Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel z'l

This is a follow-up post to this post in which I said I looked forward to reading the books about R' Nosson Tzvi Finkel z'l.  I have a few pages left to the Artscroll book and my recommendation is: read it! I enjoyed it very much.  His accomplishments were astounding, from becoming the huge talmid chacham, masmid, and marbitz Torah that he was when he was coming from an all-American life in the mid-West where he wasn't an astonishing ilui, to his absolute love for Torah and his desire to promote it anywhere, his genuine love for people, and all with a normalcy that endeared him to thousands and to this reader.

Inspired by an American Gadol

I look forward to reading the books (there are two) about Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel z'l because the articles that I've read about him have been so inspirational. 

He suffered tremendously from Parkinson's and yet, when he was asked by someone who had suffered a number of tragedies how he learned mitoch yissurim (amidst suffering), R' Finkel answered, "I don't learn mitoch yissurim.  I learn mitoch simcha!"

The way he pushed himself, beyond what anybody in his physical condition would dream of doing, is just amazing.  And of course, he pushed himself for Torah, in order to give a shiur, to fundraise, to interact with the talmidim.  Also appealing is that he was an American gadol (albeit transplanted in Israel), someone who grew up as a regular American Jewish dayschool kid.  He sounds like someone we can relate to.