Charles Gardner reviews ‘Dangerous Hero’ by Tom Bower (William Collins, 2019).

If you want to know what a godless society looks like, just read this book.

I spent the best part of a fortnight thoroughly absorbed in Tom Bower’s intriguing, and very readable, biography of Jeremy Corbyn.

It wasn’t, however, always a pleasant experience - in view of its portrayal of a man who comes across as an inveterate liar with little fondness for people. But I trust that the book – which also serves as an excellent political history of Britain’s modern era – will prove an antidote to other aspiring Marxists, who hopefully will be sickened by the vitriol, abuse and hatred liberally dished out in the name of hard-left politics.

Animal Farm?

I think I can safely say that I was forever inoculated against Communism through reading George Orwell’s Animal Farm at school. It’s a pity that the young Corbyn apparently never read the collection of Orwell essays his mother gave him as a 16^th birthday present.

Respected biographer Tom Bower has performed a great service by further exposing the disgraceful anti-Semitism that has been allowed to spread through the Labour Party like gangrene, and may well prove its ultimate undoing.

The book also serves as an excellent political history of Britain’s modern era.

All who have stood against the Jews over several millennia have eventually come to a sticky end, though tragically not before inflicting terrible pain, heartache and humiliation.

That Corbyn keeps bouncing back from a series of often self-inflicted setbacks – whether through anti-Semitism or sheer incompetence – is a shocking indictment, not only of the Labour Party, but of the British electorate as a whole.

Need for Prayer

The author indicates that he was reluctant to tackle this project, but felt it necessary to discover the truth about a would-be Prime Minister who has been cagey about his past, and who apparently hates talking to journalists.

The one thing that became clearer to me than anything else on reading this book is that Jeremy Corbyn needs an encounter with Jesus Christ. Please pray that he has one – for his sake, and also because the alternative might well lead to Britain becoming the next totalitarian state.

‘Dangerous Hero: Corbyn’s ruthless plot for power’ (400pp hardcover, paperback) retails for £20. Available widely in bookshops and online, including on Amazon. Also available as an e-book and an audio-book.

Tom Bower is a British investigative journalist and biographer who has also written on such as Prince Charles, Tony Blair and Richard Branson.

Margaret Wiltshire reviews two biographies ahead of the Christmas break.

With so much unbelief in the truth of the Bible these days, including within the ‘Church’, it was a treat to read biographies of two Englishmen who have followed the Lord their entire lives.

One is five years older than me, the other five years younger. They have both created lasting legacies in God’s Kingdom; but how different their callings.

'Strands of Destiny' (2017, Sovereign World)

Peter Horrobin began his working life lecturing in college and university, and late moved into publishing. One day, while restoring a broken-down car, God spoke to him: “You could restore this broken car, but I can restore broken lives. Which is more important?” So began Peter’s search for what God meant him to do and finally the opening of Ellel Grange in Lancashire as the centre for a Christian healing ministry in 1986, 16 years after his original call to the healing ministry.

Peter’s model for the healing ministry has been replicated in two other centres in England: Glyndley Manor near Eastbourne, and Pierrepoint near Farnham. Ellel Ministries also has centres in 30 countries round the world; continuing to grow and spread the fragrance of Christ and his healing love. Peter remains international director.

This easy-to-read book about how God prepared Peter for his life’s calling and established his ministry over a period of several decades is encouraging and faith-building

‘Strands of Destiny: How God used a crashed car to envision and build a ministry that touches the nations’ (464pp) is available from the publisher for £14.99. Also on Amazon Kindle. Find out more about Peter’s life and work on his blog.

'A Man After God’s Own Heart' (2017, Eurovision)

David Hathaway’s biography is a much more challenging read. An evangelist from his early years, he found himself unwanted by the Church in this country. In 1959 he heard that there was to be a World Pentecostal Conference in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost in 1961. He wanted to be there, but had no money to buy an air ticket, so he decided to go by car and set up an expedition to take paying passengers.

Everyone said it was impossible, but his own father had taught him ‘that there is no such word in the English language as ‘can’t’’. His was the first overland trip - and it generated so much interest that he was almost forced to set up his own travel company. This led him to several Eastern European countries, through which he had been travelling, taking Bibles to the underground churches.

Eventually he was caught and spent a year in a Communist prison in Czechoslovakia. What he endured. How he learnt to pray! What vision and courage he had after his release, to proclaim the Good News to people. What miracles he has seen as he has evangelised in the former Soviet bloc. And now God has given him a heart for our own nation.

David’s own remarkable story definitely comes with a challenge to the reader. While we are not all called to ‘live on the edge’ in the way that he has, we are all called to deepen our relationship with the Lord and to grow our faith. Are we ready to step out, in our land, and see great things happen for the Kingdom?

‘David Hathaway: A man after God’s own heart’ (254pp, paperback) is written by Katie Morris and Timofey Medvedev. Available from the publisher for £10. On Amazon Kindle for less.