Faith – Jimmy Carter

I literally received this book from the hands of Jimmy Carter himself at a book signing in New York. I never met a president before — even if only for a few seconds — so I was keen to read his book!

Carter always struck me as an interesting person. A multifaceted outlier: deeply religious but pro science and evolution, anti-NRA but pro guns, peanut farmer by trade and a nuclear submarine operator by education. But apart from all that, any 93 year old who has been married for over 70 years, probably has some interesting experiences to share.

But this is not a biography. This is a personal creed about his definition of faith in Jesus Christ, interwoven with experiences about engaging with world leaders or dealing with personal or global crises of the past. In the last chapter, Carter, without naming names, demonstrates awareness by exactly pinpointing current problems. And you learn that his general approach to past and current problems are often the same, which I think come down to one powerful word: inclusion.

At first I was confused who this book was for. I expected it to be for either Christians or deliberately for non-religious people. But none of that. Carter just writes from his own personal experiences and deeply held beliefs, for anyone who wants to listen and learn something. And he does so with authenticity, honesty and integrity.

Bonus!

I was also lucky enough to be at the taping of this interview on the same day as the book signing. He was a surprise extra guest. The interview offers a great recap of what to expect of the book.