Troubled times remind us that faith in humanity is essential in overcoming adversity and being resilient, and these five non-fiction books about faith in humanity shows just that.

The Face of Hunger by Byron Conner

Sometimes, a crisis brings the world together. In most cases, it brings out the worst in us. The Face of Hunger: Reflections On A Famine In Ethiopia by Dr. Byron Conner is a magnificent memoir. It features one of the most infamous crises in recent history- the 1983-1985 famine in Ethiopia.

In this riveting and compelling book, Byron Conner, a physician serving in the US Public Health Service, decided to lend his expertise and time to the people in the hunger-stricken country. The doctor was inspired after seeing a fundraising advertisement on TV by World Vision. Together with his wife and children, Dr. Byron Conner embarked on a humanitarian mission. The journey saw them staying in the African continent for three years.

Conner shares the horrors of the famine, his time in the towns of Gimbie and Addis Ababa, which were greatly affected by the food crisis. He also shares the challenges and lessons he encountered in the region. The Face of Hunger is a moving account of a country’s struggle, resilience, and one man’s selflessness.

Beauty in the Broken Places by Allison Pataki

Beauty in the Broken Places is a powerful memoir by best-selling author Allison Pataki. Pataki is known for her many romance fiction books and city adventure. In 2018, Allison Pataki released a different masterpiece.

Beauty in the Broken Places is actually a personal story that chronicles her life after her husband Dave suffered a life-threatening stroke that left him unable to recover his memory. Everything changed the day Dave collapsed during their flight on a “babymoon.” Allison was five months pregnant when the incident happened.

When Dave woke up, Allison had to face the truth that his beloved husband could not remember, and she is now left alone carrying for her newborn baby and her husband. Beauty in the Broken Places is a story of resilience, faith, and finding hopes amidst insurmountable challenges.

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Published in 2015, Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates is a compelling work that attempts to answer some of the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son. In this touching work, Ta-Nehisi Coates provides us with a fresh perspective of understanding our nation’s history and current crisis that is racism.

Ta-Nehisi Coates attempts to provide his own personal answers to these questions through a heartwarming letter to his adolescent son. In the letter, he shares his awakening to the truth about his place in the world through a series of revelatory experiences, from Howard University to Civil War battlefields, from the South Side of Chicago to Paris to his childhood home.

Between the World and Me is a masterfully-written memoir full of reimagined history and fresh, emotionally charged observation and social commentary. It is one of those unforgettable non-fiction books about faith in humanity. It will renew your faith and hope in people and their struggles.

People Are Good by AnnaMarie McHargue

People Are Good: 100 True Stories to Restore Your Faith in Humanity is the complete title of the 2017 non-fiction compilation by AnnaMarie McHargue. McHargue is the co-founder of Words with Sisters, an initiative whose mission is to partner with authors who wish to offer positive messages and inspiration through their work.

People are Good is a collection of inspiring narratives that hopes to bring people together. It shares small acts of kindness, reminding us that people generally have good hearts and that there is still hope. In this book, readers will encounter different narratives covering various topics that will change the way they look at things.

Filled with stories of hope, kindness, tolerance, empathy, sympathy, unity, and the power of being there for one another, People are Good is one heartwarming read you will never out down once you’ve started. It’s one of those non-fiction books about faith in humanity that will stick with you after reading.

Fifty Cents and a Dream by Jabari Asim

Perhaps one of the most famous success stories about education that constantly featured in schools is the classic biography of Booker T. Washington. Washington is an African-American who was born into slavery. Young Washington dreamed of learning how to read and write. After emancipation, his life would change when he decided to begin a five-hundred-mile journey, mostly on foot, to Hampton Institute.

This was the first of many struggles Booker went through in order to pursue his dream of a college degree, which slaves and people of color had a hard time getting. His story would end with Booker T. Washington becoming one of the greatest educators of freedmen. Fifty Cents and a Dream by Jabari Asim is a wonderful re-introduction of Booker T. Washington’s amazing journey in life.

Together with award-winning illustrator Bryan Collier, they retell one of the greatest non-fiction stories about resilience.