A sampling of martyr accounts from Martyrs Mirror.
932403
MIRROR OF THE MARTYRS is based upon a book called MARTYRS MIRROR.  MARTYRS MIRROR, written in 1660, is 1150+ pages revealing the history of the Christian doctrine and martyrs from the time of Christ forward. The  majority of the book focuses on Anibaptist martyrs.  I do not recommend  MIRROR OF THE MARTYRS as a prelude to reading MARTYRS MIRROR.  I highly  recommend it as a followup.  It presents history about the pictures used in  MARTYRS MIRROR, and presents them in the midst of 28 accounts repeated from  MARTYRS MIRROR.  It also gives a history of MARTYRS MIRROR's author, and  the artist of the graphic plates. It is well written.  95 pages,  beautifully illustrated .
3567494
Good background information on the saints that experienced the revival at Azusa Street.  The author also gives insight from scipture and examples of how the Holy Spririt works.
4964130
The author does a good job putting together what others have said about these sects and includes some primary sources from time to time but overall there probably should have been more primary sources. The book however is pretty accurate it seems, especially on the theological beliefs of the sects.
4905269
A very interesting and well written account of the glimpses through history of itinerant messengers of the word, often persecuted, often spoken against. In many eras of history the limits placed on liberty of expression of conscience rendered such practice impossible, and such were eliminated, or absorbed by the religious powers of the time.  When conditions allowed they appear again. Jesus said he would be with them to the end of the world. They preached the word freely as He commanded. They were sent as sheep among the wolves and men thought they were doing a service to God in seeking to destroy them. How would such be received by us today?  LeRoy Lerwick
3394686
VERY interesting!  The violence is that from history in these first-hand accounts.  I enjoy reading these personalized accounts instead of the generalized stuff you find in textbooks, for example.
162109
In lucid prose, Cardinal Wuerl portrays the "ecumenism of blood" that the martyrs of the past 100 years, by the millions, have left as testimony of their faith, and how their witness has brought Christians together more than the ecumenism of words could ever do. The book is a sweep of history, focusing on the continuity of the martyrs from the earliest centuries of the Church until now, that puts everything into perspective. It could be a primer of history for high school or college students, a framework into which the rest of history could be fitted.
2048496
This is a truly remarkable collection of photos.  The essence of so much of the agony of the wars in Vietnam captured on film.  This collection has a central macabre link - all the photographers were killed in the war.  Tim Page paid his own "dues" in the war including taking a horrific head wound. On arrival at the hospital, he overheard the doctor say that he was going to die. Still obviously haunted by the war, he undertook this project in part as a memorial to his friends, Sean Flynn (the son of Earl, the movie actor) and Dana Stone, who were captured and executed by the Khmer Rouge.

Robert Capa, whose most famous picture was taken during the Spanish Civil War, showing the moment of death of a republican soldier, died by stepping on a land mine, two weeks after the fall of Dien Bien Phu. Larry Burrows was one of the most famous who covered the American war period, and he died in a helicopter crash in 1971 during the Vietnamese offensive against the Ho Chi Minh Trail. There was Francois Sully and Kyoichi Sawada. So many of those that covered the war were not American. All so important for this collection are the Vietnamese photographers such as Luong Nghia Dung and Vo Van Quy, filming those "on the other side."

How many of the photographs deserve the epithet "haunting."  At least half.  There is Sou Vichith's photo of three captured Khmer "kids" really, two of them women, who will be raped and executed.  There is the badly wounded Cambodian boy looking at his dead mother by Tea Kim Heang.  Perhaps it is the no one at all, the empty road, being reclaimed by the jungle, with only part of a human spine on it by Taizo Ichinose that captures best the auto-genocide  that was the "rule" of the Khmer Rouge.

The book concludes with a fitting epilogue by Neil Sheehan, whose book, "A Bright Shining Lie" best captures in words the folly that is displayed in these pictures. Life magazine, which published numerous of these photographs, taken by those working on the American side, no longer exists. The power of the still photograph is not being used to convey the horrors of the Iraq war.  This book should be compulsory viewing for the kids of today who learn nothing of the true nature of war from their video games. It might even move one of the hearts of the neo-cons who eschewed military service during this war.
588545
A very unique telling of the stories of a variety of saints.  Fr. Martin discusses them in terms of their impact on his life rather than the typical recitation of their histories.
1023171
This book was filled with first- hand accounts of present-day Christians, converted from Islam, and how God leads them to live out their faith in a culture which "encourages" death to be inflicted upon Christians. You will be challenged and inspired by these precious saints who lay down their lives for their King Jesus.
1748450
I find this book thoughtful and reflective as it uses the perspectives of several saints in evaluating the relationship between prayer and contemplations.
3270037
A valuable collection of experiences from this guy's life, rather than a re-hashing of the same standard apologetical arguments for Jesus.
1060933
A collection of little posts by one of the first  Stoic bloggers, Marcus Aurelius. Some of them are observations that hold true today and likely forever. Observations about human nature, musings, aphorisms. Some are cryptic, and some don't seem to translate well... This is important reading if onlh to skip the thousands of regurgitated interpretations of the ideas in this volume that litter  the web.
4226705
I actually used this book as research for my own work, and found it to be quite comprehensive and relatively objective in its approach. Granted, some details are assumed based upon scripture and other historical data, so one hsould not mistake this as an absolute, factual account, but for those interested in having a more starkly detailed portrayal of what might have happened during Jesus' crucifixion, this is a valuable resource.
3530354
I don't think I have ever met anyone who was not somewhat curious about their family history. We know that we are now living something of an extension of their lives; their stories are part of our stories.

