The Gift of Forgiveness
Inspiring Stories from Those Who Have Overcome the Unforgivable
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4.1 • 69 Ratings
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
“[The Gift of Forgiveness] will spark conversations across families, across friendships, at workplaces, everywhere.” –Maria Shriver
A fresh, inspiring book on learning how to forgive, with firsthand stories from those who have learned to let go of resentment and find peace.
"When we learn to embrace forgiveness, it opens us up to healing, hope, and a new world of possibility." --Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt
Written with grace and understanding and based on more than twenty in-depth interviews and stories as well as personal reflections from Schwarzenegger Pratt herself, The Gift of Forgiveness is about one of the most difficult challenges in life--learning to forgive. Here, Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt shows us what we can learn from those who have struggled with forgiveness, some still struggling, and others who have been able to forgive what might seem truly unforgivable. The book features experiences from those well-known and unknown, including Elizabeth Smart, who learned to forgive her captors; Sue Klebold, whose son, Dylan, was one of the Columbine shooters, learning empathy and how to forgive herself; Chris Williams, who forgave the drunken teenager who killed his wife and child; and of course Schwarzenegger Pratt's own challenges and path to forgiveness in her own life. All provide different journeys to forgiveness and the process--sometimes slow and thorny, sometimes almost instantaneous--by which they learned to forgive and let go.
The Gift of Forgiveness is a perfect blend of personal insights, powerful quotations, and hard-won wisdom for those seeking a way to live with greater acceptance, grace, and peace.
A PAMELA DORMAN BOOKS/VIKING LIFE TITLE
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this affecting survey, Schwarzenegger Pratt (I Just Graduated Now What?) explores forgiveness through 22 interviews with people who have experienced tragedy or suffered loss. Interview subjects include parents of children killed in the Columbine and Sandy Hook shootings; kidnapping victim Elizabeth Smart; Tanya Brown, sister of Nicole Brown Simpson; and the wife of Chester Bennington, a rock musician who killed himself in 2017. Schwarzenegger Pratt weaves her own personal experiences and reflections throughout and shares lessons from each person's story, such as practicing self-love, the power of using prayer, and the importance of releasing the burden of guilt or shame and respecting the process of grief. Schwarzenegger Pratt emphasizes that forgiveness happens one step a time: "Forgiveness starts with a choice, and then it becomes a process." Most of the stories involve the subject's deep yearning to be free of painful thoughts and emotions, and their movement toward forgiveness often requires honestly looking into memories and past choices. Schwarzenegger Pratt concludes with a helpful list of resources, including organizations and projects dedicated to spreading awareness about the power of forgiveness. Those looking for help with letting go and moving on will love this. Correction: An earlier version of this review misstated the author's last name and also the number of interviews included in the book.
Customer Reviews
Thank you.
I have been on an intermittent journey of forgiveness. Afraid to move forward, exposing my fears. Reading this has given me permission to face forgiveness for myself and others.
Wow!
This was a beautiful book. I took my time to read this one... replayed it a few times. I was searching for answers that I struggled to find for years now. This book has helped open my eyes to the fact that I didn’t truly know what forgiveness was. Very beautifully written! Every story perfect🔥 I love that each of them had a very different and unique relationship with forgiveness. Goes to show that it a very personal act. Not one size fits all! And it take TIME. I appreciate every story in here and thank you for bringing them together.
A much needed read for my soul
Well I had high expectations and this book fulfilled them. I don’t think you get through this life without wounds that can leave deep scars. Katherine wrote about a universal issue we all have called “forgiveness”. The 22 short stories were so diverse that there is a story in there for all of us. The theme is the same, forgiveness takes time and a willingness to let go so that we can live a better life come thru from each story. Katherines insights also help you with your own self reflection. This book is definitely an enjoyable read and I look forward to more books in the future from this writer.