{"product_id":"the-whole-language-the-power-of-extravagant-tenderness","title":"The Whole Language: The Power of Extravagant Tenderness","description":"\u003cb\u003eBeloved Jesuit priest and author of the inspirational bestsellers \u003ci\u003eTattoos on the Heart \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eBarking to the Choir\u003c\/i\u003e returns with a call to witness the transformative power of tenderness, rooted in his lifetime of experience counseling gang members in Los Angeles.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOver the past thirty years, Gregory Boyle has transformed thousands of lives through his work as the founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest and most successful gang-intervention program in the world. Now, following his acclaimed bestsellers \u003ci\u003eTattoos on the Heart\u003c\/i\u003e, “destined to become a classic of both urban reportage and contemporary spirituality” (\u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/i\u003e), and \u003ci\u003eBarking to the Choir\u003c\/i\u003e, deemed “a beautiful and important and soul-transporting book” by Elizabeth Gilbert comes \u003ci\u003eThe Whole Language\u003c\/i\u003e, a book that “filled my cup with hope” (\u003ci\u003eThe Jesuit Review\u003c\/i\u003e).\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eIn a community struggling to overcome systemic poverty and violence, \u003ci\u003eThe Whole Language\u003c\/i\u003e shows how those at Homeboy Industries fight despair and remain generous, hopeful, and tender. When Saul was thirteen years old, he killed his abusive stepfather in self-defense; after spending twenty-three years in juvenile and adult jail, he enters the Homeboy Industries training and healing programs and embraces their mission. Declaring, “I’ve decided to grow up to be somebody I always needed as a child,” Saul shows tenderness toward the young men in his former shoes, treating them all like his sons and helping them to find their way. Before coming to Homeboy Industries, a young man named Abel was shot thirty-three times, landing him in a coma for six months followed by a year and a half recuperating in the hospital. He now travels on speaking tours with Boyle and gives guided tours around the Homeboy offices. One day a new trainee joins Abel as a shadow, and Abel recognizes him as the young man who had put him in a coma. “You give good tours,” the trainee tells Abel. They both have embarked on a path to wholeness.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eBoyle’s moving stories challenge our ideas about God and about people, providing a window into a world filled with fellowship, compassion, and fewer barriers. Bursting with encouragement, humor, and hope, \u003ci\u003eThe Whole Language \u003c\/i\u003einvites us to treat others—and ourselves—with acceptance and tenderness.","brand":"Marissa's Books \u0026 Gifts","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":46508147376327,"sku":"P10097S","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0077\/9010\/0553\/files\/marissasbooksandgifts-9781982128333-the-whole-language-the-power-of-extravagant-tenderness-1236725261.jpg?v=1778019490","url":"https:\/\/marissasbooks.com\/products\/the-whole-language-the-power-of-extravagant-tenderness","provider":"Marissa's Books \u0026 Gifts","version":"1.0","type":"link"}