Everybody, Always

By: Bob Goff
Publisher: Nelson Books
Dates Read: January 12 - December 7
Pages: 223
Source: Own it

Why did I read it?
Because Bob Goff wrote it.  

 

Everybody, Always is Bob's follow up to the wonderful and whimsical Love Does.  In this book Bob focuses on who we should love and how often.  The answer: everybody, always.  Again Bob brings us through stories from his own life where he learned (usually the hard way) how to love others without inhibition.  

 

Bob is a guy who is filled with love and whimsy and good stories.  He tells stories about his neighbours.  He tells stories about his family.  He has a whole chapter about Walt Disney World!  He attends a croc drop.  In all of this he gives us a little slice of what it means to love others.  

 

Bob always starts of simpler and slowly revs up to some heavier topics to fill the last chapters.  This time those last chapters focus on the work he has done with witch doctors in Uganda.  Bob is a lawyer by trade and has brought cases against witch doctors to justice.  He has also built a school for witch doctors where they read only two books: the Bible and Love Does.  He is loving the enemy always, as they are equally the "everybody" he shares about in this book.  

 

Bob seems to have a way of saying harsh things in the kindest of ways.  This book ends with a challenge for everyone - a challenge everyone needs.  Right at the end, it almost feels a little harsh, but it's a harsh reality that we all need.  He builds us up, gains our trust, and then challenges us to be different.  He challenges us to love everybody, always - not just the people who are easy to love.  Because you know what, love does.  

 

Bob, I tried to see you on Tom Sawyer Island last September, but maybe I'll try again sometime when Disneyland opens up again (or maybe sometime when you're in Canada after the borders open). 

Rating: 4/5

I am giving this one a 4 simply because it is not quite the perfection Love Does was.  Still an exceptional book though.  

Recommendation: This book should be read by everybody, always...well, at least once.  If you haven't read Love Does start with that one and then come back to this.