Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion

“Destined to become a classic of both urban reportage and contemporary spirituality” (Los Angeles Times)—Tattoos on the Heart is a series of parables about kinship and redemption from pastor, activist, and renowned speaker, Father Gregory Boyle.

Thirty years ago, Gregory Boyle founded Homeboy Industries, a gang-intervention, rehabilitation, and reentry program in Los Angeles, the gang capital of the world. In Tattoos on the Heart, his debut book, he distills his experience working with gang members into a breathtaking series of parables inspired by faith.

From giant, tattooed Cesar, shopping at JC Penney fresh out of prison, you learn how to feel worthy of God’s love. From ten-year-old Pipi you learn the importance of being known and acknowledged. From Lulu you come to understand the kind of patience necessary to rescue someone from the dark—as Father Boyle phrases it, we can only shine a flashlight on a light switch in a darkened room.

This is a motivating look at how to stay faithful in spite of failure, how to meet the world with a loving heart, and how to conquer shame with boundless, restorative love.

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240 pages

Average rating: 8.7

44 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Chutchin
Mar 30, 2023
9/10 stars
Timeless book that touches all the right themes on love and compassion and empathy and non-judgment and grace, all wrapped up in harrowing and moving experiences. Messages are great throughout. Definitely want to revisit regularly for sure. The chapter formula got a bit stale by the end.

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