Bob Goff - Love Does [Book Review]

Whimsy! That’s the word best describes everything about Bob Goff’s new book titled ‘Love Does’. To get straight to the point, if you are looking for that ‘ten step’ book or a heavy dose of spiritual theology, you might just skip this book, but Bob serves up short chapters of irresistibly real stories rounding them up with a spiritual context in each chapter. The interesting part is though the stories and ending truths might seem misplaced sometimes, they don’t come forced. Bob Goff is a lawyer and doesn’t try a bit to sound like a theologian.

One of the stories that connected with me in a very deep way was ‘The Interviews’. I smiled deeply and my eyes misted as I read how Bob’s children wrote letters (in the aftermath of the 9-11 incident) offering an invitation to all presidents, princes and leaders in the world, how a lot said ‘No’ and how a lot also said ‘Yes’, how they handed over as a parting gift a copy of their home key to each world leader they met with. Bob ends this chapter with a notion that rings true about how unity doesn’t necessarily mean uniformity ‘I want to live in a new normal where I can reach out to people who are different from me and just be friends’.

One thing that kept me leaving each chapter amazed as I read ‘Love Does’ was the simple ordinary approach Bob uses to land very deep and resounding truths and lines. Some lines made me drop the book and think and at times go for a long walk, some made me pick up the phone and dial a number that had expired my long call history list and some made me race into the nearest store to buy a gift to wrap up for someone before we met next.

Though some chapters seem over stretched and some lessons seem like misplaced jigsaw puzzle pieces for the stories before (which at times were a bit too abstract and not too grounded), and I honestly say this cause I want to read Bob’s next book and I want it to be better ( I hope he is reading this. Lol). ‘Love Does’ is a great book worth the read. It’s the amazing story of God through the eyes and life of a lawyer.

P.S. – All of the proceeds from the book are being donated to Restore International’s Leadership Academy in Gulu, Uganda (www.restoreinternational.org) and the Mentoring Project (www.thementoringproject.org).  These two organizations are committed to loving kids intangible ways and moving the needle in their lives. They’re worth getting involved in.