Reviewed by: G. Connor Salter, Professional Writing alumnus from Taylor University, Upland, IN.

Introduction

Title: Consumed by Hate Redeemed by Love: How a Violent Klansman Became A Champion of Racial Reconciliation

Author: Thomas A. Tarrants

Publisher: Nelson Books (HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.)

Published Date: August 6, 2019

Format: Hardcover

Length: 228 pages

OVERVIEW

In June 1968, authorities labeled Thomas A. Tarrants “the most dangerous man in Mississippi.” A die-hard member of the Klu Klux Klan, he was committed to attacking Jewish people and African-Americans. After police captured him trying to bomb a Jewish man’s home, Tarrants received a life sentence in prison. Then in prison, the last thing anyone expected happened: he found faith in Jesus. From there, his life kept changing in ways no one could have predicted.

Tarrants tells a gripping story about his arrest and the aftermath, painting a vivid picture of how he took such a dark path and then received redemption. However, he skimps a little as he talks about his life after prison, summarizing decades that could truly make for interesting reading. Still, he gives enough details about those years to show just how radically his life changed. He shifts totally from narrative at the end, emulating writers like Os Guinness as he describes why Americans must choose unity over anger and polarization today. One could argue Tarrant could have made these last points by telling more of his story, but either way the end gives wise and relevant insights. Overall, Tarrants provides an amazing book about the motivations behind racism and how Christianity brings hope to anyone willing to receive it.

ASSESSMENT

Rating (1 to 5 stars)

4 stars

Intended Audience

Christians seeking racial reconciliation, Christians seeking to understand motivations behind racism.

Christian Impact

Tarrants provides an honest and powerful look at how Christ can bring redemption to even life’s darkest corners.

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