Katharina and Martin Luther

Katharina and Martin Luther *****
by Michelle DeRusha

Overview: The marriage of Martin Luther and Katharina Von Bora was a bit scandalous at the time since Luther was a monk and Von Bora a nun. So how did they end up married? DeRusha uses letters from Martin Luther to piece together the story of their marriage and their life together.

Positive elements: well-written, interesting, easy to read

Negative elements: DeRusha admits that much of the story, especially from Katharina's point of view, is a mystery since we don't have many of her letters. So, some of the book includes speculation about their relationship. DeRusha does do a good job of pointing out some of the different theories that people have about some of the disputed points.

Conclusion: I tried to read another book about Luther and Katharina and put it down. It was basically a romance novel created about their story. This book is not written like a novel. It's written like a history book. Not only did I learn about the importance of their marriage, but the far reaching effects of Martin Luther and his reformation on marriage in general. She starts from Katharina's and Martin's childhoods and takes you all through their lives. It's truly a fascinating read.

This is an interesting book I'd recommend for men or women.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.