Letters from Katie Luther

Book Review

About the Book Letters from Katie Luther

Ave (pronounced “Ah-vay”) and her best friend Katie lived for many years as nuns in a convent in Nimbschen. But one day Ave, Katie, and several other nuns decided they must flee the convent for the city of Wittenberg so that they could worship the Lord in a way pleasing to him.

Even after Ave married the pharmacist Barcilius Axt and Katie married the famous reformer Martin Luther and Ave moved away from Wittenberg for her husband’s work, the two women wrote each other many letters and remained close friends, “sisters in the Lord.”

Now almost three decades later, Ave has received a letter that Katie has died. Determined to share her friend’s faith, Ave begins to relay her memories of Katie and share the letters she has kept for all these years.

The Lord gave Katie many joys as a wife and mother, but he was also pleased to send her and her family many trials of faith. And so Ave desires that we learn what Katie came to learn over her fifty-three years: trust in the Lord. He strengthens the hearts of all who hope in him (Psalm 31:24). 

My Thoughts on Letters from Katie Luther

Growing up I knew very little about Reformation Day besides what was taught in my public school history classes.  They were sorely lacking.  And growing up in a Baptist church you would think that maybe we would hear more about Reformation Day and the why behind the day.  But we didn’t. 

It wasn’t until I was an adult and homeschooling my children that I delved deeper into Restoration Day so that I could teach it to my children. 

Reformation Day Study

This year we’ve added another component to our Reformation Day study in this book.  Letters from Katie Luther is a look at a different side of Martin Luther through his wife and her best friend.  It gives you a unique perspective that I had never thought about before. 

As an adult, I read the book and found it to be quite good.  It reads well and the characters are well developed and reach out to you through the pages.  You can feel their feelings and they feel real to you. I love the premise of the book.  Being that the best friend of Katie relives her life through her letters after her friend has passed away. 

This is also a good book for children to read.  We used it as a read-aloud but my older children made quick work of reading it on their own as well.  It really added to our study.  

Who Should Read?

I would say that this would be a great book to add to your shelf to help in your Reformation Day study or to add to a Martin Luther study.  I find that too many children are not learning so much history.  We’re just glimpsing bits of history and not really finding out what it is all really about.  That is something we are aiming to change in our little homeschool and I think this book is a great way to introduce children to history and hopefully make it relatable to them. 

Everyone should read this book and wet their own appetites for learning history.  It should be a passion and I hope it ignites the history flames in you and your house. 

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.