Review: Something Beautiful for God

Mother Teresa is an inspiring woman. Her life and work have stirred hearts for years. Although she didn't seek fame, her story brought her to the forefront of the world's attention. One of the most famous biographies written about her was Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm

Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge
Published by HarperOne on August 26, 2003
Genres: Biography
Pages: 160
Length: 2 hours and 59 minutes
Narrator: Wanda McCaddon, Leonard Muggeridge
Format: Paperback, Audiobook
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In celebration of Mother Teresa's beatification in October of 2003, HarperOne is proud to present a new edition of the classic work that introduced Mother Teresa to the Western world. Something Beautiful for God interprets her life through her conversations with Malcolm Muggeridge, the quintessential worldly skeptic who experienced a remarkable conversion to Christianity because of her exemplary influence. He hails her as a "light which could never be extinguished."

My Thoughts

This is a very thought provoking book inspired by the service of Mother Teresa. It seemed less of a biography than a testimony of Mother Teresa’s impact on the life of Malcolm Muggeridge. I went and read Teresa of Calcutta: Serving the Poorest of the Poor by D. Jeanene Watson to get more of the chronological story of Mother Teresa’s ministry.

Although it wasn’t a traditional biography, it was fascinating to see how an agnostic Englishman who was deeply invested in the intellectual influence of his day was captured by an ordinary Albanian woman who had dedicated her life to the poor.

This book brought knowledge of Mother Teresa to a world audience. It’s definitely worth reading.

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If you're looking for a more linear history of Mother Teresa's life, Teresa of Calcutta: Serving the Poorest of the Poor is an excellent option.

Teresa of Calcutta: Serving the Poorest of the Poor by D. Jeanene Watson, Rob Lawson
Published by Mott Media (MI) on November 30, 2000
Genres: Biography
Pages: 172
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Serving the Poorest of the Poor Agnes and her family lived in Macedonia in eastern Europe. Agnes eagerly read letters by missionaries from faraway places. She especially enjoyed the letters from Calcutta, India. Eventually Agnes arrived in Calcutta where she taught young, well-to-do girls. They knew her as Sister Teresa. Unsatisfied, Teresa searched for her calling in life. One day she decided to work with "the poorest of the poor." She conducted her first class in a public park. Only five street children attended. Despite the hardships, she stayed with the work. She knew that God had sent her to care for these people who had no one else to love them Teresa dressed in a simple white sari with a blue border. A safety pin held a cross at her left shoulder. She became a familiar sight in the slum streets of Calcutta. Teresa not only helped the poor, she became one of them. She told the girls she trained, "We will pattern our lives after their poverty. We are poor by choice. We want to be poor like Christ, who, being rich, chose to be born and live and work among the poor."