TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama Honors College has selected “Tattoos on the Heart” by Father Gregory Boyle for its Common Book Experience in 2025/2026.
“‘Tattoos on the Heart’ speaks directly to the values we champion in the Honors College: a deep sense of empathy and a willingness to engage meaningfully in the world,” said Dr. Tiffany Sippial, Dean of the Honors College. “This year’s Common Book invites our community to consider how radical compassion can disrupt assumptions and inspire lasting change. It’s a powerful invitation into the kind of reflection and action we value most.”
Simon and Schuster Publishing Company describe “Tattoos on the Heart” as a series of parables about kinship and redemption from pastor, activist and renowned speaker, Boyle.
Thirty years ago, Boyle founded Homeboy Industries, a gang-intervention, rehabilitation and reentry program in Los Angeles, the gang capital of the world. In “Tattoos of the Heart,” his debut book, Boyle distills his experience working with gang members into a breathtaking series of parables inspired by faith.
From giant, tattooed Cesar, shopping at JC Penney fresh out of prison, you learn how to feel worth of God’s love. From 10-year-old Pipi, you learn the importance of being known and acknowledged. From Lulu, you come to understand the kind of patience necessary to rescue someone from the dark – as Boyle phrases it, we can only shine a flashlight on a light switch in a darkened room.
This is a motivating look at how to stay faithful despite failure, how to meet the world with a loving heart and how to conquer shame with boundless, restorative love.
The Honors Common Book is read by all first-year students in Honors College, and is discussed by freshmen, faculty and mentors, both inside and outside of the classroom.
“‘Through Tattoos on the Heart’ and his work with Homeboy Industries, Boyle shows us that each person and their story matter,” said Dr. Anne Franklin Lamar, Director of Honors Year One. “He reminds us that creating a place of belonging and shared purpose is necessary to our work in the Honors College. We are excited to welcome him to campus and look forward to his dialogue with our students.”
To learn more about Boyle and this fascinating book, click here.
The Honors College at The University of Alabama enhances the undergraduate curriculum. Its foundation is Honors Year One, which provides students with an enhanced academic curriculum and the ability to work with their peers and outstanding faculty members in an enriched academic environment.