And the Souls Felt Their Worth: A Life of Purpose, Policy, and the People Who Inspired Me Along the Way is grounded in Jack Calhoun’s lifelong commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable children, youth and families and interweaves three strands: formational events such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s seismic public witness that profoundly influenced both his sustaining values and his life’s direction; the stories of people whose lives were touched by his policies or programs, people whose stories inspired him whether in his job as a community service worker in Boston or as a presidential appointee serving as the U.S. Commissioner of the Administration for Children, Youth and Families under President Carter in Washington, D.C.; and ultimately And the Souls Felt Their Worth is a memoir of his life’s work.
And the Souls Felt Their Worth spans six decades of Calhoun’s community and policy work that has touched the lives of millions. With insights gleaned from his earliest days to reflections on a life well lived serving at the highest levels of government, Calhoun shares the touching, human stories of the people who inspired the prevention programs and approaches he designed to strengthen communities, families, and youth. He hopes to inspire readers with this collection of timely and timeless stories to feel their own worth and see it in those around them.
What People Are Saying
“As a national leader in developing and administering crime prevention, youth development, and juvenile justice programs and policies, Jack Calhoun has written a moving and inspirational recounting of the personal experiences and events that helped shape his lifelong mission. And the Souls Felt Their Worth contains many lessons from which we can learn, lessons that can also spur us to action.” — Bob Diegelman, Former Deputy Asst. Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice
“In sharing his personal journey, beginning as a young man in search of his calling and culminating in the legacy of a national policy advocate and servant leader with an abiding commitment to social justice, Calhoun reminds us that we can find and celebrate people who inspire us and transform their communities in the most unlikely places. This book is a “must-read” for anyone seeking solace, a spur to action, and hope in these challenging times.” — Clifford Johnson, Founding Executive Director, Institute for Youth, Education and Families, National League of Cities
“We all know the African proverb; it takes a village to raise a child. But few of us know the rest of that deep truth; the child ignored by the village will burn it down, just to feel its warmth. There is no one in America better than Jack Calhoun who has lived out this truth in the power of a loving embrace while translating its practical application into everyday life. This is Calhoun’s story of over 60 years of breathing love into a choking world. He shares personal and deeply moving human stories, and then brings you with him into the highest halls of policy making. Every shattering and true story of a life transformed, every stoke of brilliantly caring policy penned, every shared syllable of hard-earned wisdom imparted will help you have HOPE. Take a deep breath before you begin to read, because Jack, in this his latest book, And the Souls Felt Their Worth, takes you with him on his honestly breathtaking triumphal journey of his life. And your life will be better for walking with him each step of the way.” — Mack McCarter, Founder/Coordinator, Community Renewal International
“What a treasure Jack Calhoun shares in this memoir loaded with so many compelling stories. A consummate storyteller, he distills the essence of indelible moments in his life on the front lines of lifting people up. Each story contains a gold nugget for us, the readers, to consider for our own lives.” — Elinor Griffith, Former Senior Editor, Reader’s Digest
“Calhoun provides a masterful summary of service to America and offers solutions to fix our community problems. This is a must read for people who love our country and want to see it thrive!” — Les Brualdi, Former CEO, ADT Security Systems
“Jack Calhoun’s passion for the worth of every human being is at the center of this provocative book – part memoir, part policy prescriptions, part story telling. Jack calls on the reader to turn anger into commitment, isolation into community, pain into redemption. Jack’s is a life worth living, and his book well worth reading.” — Mike Widmer, Former Director of Communications for MA Governor Michael Dukakis, Longtime director of Massachusetts’ premier independent research and public policy organization
