Tattoos on the Heart, by Gregory Boyle

Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion has intrigued me over these last few months because of a) its cover, b) its title, c) its description, and d) its review by Anne Lamott on the front cover. I wasn't disappointed. Although the writing style bothered me a bit at first (Boyle constantly jumps from the past to the present tense even though all of the stories he shares take place in the past tense), I was drawn in by the content. Boyle is the founder of Homeboy Industries (it was worth reading this just to see the word "homie" used so many times by a Jesuit priest). This organization strives to pull gang members in Los Angeles off the streets by providing jobs for them and communicating to them that they matter and have just as much worth as anyone else. Boyle's book is an important one, filled with inspirational (as well as heartbreaking) stories of the men and women he has helped through his ministry.

See below for a short video featuring Boyle and former gang members he has helped):