by Pope Francis
First published 2020
Pope Francis examines how the COVID pandemic exposed the cruelty and inequity in our society while also revealing human resilience and creativity. Working with biographer Austen Ivereigh, he argues that crises present us with a choice: we can try to return to how things were before, or we can have the courage to change and emerge better than before. The Pope shares with unprecedented candor how three personal crises transformed him dramatically. He delivers a scathing critique of systems focused on profit over people and politicians who exploit fear for power. Francis reminds readers that Christians must serve others, especially the poor and marginalized, following Jesus's example. He presents a blueprint for building a better world by placing the poor and the planet at the center of new thinking. Drawing on sacred sources and findings from scientists, economists, and activists, he shows how ordinary people can work together to discover new possibilities. The book includes observations on unconventional thinking, increasing women's leadership in the Church and society, and lessons learned from working with garbage pickers in Buenos Aires.
Genres: politics, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, current-affairs, activism, academic, christian-living
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: blueprint, call-to-action, personal-crisis
Period: COVID Pandemic
149 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster