FREE (Out of Print) Books About Martin Luther

Every so often I come across free digital books about Martin Luther. Most of these books date from the 1800’s and early 1900’s. I happen to collect Luther books from this period, so I’m very pleased to be saving some $$ and getting these books for free. Most have downloadable pdf versions available. Some even include pictures of thumbs of whomever was scanning the text.

Here’s a copy of Jules Michelet’s, The Life of Luther Written By Himself (London: George Bell and Sons, 1904). The book was written in 1828-1829, and published in 1835. Two brief reviews can be found here: Review (The Living Age, Vol. 10, issue 116, Aug. 1, 1846). Review (The United States Democratic review. / Volume 19, Issue 97, July 1846). While out of print, this book is not too difficult to track down under twenty bucks.

Also available is scanned copy of Julius Kostlin, Life of Luther. (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1883). I actually own this book. Kostlin was one the greatest Luther scholars of the 19th Century. Here's a Text Version as well. While out of print, this book is not too difficult to track down under twenty bucks. The great Luther expert J.M. Reu commented, "Kostlin's great Luther work...which appeared in 1883 in an improved edition, sought to satisfy all scientific demands. Luther's life is not only discussed in its smallest details in this work, but the main contents of almost all his writings are given to the reader. For that reason it is even today the leading work on Luther..." [Source: J.M. Reu, Thirty-Five Years of Luther Research, 114]. Ian Siggins: "One of the most balanced biographies of Luther ever written" [Source: Luther (Evidence and Commentary Series), 197.

Here’s a copy of Preserved Smith, The Life and Letters of Martin Luther, a book which dates from the early 20th Century. Another book I own. Smith’s work is interesting yet flawed. He was an advocate of the psychoanalytical approach to understanding Luther. This book is more Smith’s commentary than actual letters. Here’s a copy of Smith’s Luther’s Correspondence and Other Contemporary Letters (vol. 2). Here’s his book, Conversations With Luther: Selections From Recently Published Sources of the Tabletalk (1915). Both of these volumes are tough to track down.

Here’s an 1830’s compilation of The Most Celebrated Sermons of Martin Luther. This book is a good find. Used copies start around $45 and go up.


Other full length books about Luther

Audin (Jean MarieVincent), History of the Life, Writings, and Doctrines of Luther: Writings, & Doctrines of Luther (1854 Dolman)

Charles Beard, Martin Luther and the Reformation in Germany Until the Close of the Diet of Worms (1896 Philip Green)

George Boardman, A Sermon Suggested by the 400th Birthday of Martin Luther (Philadelphia: Allen, Lane, and Scott’s Printing House, 1883)

C. A.Buchheim, Henry Wace, Robert Scarlett Grignon, First Principles of the Reformation, Or, The Ninety-five Theses and the Three Primary Works of Martin Luther (1883)

Thomas Carlyle, Life of Martin Luther (New York, American Book Exchange, 1879)

Elizabeth Rundle Charles, Watchwords for the Warfare of Life From Dr. Martin Luther (New York: MW Dodd, 1869).

Henry Cole, Select works of Martin Luther (1826)

WHT Dau: At the Tribunal of Caesar: Leaves from the Story of Luther's Life (1921Concordia Pub. House)

WHT Dau: Four Hundred Years: Commemorative Essays on the Reformation of Dr. Martin Luther (1916Concordia Pub. House)

Kuno Francke, Personality in German Literature Before Luther (1916 Harvard University Press)

Gustav Freytag, Martin Luther (Chicago: The Open Court Publishing Company, 1897)

Gustav Freytag, Doctor Luther (1916 The Lutheran publication society)

James Anthony Froude, Luther (1883 Longmans, Green, and co.)

Fannie Harris, The Jew and the German; Or, From Paul to Luther. A Historical Study (1894 J. C. Winston)

Frederic Henry Hedge, Martin Luther and Other Essays (1888 Roberts brothers)

Thomas Martin Lindsay, Luther and the German Reformation (1900 T. & T. Clark)

Martin Luther, Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism (1900 Augsburg)

Martin Luther, Luther's Letters to Women (1865 Chapman & Hall)

Martin Luther, Martin Luther's Spiritual songs (1854)

Martin Luther, Luther's Two Catechisms Explained by Himself: In Six Classic Writings (1908 The Luther Press)

Martin Luther, Barnas Sears, Select Treatises of Martin Luther in the Original German: With Philological Notes, and an Essay... (1846 Allen, Morrill andWardwell)

Martin Luther, William Michell, What Did Luther Teach? Contents: Luther's Shorter Catechism, with Preface. Articles Affirmative... (1870)

Edwin Mead, Martin Luther: A Study of the Reformation (Boston: Geo H. Ellis, 1884).

Arthur McGiffirt, Martin Luther, The Man and His Work (The Century Co, 1911)

Robert Montgomery, Luther: Or, The Spirit of the Reformation (Baisler, 1843)

John Rae, Martin Luther: Student, Monk, Reformer (Hodder & Stoughton, 1884)

Wilhelm Rein, The Life of Martin Luther(1883 Funk & Wagnalls)

William Bruce Robertson, German Student Life ; Poetry ; from the Manuscripts of the Late (1892 J. Maclehose & sons)

Hannah Farnham Sawyer, The Life and Times of Martin Luther (Hillard Grey, 1841)

Barnas Sears, Luther: his mental and spiritual history; with special reference to its earlier periods and the (1799)

Joseph Augustus Seiss, Luther and the Reformation: The Life-springs of Our Liberties (1883 Charles C. Cook)

John Scott, Luther and the Lutheran Reformation (1833 J. & J. Harper)

Levin Schücking, Eudora Lindsay South, Luther in Rome: Or, Corradina, the Last of the Hohenstaufen. A Religio-historical Romance (1890 A.M. Thayer)

George Stephenson, The Conservative Character of Martin Luther (United Lutheran Publishing house, 1921)

John H. Treadwell, Martin Luther. (New Plutarch) (1881)

John Tulloch, Leaders of the Reformation: Luther, Calvin, Latimer, Knox, the Representative Men of Germany (1860 Sheldon and company)

John Tulloch, Luther, and other leaders of the reformation (1883 W. Blackwood and sons)

Franklin Verzelius Newton Painter, Luther on education: including a historical introduction and a translation of the reformer's two...(1889 Lutheran PublicationSociety)

Edmond Walters, Martin Luther, a poem (1884 Alexander and Shepheard)

Reuben Weiser, Luther by a Lutheran: Or, A Full-length Portrait of Doctor Martin Luther : Being a Comprehensive... (1848 Printed at thePublication rooms)

Jane Whatley, The Story of Martin Luther (1862)



I'm sure there are dozens more availalble. If you find some, please drop me a line.