Title: Compassion: The Great Healer’s Art
Author: Ulisses Soares
Publisher: Deseret Book
Genre: Religious Non-Fiction
Year Published: 2023
Number of Pages: 170
Binding: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook (CD & MP3)
ISBN-13: 978-1-63993-137-8
Price: $21.99
Reviewed by Richard Ji for the Association for Mormon Letters
Compassion: The Great Healer’s Art by Ulisses Soares, is a devotional work that reminds us of the need to exercise compassion, like the Savior, in these troubled times. Much of the material is drawn from Elder Soares’ talks and tied together with the common thread of compassion. Elder Soares notes how our personal spiritual development will enable us to see others as the Savior does and demonstrate more compassion towards them, especially those who may be different than us or may even be antagonistic towards us. Written in the context of our times where many are turning from the Lord and His teachings and relying more on the ‘philosophies of men’ (p. 19), Compassion gently reminds us of how we can provide healing to a challenging world.
The book begins with an Introduction, followed by 11 relatively short chapters. It is filled with beautiful monochromatic photos to complement the text. The book ends with a Conclusion, Acknowledgements, Notes, and Image credits. While much of the content will be familiar to LDS readers, what makes this work unique is that it comes from the perspective of one who was born and raised in Brazil. From the examples and experiences shared to the subjects of the photos and even the cover art (the artist is a native of Argentina), one can get a sense of a broader, global Church. The book design seamlessly shows that the principles of the Gospel apply equally throughout the world. I appreciated this feature of the book.
Elder Soares’ Compassion book felt to me like manna. While the book shares principles and doctrines of the Gospel that most Latter-Day Saints will not find novel, there is a sense of nourishment that comes from reading his words. His gentle and meek dialogue and invitations have a soothing effect on the soul. While the algorithms behind media feeds tend to incent extremes, this book reminds us to be more still and savor the life of the Savior which tends not to be amplified by megaphones of the world. Such a Spirit is found in this book. Like the scriptures, we tend to find that the same words can mean more to us at different times of our life. So, even though, I generally appreciate books where content is new to me, I found that by reading Elder Soares’ talks (versus hearing them in conference) in this book format opened my understanding of specific things I can work on today.
Compassion: The Great Healer’s Art by Ulisses Soares contains important reminders and in fact answers to the great divisions and discord we see so often today. It brings to remembrance the hope found in the Savior and how His ways are more powerful than any other. That by following seemingly basic principles, we can bring about great change in the world. As we study compassion and all that it is and all that enables it, we begin to find specific actions we can implement in our own lives to bring about great change. I end where Elder Soares started his book where in the classic movie Amazing Grace, William Wilberforce, a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade and reform education, is asked by his friend, “You don’t believe you and I could change things?” Wilberforce’s answered, “I would change myself first.” (p. 1)