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Filled with tales of adventure in an exotic land, one that has long since vanished, this book can be read as just another colonial Africa travel/adventure book. What makes it so much more is the unique character of the adventurer and story-teller himself, Dr. Albert Schweitzer. Already famous as a musician, theologian, philosopher and writer, in 1913 Schweitzer left a comfortable life among the intellectual elite of Europe to pursue a difficult path of personal service to the suffering natives of what was then French Equatorial Africa (present-day Gabon). What he accomplished there as a "jungle doctor" would later earn him the Nobel Peace Prize of 1952 as well as inspire others to pursue their own paths of service.

The first of four books on his work in Africa, this one tells the story of Schweitzer's first visit to Africa from 1913 to 1916, when he and his wife Helene established a hospital in Lambarene, on the Ogooue river. He describes their experiences fighting diseases like sleeping sickness, malaria and leprosy as well as army ants, snakes, spiders and the primeval forest itself. There are chapters about the history and climate of the region, the customs of the natives, the local timber trade and relations between colonial whites and natives.

The moving final chapter presents Schweitzer's concept of the "Fellowship of those who bear the Mark of Pain" and his hope that its members would join him in the humanitarian task of providing medical help to the suffering poor throughout the world.

ABOUT THIS ACTONIAN PRESS EDITION

Based on the original 1922 edition, this complete and unabridged kindle edition includes all the text and formatting and the 16 photographs and sketch map of the original. To this has been added an active table of contents, active list of illustrations and active outline. ... Read more

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The worldly and spiritual odyssey of one of the twentieth century's greatest men. ... Read more

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A window into the shared lives of two of the world's best-known humanitarians.

This book provides the only personal portrait of Schweitzer, here as a young man on a quest to better the lot of humankind, and of the woman who helped to shape that pursuit. Schweitzer was twenty-six and Helene Bresslau twenty-two when they met. He was preparing for an academic life in theology and philosophy, while his skill as a musician supplemented his intellectual work. Helene stepped beyond the conventions of the day by entering the nursing field, by founding a welfare program for single mothers, and fearlessly stating her own opinions. While Schweitzer searched for his path, Bresslau provided the sounding board for many of his ideas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Sensitive, moving and inspiring...
This is a fine biography of one of the greatest humanitarians of the twentieth century. During his lifetime, (ninety years) Schweitzer the great man transformed into Schweitzer the great myth; the great white hope, saving the bodies and souls of the primitive black man of Africa. In our post colonial age, with its post modern, abstract cultural theories of the `other', Schweitzer became an easy target for cultural critics, using the man and his work as representative of everything evil about the self-perceived superiority of Western man over `primitive cultures'. It is without question, that, for the most part, European imperialism justified their greedy exploitation of developing countries as efforts to `civilize' them. Our culture, knowledge and religion were superior to these `savages', and while we stole their natural resources, we gave them enlightenment. Further to this, however, as we stole and enlightened, we also gave them our diseases, which, in some cases, virtually wiped out entire peoples. From the very beginning, Albert Schweitzer was aware of the European's injustices to these people, and deeply felt some kind of atonement or restitution had to be made.Schweitzer's intention was to essentially help; his inspiring example paved the way for present humanitarian organizations to make a difference or at least become more effective in their aid. This biography successfully dismantles the `great white hope' myth, and presents the man as an insightful critic of Western values and traditional theology, a man who lived his philosophy - or as Schweitzer said, "Live his argument". One can never truly understand or judge someone based on what they say or what they write; only through the results of a person's actions can we really know them. Marshall and Poling's biography of Schweitzer includes his writing and many quotes from conversations and interviews, but argue his greatness from the stand point of his actions. In other words, his fifty years of service and the establishment of the Lambarene hospital, speaks for itself.

Schweitzer became aware of his mission to serve his fellow travellers on this planet somewhat late in life. An established philosopher and theologian at age thirty, a principal of a respected seminary, he awoke one morning to realize everything life had given him, and it was time to give back. After reading an article calling for trained medical staff to work in West Africa, he knew what he needed to do. Against heavy opposition from family and friends, he returned to university as a mature-aged student to study medicine, attaining his degree. The public know much about his early life but as his daughter, Rhena Schweitzer, writes in the Forward, "It is the first biography that gives an account of the last years of my fathers live. It helps explain and dissipates some of the false ideas about his relationship to the Africans." This book dispels these falsehoods and myths, and is also a sensitive and objective appraisal of a man and his life.

