In this toothless, expletives-deleted biography of White House-operative-turned-prison-evangelist Charles Colson, Perry (Unshakable Faith) follows Colson's rise to the top of the Washington food-chain as Nixon's consummate "hatchet man"; his tearful acceptance of Jesus Christ as his savior; his brief imprisonment for obstruction of justice in connection with the burglary of the office of Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist; and his resurrection as head of Prison Fellowships, an evangelical ministry to the nation's penitentiaries. Perry insists that the book, which concludes with a chapter entitled "Chuck's Message to Us" written by Colson himself, is not an "authorized" biography; but even the parts not written by Colson judge him leniently. Perry accepts at face value Colson's claim that he knew nothing of the Ellsberg break-in, even though the facts he relates-that Colson hired the men who organized it, secured them cash, interceded with Administration officials to win approval for their missions, and pointedly forbade them to tell him details of their operations-suggest that Colson deliberately turned a blind eye to patently illegal activities. And if Colson the operative is shown in a favorable light, Colson the born-again activist wears a veritable halo (it was the "inworking of the heart by the Holy Spirit that was the key to Prison Fellowship's success"). Colson's large evangelical following may enjoy this story of spiritual uplift, but readers in search of an objective appraisal of the man should turn elsewhere.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Product Description
Before he was forty, ex-marine captain Charles Colson was appointed special counsel to President Richard Nixon; he was Nixon's Watergate hatchet man. By the time Nixon resigned in the summer of 1974, Colson was a convicted felon. In prison, his religious conversion, which had begun before he started his sentence, was fortified and reaffirmed. When he was released, he founded Prison Fellowship Ministries, which is now the largest prison outreach in history.
For the first time, John Perry tells the whole story of Colson's life and conversion and holds him up as dramatic proof that no one is beyond God's power to save.
About the Author
John Perry is the author of Sgt. York: His Life, His Legend, & Legacy. His previous books have covered subjects as sports, politics, and religion. He resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
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3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
 Watergate Revisited,
John Perry does an excellent job of revisiting Watergate through the eyes of the guy who supposedly would run over his own grandma to get Richard Nixon elected. Like the previous statement there is much we think we know of Colson which is actually the stuff of mythology. For instance, he was convicted of Watergate-related crimes, right? You are wrong Bebe Rebozo breath!!! (Read the book and find out about his actual self-inflicted conviction.) Perry's research is thorough and his storytelling and pace compelling. He caused me to do something I have never done before. I picked up the book at 8 PM on a Saturday night and didn't put it down until I was finished at 4:30 AM. The next morning my pastor wanted to know why I was yawning during his sermon... offered fresh perspective and riveting detail to the still unfolding story that is Chuck Colson's legacy as a man and as a Christian. |
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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
 Hagiography for the 21st century,
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