— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Artman, religious studies instructor at Missouri State University, provides an engrossing portrait of Kathryn Kuhlman (1907–1976), a leading figure in charismatic Christianity and ‘miracle healing,’ in her strong debut. . . . This is an excellent biography that rightly situates Kuhlman alongside evangelists such as Oral Roberts, Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell, and Jim Bakker.”
Catherine Brekus
—Harvard Divinity School
“Kathryn Kuhlman, one of the most influential preachers of the twentieth century, finally has the biography that she deserves. With sensitivity and keen historical insight, Amy Artman explains how a girl evangelist from Missouri, once derided as a ‘holy roller’ and a ‘Jesus freak,’ grew into a media celebrity who transformed public perceptions of charismatic Christianity.”
Heather Curtis
—Tufts University
“Artman’s insightful study shows how Kuhlman deployed the politics of domesticity, cutting-edge media technologies like radio and talk-show television, and her own outsized personality to move spirit-filled faith from the margins to the center of American religious life. Through her astute analysis of Kuhlman’s multi-faceted ministry, Artman sheds new light on the complexities of the charismatic movement and its growing influence within and beyond the United States.”
John Wigger
—University of Missouri
“A sensitive and thorough account of one of twentieth-century America’s leading religious figures. Artman’s sympathetic account places Kuhlman at the center of a movement that reshaped American religion in ways that are still evident today.”
Kate Bowler
— from the foreword
“A fascinating study in why exceptional women remain exceptions. . . . The rise of Kathryn Kuhlman is the story of one woman’s remarkable climb onto a national stage and the many nimble adaptations—theological, institutional, technological, and personal—she made to achieve it. But her fall into obscurity is the story of the American church, and why women’s spiritual authority remains so ephemeral.”
Publishers Weekly (STARRED Review)
"This is an excellent biography that rightly situates Kuhlman alongside evangelists such as Oral Roberts, Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell, and Jim Bakker."
CHOICE
“Concise, insightful biography of healing evangelist Kathryn Kuhlman."
Christianity Today
"Artman not only rescues Kuhlman from undeserved obscurity but also crafts a sweeping interpretation of the cultural origins of the modern charismatic movement."
Religious Studies Review
“An excellent biography that incorporates insights on women’s leadership in charismatic faith as well as the role of broadcast media in American religion.”