An inspiring read.

'My Life Is My Argument' Albert Schweitzer
A brilliant bravo to a task well done. G. Marshall & D. Poling have captured succinctly the life of the last of the 'Enlightenment' minds. Albert Schweitzer was true to the principles of reason, naturalism and thought. He took these principles and undauntedly applied them to his religion and his culture. Albert Schweitzer was a critic of Christianity and modern civilization and this book captures Albert Schweitzer, "the critic".

In the world and church around him he saw conformity and the lack of individual reflection. This is a book about a nonconformism, a brilliant theologian/philosopher and a humanitarian genius.

Unlike other biographies of Schweitzer I have read, these authors write with a fluid, engaging style, pulling you closer to the man that they knew and profiled. Albert Schweitzer lived 90 years and the length of his life is a challenge that biographers must face. They must capture the individualistic spirit of Albert Schweitzer youth, the brilliance of his middle years and the tenacity of his old age.

Albert Schweitzer's Nobel Peace Prize in 1953 spoke of his sacrificial work in Africa, his vital practical philosophy of life, his call to clear comprehension of the historic Jesus that Christianity needs to embrace, his musical brilliance, his compassion for the animal kingdom and his love of healing. Yet, to brush stroke with ink a portrait of this unbelievable figure is a demanding undertaking and Marshall and Poling have done it right, and they did right to one of the greatest personalities of the twentieth century. Strongly recommended. 4.5 Stars. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

THE SCHWEITZER ALBUM
I had heard about this book many years ago but it was not until I started to write my own article about Dr Schweitzer for a forthcoming issue of THE ORGAN CLUB JOURNAL I decided to try to find this long ago published book.

The first advertised copy with an American dealer had been sold and not removed from the Amazon website, and the seller was very slow to refund and cancel my credit card payment. However, undeterred, I found a second dealer who sent me the book, and added post at his cost so that I would get it quickly - I have already praised his services in my feedback, plus acknowledged directly to him.

The book is exactly the detail I was seeking, and it also confirmed some personal memories having spent 3 days being shown the organ by Dr Schweitzer 53 years ago

Schweitzer left a legacy to the organ world that is celebrated still, he is still being honoured with stamps 45 years after his death, and his name lives on in medical fields and in his name that is used a hospital in Haiti, and elsewhere.

A Nobel prize winner, Christian, medic, organist, peacemaker, author and family- the world owes him a lot - his memory is covered in this book.

Classic Schweitzer Photos
More of Erica Anderson's wonderful pictures of Albert Schweitzer in color and black and white.She notes that she had made 19 trips to Lamberene and had shot approximately 7000 color pictures and 26,000 in black and white.Lovers of Schweitzer's philosophy will be delighted in this vision of his life in practice. The book should be five stars, but the quality of the paper deserved to be higher for this amazing record of a great man.Still, it's a classic work. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Don't buy this edition.
This edition is printed by some sort of robot process which is supposed to assure cheaper availability.
There is no table of contents, there are no breaks for chapter headings, and there are no illustrations.
That means no musical examples.
Sometimes it's hard to understand for the typo's.
I feel like a fool for buying this edition anyway, because there are cheaper offers for
the Dover edition.

I just finished ordering the Dover edition and throwing away this one. ... Read more

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The first publication of Schweitzer's sermons that speakdirectly to today's needs. ... Read more

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Discover How to Know the Power of God
Reverence For Life is a powerful book by Albert Schweitzer.
Why is it powerful?
This is a book of Sermons made from the early 1900s.The Topics covered were
How to be true to yourself, The Courage of Action, Overcoming Death, and Peace of God in our life,etc.
He explained the power of Christ in simple yet powerful ways. My favorite passage of the book is "To this day, Christ is a power in allwho from their hearts accept him as Savior. The power you have within is invisible from the outside.From all bitter conflicts you shall arise strengthened and renewed. Nothing will harm you."

