Philosopher Myisha Cherry teaches us the right ways to deal with wrongdoing in our lives and
the world Sages from Cicero to Oprah have told us that forgiveness requires us to let go of
negative emotions and that it has a unique power to heal our wounds. In Failures of Forgiveness
Myisha Cherry argues that these beliefs couldn't be more wrong--and that the ways we think
about and use forgiveness personally and as a society can often do more harm than good. She
presents a new and healthier understanding of forgiveness--one that will give us a better
chance to recover from wrongdoing and move toward radical repair. Cherry began exploring
forgiveness after some relatives of the victims of the mass shooting at Emanuel A.M.E. Church
in Charleston South Carolina forgave what seemed unforgiveable. She was troubled that many
observers appeared to be more inspired by these acts of forgiveness than they were motivated to
confront the racial hatred that led to the killings. That is a big mistake Cherry argues.
Forgiveness isn't magic. We can forgive and still be angry there can be good reasons not to
forgive and forgiving a wrong without tackling its roots solves nothing. Examining how
forgiveness can go wrong in families between friends at work and in the media politics and
beyond Cherry addresses forgiveness and race canceling versus forgiving self-forgiveness
and more. She takes the burden of forgiveness off those who have been wronged and offers
guidance both to those deciding whether and how to forgive and those seeking forgiveness. By
showing us how to do forgiveness better Failures of Forgiveness promises to transform how we
deal with wrongdoing in our lives opening a new path to true healing and reconciliation.
