Forgive Everyone Everything
by Gregory Boyle
Art by Fabian Debora
Loyola Press, 2022. 112 pages.
Review written January 2, 2026, from my own copy.
Starred Review
2025 Sonderbooks Stand-out: #5 Christian Nonfiction
When I discovered Fr. Gregory Boyle had written a new book, Cherished Belonging, I rushed to Amazon to order my own copy and discovered another book of his I hadn’t read – Forgive Everyone Everything.
It turns out that this book doesn’t contain new writings. It takes short selections from his past three books, Tattoos on the Heart, Barking to the Choir, and The Whole Language, and pairs them with poignant paintings from Fabian Debora, Executive Director of Homeboy Art Academy.
The result is a book that’s perfect for meditative devotional reading in the morning, one spread per day.
I’ll be honest – Father Greg’s books can get a little rambly. Sometimes it’s hard for me to pick out punchy quotations to post on my Sonderquotes blog. So this book full of bite-sized powerful quotations was a delight. Reading one page inevitably gave me something to mull over during the day.
I did, of course, mark up more quotations for Sonderquotes. It’s going to be interesting to see, when I go to post them, how many are already there.
This would be a fantastic introduction to Father Greg’s writings. I do think it will leave you wanting the more in-depth stories. But it’s also a nice way to review his powerful and loving teachings, leaving you with one thought to carry with you through the day.
Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Nonfiction/forgive_everyone_everything.html
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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.
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