If this is true in the natural realm it is most certainly true in the spiritual. In the church, the body of Christ, believers are united together even as they are united to Christ. Those who have come before us have a unique and special relationship to us as believers. Their stories serve to encourage, instruct and bless us when we consider them.

In his relatively recent book, Early Christian Martyr Stories, (Baker, 2014), Bryan Lifton takes his readers on a historical tour through the first five centuries of the church. His emphasis, as the title implies, is upon the stories of those martyred for their faith.

The source material for the work are the hagiographical texts or extra biblical writings about saints. Lifton is a helpful guide along the tour. He reminds readers that the texts are not on level with Scripture and even that some of the writing contains variant literary styles that give way to some questionable details. Lifton interacts with the material in such a way that you find yourself trusting him both historically and theologically (he is an evangelical). Further, he is not simply conducting the tour, but he is on it with you. You can get a sense of how he is personally moved by the stories as he lays them before us.

From the introduction

if you read this book from cover to cover, you will have encountered the very best sources that illustrate early Christan persecution. At times you may be horrified, outraged, humbled, or inspired. Try to let your emotions flow; don't read this volume simply as a historical sourcebook. Not one of these texts was originally written without spiritual encouragement in mind. To suppress any personal reflection on them would be to ignore the authors wishes. But if, on the other hand, you are in a receptive state of mind, I invite you to say a brief prayer, then turn the page and meet the martyrs of the ancient church. (p. 16)

The chapters include: The Maccabean Martyrs, Peter and Paul, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna, Justin Martyr, The Martyrs of Lyons and Vienne, The Scillitan Martyrs, Perpetual and Felicity, Tertullian, Origen. Additionally, there are chapters that consider the events surrounding Constantine and another on how Augustine remembered the martyrs.

I was most impacted by the stories of Perpetua and Felicity. These two young women who were also new mothers both died for their faith in Christ. The stories, beautifully and tenderly written, served to melt my heart. In reflecting on how Augustine was likewise moved by these stories, Lifton writes, later Christians honored their courageous forerunners and passed their legacy onto future generations. (p. 168)

In the introduction Lifton provides some historical details about the Roman society that aids our understanding of the early church. The parallels established by Lifton (whether intentionally or not) are instructive to the contemporary church. This is a good, quick read.

I liked the book a lot. It is not a long book (168 pages), and while historical it is written at a level that most laymen would find accessible. It gives you what he aims to give you: a window into the martyrs in the early church.
3610785
Although it reads like a catalogue of names and events, it covers a lot of territory. I found it more like a scrapbook of anecdotes of various
pieces of true and false stories about the individual Jesuits, but it lacked a critical eye or perspective for sorting out the significant from the merely incidental.  More encyclopedic that historical narrative.
4729343
Around the world, Christians are being targeted for persecution by their Muslim neighbors.  In I Am N, the Voice of the Martyrs organization has gathered some of their stories.  With the rise of ISIS, we began to hear more about the persecution of Christians in the Muslim world.  ISIS has targeted Christians, giving the an ultimatum: "convert to Islam, pay an outlandishly high tax, or be killed."  In some areas, they mark the homes and businesses of Christians with an N for Nazarene, marking them as followers of Isa (Jesus) the Nazarene.

The stories are arranged around several themes: sacrifice, courage, joy, perseverance, forgiveness, and faithfulness.  I am forced to ask myself, would I be willing to sacrifice under persecution?  Can I rely on Jesus for my joy in spite of circumstances?  Could I truly forgive those who have persecuted me, even taking the lives of my family?  I honestly don't know.

Many of these persecuted individuals spoke of the support they received from other Christians.  But I was surprised by a few who were turned away.  One new Christian, a former Muslim, had a hard time finding a pastor to baptize her.  Pastors she asked feared retribution.  Another fleeing family was turned away by their friends, who feared that they, too, would be targeted.  At the same time, there were some who received help from Muslim neighbors, demonstrating that there are some Muslims who are truly peace-loving and able to coexist with Christians.  I wish the authors had explored this nuance more.  As a Christian living in the U.S., I find it difficult to discern among Muslim groups.  I don't fear the Muslim family across the street in my Texas neighborhood.  But who, among their associates and fellow Muslims, should I be leery of, if any?

The most shocking stories, to me, are the Christians who are tortured and beaten by their own family.  Who would torture his own daughter because she became a Christian?  Who would poison his own wife because she assisted their Christian child?  How about the Christian housekeeper who was beaten by her Muslim boss:  "Fatima [a wealthy Muslim woman] called for her two daughters and husband to join her in beating Parveen [their Christian maid].  They accepted her invitation without hesitation." What kind of people live like this?  Evil people.  These are stories of evil.

Every one of the stories in I Am N falls way, way outside of my experience as an American Christian.  I have never been called on to give up home, family, security, wealth, or my life because of my faith, nor do I ever expect to in the United States.  These stories remind me that in some parts of the world, following Jesus has a high cost.  I pray with the Voice of the Martyrs that Jesus will continue to strengthen Christians under persecution and reward them for their faithfulness.

You can commit to join with The Voice of the Martyrs in prayer for the persecuted church here:
[...]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
3991868
This is an interesting collection of women saints' lives.  Each page is sufficiently informative and brings out the details about what made each of these women extraordinary people.