“An insightful memoir that uncovers unique stories about matters of the heart.” —Essence The inspiring New York Times bestseller from Common—the Grammy Award, Academy Award, and Golden Globe–winning musician, actor, and activist—explores how love and mindfulness can build communities and allow you to take better control of your life through actions and words. Common believes that the phrase “let love have the last word” is not just a declaration; it is a statement of purpose, a daily promise. Love is the most powerful force on the planet, and ultimately the way you love determines who you are and how you experience life. Touching on God, self-love, partners, children, family, and community, Common explores the core tenets of love to help us understand what it means to receive and, most importantly, to give love. He moves from the personal—writing about his daughter, to whom he wants to be a better father—to the universal, where he observes that our society has become fractured under issues of race and politics. He knows there’s no quick remedy for all of the hurt in the world, but love—for yourself and for others—is where the healing begins. In his first public reveal, Common also shares a deeply personal experience of childhood molestation that he is now confronting…and forgiving. Courageous, insightful, brave, and characteristically authentic, Let Love Have the Last Word shares Common’s own unique and personal stories of the people and experiences that have led to a greater understanding of love and all it has to offer. It is a powerful call to action for a new generation of open hearts and minds, one that is sure to resonate for years to come.
Reviews with the most likes.
“...the practice of loving yourself is difficult to establish, and there's no one way to do it.”
“Love is reciprocal; it is an exchange of our vulnerabilities and our higher selves in the name of transformation.”
“We all dream; we all suffer; we all try to make sense of our pains in the quest for healings; and we all make mistakes, are perfect in our imperfection.”
“The point is to make sure that your actions and your words have the right intentions behind them; to maintain the possibility and capacity to uplift, shift, and empower people, yourself included, to head in a better, positive direction.”
I've been working on my personal growth and man talk about a book finding you when you need to hear it's message. This may be short, but it's packed full of good advice and ideas. While this was a tad repetitive it was still insightful and really touched me. His struggles with parenting and the fear of whether he is a good one or not resounded deeply with me. I have often had the same fears, and sometimes still do.
Some have said that this was unreadable and lacked organization. For me, it was like living a day in the head of Common while he works, creates, contemplates and shares. He is an artist and sometimes thoughts are messy. This was real and that is what got me the most.