“Eliza Griswold is a dazzling reporter: ever observant, wise, sympathetic, and honest. And in this spellbinding book, she not only immerses herself in a radical religious community but also reveals its fracturing in real time, raising questions about the nature of faith and justice and what binds us as Americans.”
?David Grann, author of The Wager
“An affecting study of sacred life in sacrilegious times. What brings people to church today? . . . Circle of Hope [brings] the dilemma alive.”
?Dan Piepenbring, Harper’s
“Riveting . . . A fascinating inquest into the death of a church that doubles as a compassionate case study on the insufficiency of good intentions.”
?Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Circle of Hope is the intimate story of one small church, but it carries within it profoundly relevant lessons for all people of faith.”
?BookPage (starred review)
“Circle of Hope is an act of courage, vulnerability, and creativity?all things that make Eliza Griswold’s seasoned voice once again strike with strength.”
?Danté Stewart, author of Shoutin’ in the Fire
“That rarest of books: an examination of the sacred and spiritual realm captured with humor, humanity, and style.”
?Susan Orlean, author of On Animals
“Set against the backdrop of race, sexuality, and belief, Circle of Hope is a deeply captivating and sometimes troubling dive into a world of faith and frustrations often hidden by the political, antagonistic, and triumphalist projections of American Evangelicalism.”
?Anthea Butler, author of White Evangelical Racism
“Lyrical, probing, and deeply reported, this is an extraordinary account of the fraught interplay of faith, community, and values. Eliza Griswold has produced a multigenerational group portrait that is compassionate yet unblinking and will resonate with anyone who aspires to chart a righteous path through this messy, mixed-up world.”
?Patrick Radden Keefe, author of Empire of Pain