The 21

Reviews

The twenty-one Libya martyrs have given the world an example of faithful, resilient Christian witness that has touched and brought together the full breadth of Christian expression around the world. Their prayers in the face of death have not only resonated with Christians, but have also encouraged people of all faiths to stand for one another. I am grateful for Martin Mosebach’s faithful depiction of these courageous men, their families, communities, and church.--Archbishop Angaelos, Coptic Orthodox Church Take[s] us deep into the lives and churches of these Coptic believers, with Mosebach exhibiting an attention to detail befitting his novelistic gifts….We gain a rich impression of what shaped the lives and faith of these martyrs, and we witness how their martyrdom reverberates to this day through their families, churches, and communities.--Christianity Today A consuming work on the history and contemporary life of Coptic Christians. . . . Through immersive scenes and finely drawn portraits of the people he meets, Mosebach exhibits a clear admiration for the Copts’ devotion on every page.--Publishers Weekly The 21 is not for the faint of heart, particularly at the outset. But it is an important book, given that it describes the persecution of a group of Christians who are at the heart and root of the faith today. To turn away from this story would be to dishonor the 21 men.--National Catholic Register Martin Mosebach is a superb journalist. Virtually nothing escapes his gaze, and he glosses over nothing. --Hannes Stein, Die Welt Mosebach has mastered a rare art: maintaining deep respect for the other. . . . Not a single detail loses its magic in this moving, impressive book: it reads like a ray of light, illuminating Western blind spots and foreign worlds. --Alexander Cammann, Die Zeit Martin Mosebach is undoubtedly one of the most intelligent, original, and powerfully eloquent poets of the present day. --Ulrich Greiner, Die Zeit Few contemporary writers have delved so deeply into the disturbing experiences of such an entirely different world and way of life. --HR 2 Mosebach provides striking images of a singular Christianity unfamiliar to many Christians outside of the Middle East.… Through immersive scenes and finely drawn portraits of the people he meets, he exhibits a clear admiration for the Coptic devotion on every page. This will appeal to Christians as well as readers wanting to understand the lives of minorities in Muslim countries.--Publishers Weekly Mosebach is not interested in investigating ISIS. His purpose is to discover the power of the Coptic church in the lives of its followers--a power he makes clear is not that of a death-embracing cult but that of a vibrant, joyful church. Indeed, reading this account gives the reader a glimpse of what it must have been like to be an early Christian during the persecutions in ancient Rome.--The Catholic Herald Mosebach asks us to not look away but rather to look directly into the faces and lives of these martyrs. By doing so we of the lands of plenty and waning faith may find something that we have lost and may yet regain…but not without cost.--Cornerstone Forum Mosebach has a novelist's insight and way with words. The 21 is also a fine piece of journalism. It helps us to understand, if not the ferocity of the killers, the quiet heroism--the ordinary heroism, perhaps--of the martyrs.--Christian Today Although I would like very much to visit Egypt, I think I never would have seen all the things Mosebach was able to see. What he has written is a meditation on the profound sense of prayer he found in the Coptic Church, the depth of mystery in her liturgy, the valor of the witness of a minority that has been persecuted for 1,400 years, the reality of faith to be experienced in the poor and the powerless.--Msgr. Richard Antall, Angelus News Take[s] us deep into the lives and churches of these Coptic believers, with Mosebach exhibiting an attention to detail befitting his novelistic gifts….We gain a rich impression of what shaped the lives and faith of these martyrs, and we witness how their martyrdom reverberates to this day through their families, churches, and communities.--Christianity Today Expand reviews