Hanspeter Nüesch has done an admirable job collecting a huge variety of information to present in this book, which is essentially about the love story between Ruth and Billy Graham, and how both sides of the relationship brought together their strengths in order to make the crusades possible that affected a generation.
I’m liking
There are stacks of books on Billy Graham and the crusades he fronted. This book is different in that it focuses as much on Ruth as on Billy, and it is extremely well researched. The author (head of Campus Crusade for Christ in Switzerland) is a friend of the Grahams and his admiration for them and what they have achieved is obvious. It has been published with the full support of the Grahams, so that adds credit to the material used.
Things that made me go hmmmm
At times, the chapters can be a bit hard to really get into. Because the account is not directly personal, but is relayed in third person through what the author knows from both personal contact with the Grahams as well as research he has done, I felt a bit detached from what I was reading in places. There are many quotations from other sources and images to carry you through, but I still found my thoughts wandering at times.
The conclusion
This is an enjoyable title, and if you are interested in the Grahams and how their personal life has been affected by their public commitments, then you will find some gems here. There are accounts that have not been otherwise published, and it is heartening to read of their humility and humanity – the ‘real’ people who committed their lives to faith in God and despite struggles, saw the incredible impact of their ministry.
Ruth & Billy Graham: The Legacy of a Couple is published by Lion Hudson and distributed in New Zealand by New Holland. The RRP is $24.99.
