Here I Stand

A Life of Martin Luther

By: Roland H. Bainton

Narrated by: Tom Weiner

Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

“I cannot and will not recant!…Here I stand.” This authoritative and inspiring story paints a vivid portrait of the crusader who spearheaded the Reformation. Considered one of the most readable biographies of Martin Luther, this volume looks at the German religious reformer and his influence on Western civilization.

Martin Luther entered a monastery as a youth and as a man shattered the structure of the medieval church, speaking out against the corrupt religious practices of the time. His demand that the authority for doctrine and practice be scriptures, rather than popes or councils, echoed around the world and ignited the great Reformation. Accused of heresy and threatened with excommunication and death, Luther maintained his bold stand and refused to recant. In his crusade to eliminate religious abuses, he did more than any other man to establish the Protestant faith.

With sound historical scholarship and penetrating insight, Roland Bainton examines Luther’s widespread influence. He re-creates the spiritual setting of the sixteenth century, showing Luther’s place within it and influence upon it. Here I Stand dramatically brings to life Martin Luther, the great reformer.

Roland H. Bainton (1894–1984), a specialist in Reformation history, was for forty-two years Titus Street Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Yale, and he continued writing well into his twenty years of retirement. He wore his scholarship lightly and had a lively, readable style. His most popular book, Here I Stand, sold more than a million copies.

©1950, 1977 Roland H. Bainton (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Easily the most readable Luther biography in English.” ( Time)

All believers need to read this book

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

.. Having this hard bound book in my library for years, but never had the time to read it. Makes me sad. Now listening to, Here I Stand, truly makes me understand what Martin Luther did for Christian growth. This book also encourages me to read my Bible and dig deeper. I also thank God for his servant Martin Luther.This will NOT be the last time I listen to this book. For I have listened to many self-help books in the past, but this one goes right to the core... my Spirit.

What did you like best about this story?

Understanding the Reformation and what it took to take on the Roman Catholic church within.

Have you listened to any of Tom Weiner’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to Tome Weiner before, but I truly enjoyed his voice.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes. My extreme reaction was anger. I'm mad that many ordained men/women of God become full of greed. Also, just because anyone who goes to a Protestant church does not mean their church leadership from the top down it is not immune.

Any additional comments?

This book should be read by new converts to the faith. To understand how greed can get into the church. Each one of us has the truth at our fingertips... called the Bible. Read it and ask the Holy Spirit for help.

An Excellent Book and Biography!!!

Would you consider the audio edition of Here I Stand to be better than the print version?

I loved the book so much I purchased a hard copy after I finished reading it. There are many wonderful period illustrations in the book version, which you do not see in the audio. Also, I think the print version is better in that sense that few renderings perfectly capture the spirit and voice of an author. Sometimes it was also a little difficult to determine where Martin Luther's quotes began and ended and where it was the words of the author. That being said, this is an excellent alternative for those who don't have the time to sit down read a larger volume, like myself! I would highly recommend it in its audio form.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Martin Luther! The book was about him of course. The author also takes the time to highlight many other important and relevant characters to the life of Martin Luther.

Which scene was your favorite?

The author does a masterful job of tracing the life of Martin Luther in a chronological fashion from birth to death, while also taking meaningful excursions to sample his writings and thought, as well as considering his historical setting. I really appreciated how he took the time to provide substantial, digestible quotes from Martin Luther's works. This gave you a real feel for and impression of the man himself from a direct source and was a great complement to the author's own narrative.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I was pretty well captivated by this book, considering it was a biography. I always looked forward to listening to it on the way to work. It is certainly not readable in the sense of a historical fiction, but it is definitely written in the general form of a narrative and would be easy to follow for most.

Any additional comments?

This is an excellent biography for any interested in Martin Luther. The author is fair and balanced in presenting Martin's strengths and weaknesses as well as relating to him in his cultural context. While he is certainly a formidable scholar, you will not find him overly critical, as many modern religious biographies can be. This is more the story of a man than the historical/critical evaluation of a life. Even though this biography is over 50 years old it is still good in content and well worth the read. I believe those of a Christian persuasion who value the life and contributions of Martin Luther will find this an excellent, readable, thorough, fair, and generally positive portrayal of his life. Those of other persuasions will also find a fair and readable biography that provides a good scope of the man and his thought. I also really appreciated the selected quotations and excerpts he provided from Martin Luther's own works. They give you a very good sense of who Martin was. I also found them incredibly insightful and, even, refreshing as a Christian myself. Sometimes I felt like I was listening to a sermon or reading a devotional when portions were shared. Overall an excellent biography and well worth the read for anyone interested.

