A wonderful overlook of Tutu's life followed by some of his best sayings, quotations, and bits of his sermons and other speeches from over the years. Brief, quick, easy work that is captivating of his life and is a fantastic look back on who Desmond Tutu is and what he represented. ( )

This short book includes an introduction by Desmond Tutu and a short biographical essay by Mike Nicol. The quotes are interesting and inspiring. It is a little like the Dover Wit and Wisdom series of books, although somewhat shorter. The most interesting quote concerns Ubuntu, "a central tenet of African philosophy:

A person is a person through other persons.

Many great thinkers influence these quotes, including Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Jeremy Bentham,. John Stuart Mill, and George Santayana. But my favourite quote (which echoes Mill) is:

Differences are not intended to separate or alienate. We are different precisely in order to realise our need of one another.

Although this is a very short book, I am glad I picked it up at my local second-hand bookstore and it has taught me a little about Desmond Tutu and courage and compassion in the face of terrible oppression. ( )