The Redemption of Bobby Love by Bobby and Cheryl Love–Book Review

This memoir is a story of sin and grace.

The sin — Bobby Love’s true name is Walter Miller. As a young man Bobby became a thief. He graduates from small time theft to robbing banks, and is eventually arrested and sentenced to 25 years in prison for armed robbery. When his first request for parole is denied, he escapes, and spends 40 years hiding his true identity.

The grace–Bobby, through hard work and a changed attitude, marries, has children, coaches Little League and teaches Sunday School. He hopes his past is behind him, but the toll of living a lie is high, and eventually the law catches up with him. To avoid revealing the end of Bobby’s story, I won’t say more. However, I will say that Bobby’s life is changed through his faith in God, which reminds me of something William Barclay once said, “no one can make a bad man good except Christ.” That’s true of all of us because we are all sinners, and anything good we are able to accomplish comes about through the action of the Holy Spirit within us.

VERDICT: 3 STARS. This was an easy read, but not very deep.

For more spiritual memoirs see:

Where the Light Fell by Philip Yancey–Book Review

In My Grandmother’s House by Yolanda Pierce–Book Review

The Insanity of God by Nik Ripken–Book Review