The Desert Is Fertile

by Hélder Câmara, Dinah Livingstone (Translator)

A most believable tract. A most convincing homily. A lovable reading experience. 'The Long Island Catholic' This is a beautiful little book in both content and format. Photographs show Dom Helder in action with people. Poetry alternates with prose to get across his message. This is a good way to become acquainted with the thought and the personality of a dynamic Brazilian archbishop noted for his espousal of the cause of poor people everywhere but especially in his native country. 'Concern' You give more than a book when you give this book-jewel to a friend. You give a deep insight into life's real meaning. 'Religion Teacher's Journal' Camara's brief essays and poems are arresting for their simplicity and depth of vision, and are encouraging because of the realistic yet quietly hopeful tone with which they argue for sustained action toward global justice. 'Commonweal'

84 pages, Paperback

Published June 8, 2005

About the author

Dom Hélder Pessoa Câmara was Roman Catholic Archbishop of Olinda and Recife.

He retired as archbishop in 1985, and lived to see many of his reforms rolled back by his conservative successors.

He is famous for the quotation, "When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a Communist."

Excerpted from Wikipedia.

Reviews

[Sean Sullivan]

Good.

[Irene]

Dom Helder Camara is one of my heroes, a source of inspiration. So, I wanted to give this brief collection of essays and poems at least 4 stars. But, if I am honest, the poems were mediocre and the essays had the frayed edges of age. There was still much to challenge me in his words, but it did not pack the punch I expected.

[Carlos Hugo Winckler Godinho]

Um livro desesperador no sentido de perceber que as discussões vivenciadas anos antes de eu nascer são as mesmas de hoje.