The classic Luther Biography well read.

Would you listen to Here I Stand again? Why?

Yes, I found it a very good listen. The narrator has an even, confident tone which was easy to listen too. This book was a great walk through the life of one of history's most interesting, influencial and controversial figures - Martin Luther.

What about Tom Weiner’s performance did you like?

Tom Weiner has an even, confident tone which was easy to listen too. I found his voice welcoming and easy to learn from.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I have read several biographies of Martin Luther and his contemporaries. This one is susinct, down to business and covers Luther's life in a way which will be easy for a newcommer to learn from or the experience reader to enjoy and gain knowledge. It is not overly acedemic like so many others. Just a good biography the way they should be written.

No mention of Martin Luther and the Jews

This book is well written Martin Luther and covers many aspects of Luther’s life in detail. At the same time, this book omitted Luther’s rabid antisemitism which contributed to brutal violence against the Jewish people. This omission is inexcusable as it was a large part of Martin Lither's legacy. A few lines in last few minutes of the book completely misrepresent Luther's attitude, writings, and actions against the Jews. This is inexcusable.

It's good, but ...

An excellent overview of Luthers life and work, but it left a lot of details out as far as personal life is concerned. I know this is the gold standard for Luther studies and I am glad to have listened, but for more detailed account I will look elsewhere.

One of my seminary text books

The story of Luther and his world is told at great detail with good historical evidence. Bainton affirms facts and also appropriately admits when we do not have evidence of certain details of Lurher's life.
Narrator did a job of inflicting at the right times and the right amounts.

Kept me interested, challenged & enlightened

The only way I would have been able to read this book is on an audio version! The sheer length makes it an intimidating read, but I was hardly able to stop listening! The language in the book is a bit challenging to understand, which I think lends it even better to an audio version! I felt as if I was hearing Luther himself speak! There were so many tidbits that challenged my own thinking of Faith & religion and helped me see our history in new light. Highly 100% recommend this book!

Very comprehensive view of Luther’s life

The narrator did a splendid job! As an audio book this is a very good biography. I would probably have struggled to read this as a paper copy just because there were so many unusual names and words, plus I was not very familiar with old Catholicism and 14th century Europe. I gained a greater appreciation for this Reformer and what God did through him.

Amazing book

The book lays out Luther’s life so extravagantly that one cannot ignore. The audio portion of the book is read with such intensity and passion that I find myself listening to this audio book over and over agin!

One of the best

I have read many, many books on Martin Luther. This is by far and away one of the very best.

A Formidable Biography Superbly Read

As a confessional Lutheran I’m quite familiar with much of Luther’s writings but familiar enough with their stupendous quantity as well to say that ”much” in this context is a somewhat relative term. He wrote abundantly, preached even more, and there was always someone at hand to write down what he said.

There is, therefore, ample material for a Luther biography, then, and Bainton has certainly written a formidable one. It’s easy to read since it flows like a friendly conversation does, and it’s filled to the brim with citations from Luther that elucidate the historical context admirably to appreciate that the life he lived was as full of danger as it was of grace.

Tom Weiner’s reading of the audiobook is among the best I’ve come across lately. It’s like he’s the author himself and we’re enjoying a pint, or at the dinner table having a meal. He’s done lots of sci-fi, it seems. I have to find something else to hear him again, he’s that good.

A reliable and comprehensive survey.

This is, by far, the most balanced and broadly based biography of Luther that I have come across, and interesting that it is now over 70 years old.
There are facts and insights here that don’t appear elsewhere: his early superstitions; the relationship with Staupitz and the friendship with former persecutor Archbishop Albrecht of Mainz who sentLuther a wedding present.
There is still a tendency to skate over the last quarter of Luther’s life, but otherwise there are insightful chapters on his domestic life and sections dealing with art and music: quotations in translation of some of his verse are well placed and help in our appreciation of the breadth of his outlook. His theology and ethics are covered adequately and observations about him by contemporaries broaden the whole picture.
The socio-political setting is addressed in detail which in Luther’s life is all-important. The style is pleasant and the reading, though at times a little severe, is more than competent particularly with the German.

Superb

This does all a good biography should. It opens the whole setting: geography, politics, history, finance... We listened over dinner each evening and we are going to miss it. Beutifuly read by Tom Weiner.