Rebbe: the LIfe and Teachings of Menachem M. Schneerson, the Most Influential Rabbi in Modern History / Joseph Telushkin 515 pp.

The Rebbe, as he is generally referred to throughout this book, was the 7th Rebbe of the Lubavitcher  Chasidim, a group whose origins date from pre-Soviet Russia.  The movement is headquartered in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, where the Rebbe spent the latter 50+ years of his long life.  He was a man of superlatives, with an evidently massive intellect and the capacity to work nearly round-the-clock on every day but the Sabbath until he had a stroke at 90.  Most startling to outsiders, in the years after his death many of his followers firmly declared that he was the Messiah, who would soon return to life.
For me the most fascinating thing about him (and I can now think of few people more worthy of being called fascinating) is the way in which he defies classification.  He remained firmly against Israel ceding territory to the Palestinians, yet private documents reveal that he believed that concessions would escalate rather than quiet the conflict and that this would result in more loss of life of both Arabs and Jews.  He vigorously supported retaining prayer in public schools, yet, according to Shirley Chisholm, his advice and encouragement led to her advancing the cause for the creation of the Food Stamp program.  He discouraged late adolescents from attending college until their spiritual identities were formed; he held 'Dollar Sundays' where he passed out dollar bills to thousands of people weekly with the injunction that they give the bill, and more, to the poor.  While reading, I found myself disagreeing with his opinions thousands of times, while simultaneously wishing I too could be granted a yechidus, or a long private meeting with him where he would listen intently and counsel people with myriad questions about their lives.  These yechidusen occurred three nights a week for years at his Crown Heights headquarters and usually lasted until 3 or 4 in the morning.  Although Telushkin makes clear his differences with the Rebbe's views, he is also a fan, and his enthusiasm for his subject animates an incredibly lively and satisfying read.