As he was dying, Father Charlie Strobel, founder of iconic Nashville homeless services center Room in the Inn, finished writing a series of stories about the people who taught him to love unconditionally, the book's publisher announced Tuesday.
The memoir, "The Kingdom of the Poor: My Journey Home," will be released Sept. 17 by Vanderbilt University Press, and it's already getting praise from some of Nashville's nationally known writers, according to a news release from the publisher.
In the book's foreword, Ann Patchett, novelist and owner of Parnassus Books, wrote, "You hold in your hand a manual for decency and kindness."
Strobel, a Nashville native, longtime Catholic priest, humanitarian and founder of Room In The Inn, died last year at age 80. He was a lifelong advocate for the underserved and passionate about racial justice, mental health and opposing the death penalty.
The book's stories — put together with Strobel's niece Katie Seigenthaler — includes stories about losing his father at age four, losing his mother to murder, forgiving her killer, and starting his homeless community mission work by handing out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, the publisher said.
Proceeds from the book will go to Room in the Inn. "The Kingdom of the Poor" is available for pre-order now.
Read the full article by Brad Schmitt at The Tennessean.
