Finding the Lost Art of Empathy

Starred review from May 1, 2017
When Wilde, a fifth-generation preacher, was in the midst of grieving her boyfriend’s mysterious death (police eventually ruled it a suicide), she longed to genuinely connect with others. “All I wanted, all I really needed (at least in the beginning), was empathy,” she writes in this Bible-based exploration of the forgotten skill of empathizing. Many times it’s hard to know what to say when a friend is going through a difficult time, especially if one hasn’t walked in similar shoes. Wilde offers practical advice and explains why it’s of utmost importance to reach out to those who are hurting. In a conversational tone infused with self-deprecating humor, Wilde explores how social media has ironically caused a problem of emotional disconnection, but also demonstrates how technology can be of help if people use it to become more self-aware instead of self-obsessed. Drawing on passages from the Bible, such as the stories of the Good Samaritan and Joseph being betrayed by his brothers, she leads readers on a journey that will help them take Christ’s message and put it into practice. A lack of empathy, Wilde claims, comes from a belief that we are more important than others. Her book offers an insightful, intelligent education on the importance of “loving our neighbor” on a deeply personal level. Agent: Whitney Gossett, Fedd.