Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Spiritual principles inform political ideas. Warnock, pastor of the Atlanta church once led by Martin Luther King Jr. and Georgia’s first Black senator, evocatively compares the U.S. to an unfinished cathedral under attack by demagogues. Ahead of the country’s 250th birthday, he aims to rally support for tackling major “crises” such as poverty, mass incarceration, voter suppression, gun violence, and climate damage. The title alludes to the biblical prophet Isaiah, who defended the poor and “transmit[s] hope” in “harsh and chaotic times.” Warnock touts his role in passing laws that capped insulin prices for seniors as well as boosted domestic solar panel production and aviation job programs. But his most memorable writing prizes inspiration over legislation. Noting that the Old and New Testaments contain 2,000 verses about poor people “and how to treat them,” he decries Trump administration cuts to food stamps, public housing, and other programs that Warnock benefited from as a child. His political career demonstrates “what is possible when the government lifts up hardworking Americans.” He calls for expanded opportunities to vote and reduced waiting times at polling places; more affordable housing; rules to rein in limitless campaign spending; and a less punitive judicial system. He reframes issues in galvanizing language: “Infrastructure is spiritual; it honors every child’s right to occupy space.” On guns, Warnock reiterates his support for the Second Amendment but backs what many readers will consider commonsense regulations: “Do you really need an AR-15?” He occasionally oversimplifies issues but excels at isolating a divisive matter’s essential points, especially when discussing the decades he’s spent considering climate change’s “Christian ethical implications.” This concise, effective book will do nothing to dissuade Democrats pining for a Warnock presidential run in 2028. A pastor-lawmaker’s rousing call to strengthen democracy, repair the planet, and reduce inequality and gun violence. Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Publishers Weekly
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Georgia senator Warnock (A Way Out of No Way) lays out a persuasive Christian case for reforming an America divided by cynicism, inequality, and disconnection. He finds the antidote in the biblical book of Isaiah, where God assures the exiled people of Israel that “every mountain and hill shall be brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough places smooth”—a “bold reimagining,” in Warnock’s view, of a more equitable society. He applies this philosophy to six of America’s most pressing issues, including mass incarceration, which perpetuates profound racial and financial inequality, and, according to the author, should be reformed with initiatives that enable “the uplift of all citizens” and laws like 2018’s First Step Act, which improved prison conditions and implemented fairer sentencing practices. Also considered is the epidemic of gun violence, which Warnock argues must be tackled with federal background checks and laws limiting the power of the gun lobby, a system of “legalized bribery” that blocks commonsense reforms supported by most Americans. While there’s not much here in the way of actionable steps for readers to take, Warnock’s view of the current state of the country is both clear-eyed and refreshingly optimistic. It’s a clarion call for a fairer America that speaks to the urgency of the moment. (June)