I loved this passage because in this day and time to know the love of God is important to joy and hope in our life.When problems come about in our life, it's comforting to know that a power that is available to all of us can withstand the any turmoil.It's up to us to trust and know for ourselves.Reverence for Life helps you to want to know God more and have a relationship with God.This book is excellent for those who want comfort from problems that life brings our way.A sure way to learn the peace of God. ... Read more

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Text and photographs chronicle Schweitzer's childhood, young manhood, sixty-year medical practice in Africa, accomplishments as author and musician, and fame as a champion of humanitarian causes. ... Read more

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Historical biography, prelude to Doctors withour Borders, ... Read more

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Albert Schweitzer maintained that the idea of "Reverence for Life" came upon him on the Ogowe River as an "unexpected discovery, like a revelation in the midst of intense thought."While Schweitzer made numerous significant contributions to an incredible diversity of fields - medicine, music, biblical studies, philosophy and theology - he regarded Reverence for Life as his greatest contribution and the one by which he most wanted to be remembered.Yet this concept has been the subject of a range of distortions and misunderstandings, both academic and popular.In this book, Ara Barsam provides a new interpretation of Schweitzer's reverence and shows how it emerged from his studies of German philosophy, Indian religions, and his biblical scholarship on Jesus and Paul.

By throwing light on the origin and development of Schweitzer's thought, Barsam leads his readers to a closer appreciation of the contribution that reverence makes to current ethical issues. Whereas previous commentators have focused on "reverence for life" as a philosophical ethic located in that tradition, this book demonstrates that it is in fact Schweitzer's theology that provides the hitherto undiscerned foundation for his ethic.Even among those who herald Schweitzer as the one who brought "reverence" to Christianity, there exists a tendency to underemphasize how his thinking also developed from his pivotal encounter with Indian religions.As Barsam shows, it is impossible to grasp the nature and the significance of Barsam's contribution without addressing that link.

Life-centered ethics - in the broadest sense - have continued to flourish, yet Schweitzer's pioneering contribution is often overlooked.Not only did he help establish the issue on the moral agenda, but, most significant, he also provided much sought after philosophical and theological foundations.Schweitzer emerges from this critical study of his life and thought as a remarkable individual who should rightfully be regarded as a moral giant of the twentieth-century. ... Read more

Product Description
I devoted years to the study of the teachings of one of the world's great humanitarians, the medical missionary, theologian, philosopher, organist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Dr. Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965).I thought about his life and pondered over his statements, such as: "When you portray me it should be not as the doctor who ministered to the sick. It is my philosophy of 'Reverence for Life' that I consider my primary contribution to the world", and "Will we be able again to entertain and exercise ideals which transform reality? This is the question before us today." I found that his words are as valid today, as when he spoke them. In 'Physician of the Soul', I used letters I had addressed the 'Man of the Century', Albert Schweitzer. I used this format as a process to describe the changes in consciousness occurring as I proceed with my quest for growth, truth and understanding.I describe my childhood and my experience of marriage and divorce, to my mentor and teacher, who had become my ideal of what a human being is capable of becoming. I address the subjects of meditation, reincarnation, karma, intuition, responsibility, purpose and how they relate to our destiny. By pressing beyond the limitations of thoughts, often born of doubt, ignorance and fear, I discovered that I am a soul growing through every experience. Life is the journey, leading us to the path, not only of self-discovery, but a journey of remembrances. I talk to my teacher about the truth I discovered, that life itself is my teacher. Looking at myself has been the most painful, and at the same time, the most liberating experience of my life. I also found that comparison to someone else causes pain, suffering and unhappiness. I present the reader with the opportunity to undertake his or her own courageous journey towards liberation and self-healing, as "Know Thyself" becomes the quest.In letters to Dr. Schweitzer, I attempt to address the biggest mystery since the question "Who am I" was first ... Read more

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Deep insight into the spirfitual inner life of Dr. Schweitzer
This book will enrich and enlighten those who are seeking.It also proves that Schweitzer is still teaching us from beyond the grave. ... Read more

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Publisher: London : A. ... Read more

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USA $ 15.00/ CANADA $20.00"I cannot but have Reverencefor all that is called lifr. I cannot avoidcompassion for everything that is called life. That is the beginning and foundation of morality. "' Albert Schweitzerpanning many decades and a host of topics, this rich collection of the wordsof Albert Schweitzer offers a glimpse into the life and thought of an eminent humanitarian.

