David Aikman chronicles six “great souls” of the twentieth century and the virtues that they represent: Billy Graham (salvation), Nelson Mandela (forgiveness), Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (truth), Mother Teresa (compassion), Pope John Paul II (human dignity), and Elie Wiesel (remembrance). In Great Souls, he explores their historical background, family experiences, and the cultural settings that surrounded each of them.

Aikman draws from conversations, interviews, and inside stories to bring detail, nuance, and depth to every chapter. Along with biographical facts, Aikman brings his own unique experience as a former senior correspondent for Time magazine and his personal perspective as a Christian believer. The result is not only an eyewitness account of modern world history, but astute spiritual observations drawn from the lives of these six cultural icons and history makers.