Accessible yet authoritative biography of the colorful character who instigated the Protestant Reformation Martin Luther, the Augustinian friar who set the Protestant Reformation in motion with his famous Ninety-Five Theses, was a man of extremes on many fronts. He was both hated and honored, both reviled as a heretic and lauded as a kind of second Christ. He was both a quiet, solitary reader and interpreter of the Bible and the first media-star of history, using the printing press to reach many of his contemporaries and become the most-read theologian of the sixteenth century. Thomas Kaufmann s concise biography highlights the two conflicting natures of Martin Luther, depicting Luther s earthiness as well as his soaring theological contributions, his flaws as well as his greatness. Exploring the close correlation between Luther s Reformation theology and his historical context, "AShort Life of Martin Luther" serves as an ideal introduction to the life and thought of the most important figure in the Protestant Reformation. "