"Reverence for Life" was Schweitzer's unifying term for a concept of ethics. He believed that such an ethic would reconcile the drives of altruism and egoism by requiring a respect for the lives of all other beings and by demanding the highest development of an individual's resources. The thread of this inspirational belief appears throughout his deeply insightful writings. Excerpts from previously(continued from front flap)unpublished letters to John F. Kennedy, Norman Cousins, Bertrand Russell, and others show how truly committed Schweitzer was to creating a global consciousness and cultivating a dignity toward all people. A foreword by Schweitzer's daughter, Rhena Schweitzer Miller, an introduction by the editor, and a brief biographical sketch of Schweitzer's life round out this stunning collection of quotations.ALBERT SCHWEITZER (1875-1965) was an Alsatian theologian, musician, and medical missionary. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952.HAROLD E. ROBLES is Founder and President of the Albert Schweitzer Institute for the Humanities.Jacket design: Terni DriscollAuthor photograph: Dr. Joel and Jean Mattison, Courtesy of Princeton Seminaty Archives(continued on back flap) ... Read more

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Albert Schweitzer, philosopher, physician, Nobel Peace Laureate, theologian, and musician, developed a character-oriented ethics focused on self-realization, nature-centered spirituality, and moral idealism which anticipated the current renaissance of virtue ethics. Schweitzer's idea of 'reverence for life' underscores the contribution of moral ideals to self-realization, connects ethics to spirituality without religious dogma, and outlines a pioneering environmental ethics that bridges the gap between valuing life in its unity and valuing individual organisms. In this book, Mike W. Martin interprets Schweitzer's 'reverence for life' as an umbrella virtue, drawing together all the more specific virtues, in particular: authenticity, love, compassion, gratitude, justice and peace loving, each of which Martin discusses in an individual chapter. Martin's treatment of his subject is sympathetic yet critical and for the first time clearly places Schweitzer's environmental ethics within the wider framework of his ethical theory. ... Read more

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This work offers coverage of the musical side of the life and work of Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965), who was also the theologian and medical missionary who won the Nobel Prize in 1952. Schweitzer's recital work, his skills as an organist and his editing and writing contributions are covered. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Albert Schweitzer: Man & Mind
Although dated, this remains the finest biography of Albert Schweitzer out there.Seaver, who knew Schweitzer well, goes into detail sharing the events of Schweitzer's life and how they shaped the thought of this outstanding individual and his philosophy ofreverence for life.Well written, informative, an excellent resource

Finest Book on Schweitzer
This is the finest book on the life and works of Albert Schweitzer.It may be a worshipful biography, but the man deserves the praise.My favorite passage is from page 39 as follows:"In every field of knowledge that he had set his mind to -- Biblical Criticism, History, Theology, Philosophy, Literature, Languages; Music, both in theory and technique; Organ-building, both in its science and its craft -- Schweitzer had been a serious explorer, no mere visitor in any of those realmsThere is no need to specify the particular branches which the study of each of these general subjects must involve.But it may be as well to set beside them the several branches of the science which he now set himself to master with equal thoroughnessand zest.The subjects of his pre-clinical course were as follows:Anatomy, Physiology, Chemistry, Physics, Zoology, Botany.And in his clinical course these:Medicine, Surgery, Gynaecology, Psychiatry, Bacteriology, Pathological Anatomy, Pharmacology.Taken in conjunction with his former studies, it may be said that this represents a mental and moral achievement that can scarcely be paralleled."Of course, Schweitzer states all of his accomplishments in a matter-of-fact way in his Autobiography (one of the best in the form) but here Seaver opens our eyes to the magnitude of his intellectual life.And what a life!What the world needs now (and can always use) is a man of such ability and reverence for all of the manifectations of life on this planet.Seaver goes into great depth with all of Schweitzers theological and philosophical works.This IS the definitive biography. ... Read more