Pillars

Reviews

This is not a book for those interested in polemics against Islam. Jones takes us into the lived experience of Muslims in the Horn of Africa and what a real engagement with them can be like with risk, affection, difference, and real learning. We also should remember her learning journey began with the Somali refugees in Minnesota. Many of us have Muslim neighbors or work colleagues or health care providers. This is a valuable book both for its exploration of Islam, but also for its model of humble, open dialogue, willing to make mistakes and take risks, to welcome and be welcomed. And it points to what can happen as we engage those of another faith. We not only learn about their faith; we rediscover our own. —Bob Trube Acclaim for previous title Stronger than Death

Rachel Pieh Jones has given us the unforgettable story of a servant of the sick and poor who demonstrated, to an almost incomprehensible degree, what it means to love the least of these. Few of us will ever come close to Annalena Tonelli’s devotion and bravery. But thanks to this remarkable book, we can be acquainted with one of history’s great and unheralded exemplars, and inspired to give more of ourselves to those without.Tom Krattenmaker, USA Today columnist, author of Confessions of a Secular Jesus Follower

A stunning meditation on love and service, this book has given me a new hero: Annalena Tonelli, a woman of faith who crashed through boundaries and dodged bullets in her mission to heal the sick. Author Rachel Pieh Jones has done justice to an extraordinary person, crafting a story every bit as vivid, relentless, and surprising as her subject.Jason Fagone, author of The Woman Who Smashed Codes

A meticulously detailed and empathetic work on a woman whose life should not be forgotten.--Mary Harper, BBC World Service, author Getting Somalia Wrong?

A searing account of a person, place, deadly disease, unspeakable violence, and, ultimately, faith, love, and sacrifice.--Booklist

Gripping . . . Tonelli’s example of humility, asceticism, and loving with abandon will be a revelation to modern Christian readers and will appeal to anyone interested in international aid.--Publishers Weekly

A fascinating, powerful and extremely moving true story that needs to be shared with the rest of the world.--Jordan Wylie, author of Citadel and Running For My Life

My life has been shaped by the examples of faith heroes: Dorothy Day, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X. In this book, Rachel Pieh Jones introduces me to one more – Annalena Tonelli. Her example of immersive, selfless service combined with learning from different traditions should inspire us all.--Eboo Patel, author of Acts of Faith, founder and president, Interfaith Youth Core

As well as telling a compelling story with great skill, this absorbing and clear-eyed examination of the work of one of East Africa’s greatest humanitarians, based on her letters and interviews with her closest associates, also highlights the cultural challenges faced by even the most dedicated worker. Rachel Pieh Jones raises questions about motive and consequence, as well as perception and jealousy, that resonate well beyond the fascinating life she describes.--Richard Barrett, director of the Global Strategy Network and former director of global counter-terrorism at MI6

Stronger Than Death is a searing portrait of Annalena Tonelli, a singular woman whose fearlessness and concern should stand as an example to us all. It’s also a hard look at the role of outsiders in Africa, and an inquiry into our responsibility to help those less fortunate than us. But most of all, it’s a great story from a place about which, too often, all we hear is silence. --Frank Bures, author of The Geography of Madness

Annalena Tonelli’s story challenges readers to believe in themselves and reminds us that we can choose acts of kindness and love even during difficult circumstances. Her courage inspires us to challenge evil: everyone can make a difference.--Mariam Mohamed, former First Lady of Somalia Expand reviews