with them!

MacIntyre, by God's grace, and thanks to medical intervention, has many years ahead of him. Perhaps someday we will have the true pleasure of reading a biography by a middle- or old-aged MacIntyre where he documents his journey beyond the American Dream and into the realm of the truly significant.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

--Jen