I heard Father Boyle interviewed on NPR a few months ago and was inspired by his work. He is a Jesuit priest who founded Homeboy Industries in LA in 1988. Homeboy Industries helps former gang members redirect their lives and become contributing members of their families and community by offering training, job skills and much more.

Tattoos on the Heart is a collection of anecdotes of Father Boyle's work which are compassionate, inspirational, thought-provoking, funny, tragic and unforgettable. His main message to readers is that these former gang members, outliers of society, need love and to know that they have personal worth and value. He also stresses the importance of kinship, "Kinship-not serving the other, but being one with the other. Jesus was not 'a man for others'; he was one with them".

Although there is a strong religious tone to the book the messages are universal and readers of all religions (and even non-believers like myself) can relate.