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Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life Paperback – September 4, 2003

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 863 ratings

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The Call continues to stand as a classic, reflective work on life's purpose. Best-selling author Os Guinness goes beyond our surface understanding of God's call and addresses the fact that God has a specific calling for our individual lives.

Why am I here? What is God's call in my life? How do I fit God's call with my own individuality? How should God's calling affect my career, my plans for the future, my concepts of success? Guinness now helps the reader discover answers to these questions, and more, through a corresponding workbook - perfect for individual or group study.

According to Guinness, "No idea short of God's call can ground and fulfill the truest human desire for purpose and fulfillment." With tens of thousands of readers to date, The Call is for all who desire a purposeful, intentional life of faith.

Also availbale in audio format, narrated by Os Guinness.

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Os Guinness is an author and speaker living in the Washington, D.C., area. Born in China during World War II, Guinness left in 1951, after the Chinese Revolution. A graduate of the University of London and Oxford, Guinness is a former visiting fellow of the Brookings Institution. He has written or edited more than twenty books, including The Call, Invitation to the Classics, and Long Journey Home. A frequent speaker and seminar leader at political and business conferences in the United States, Europe, and Asia, Guinness has lectured at many universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, and Stanford, and has often spoken on Capitol Hill.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas Nelson (September 4, 2003)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0849944376
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0849944376
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 863 ratings

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Os Guinness
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Os Guinness is an author and social critic. Great-great-great grandson of Arthur Guinness, the Dublin brewer, he was born in China in World War Two where his parents were medical missionaries. A witness to the climax of the Chinese revolution in 1949, he was expelled with many other foreigners in 1951 and returned to Europe where he was educated in England. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of London and his D.Phil in the social sciences from Oriel College, Oxford.

Os has written or edited more than thirty books, including The Call, Time for Truth, Unspeakable, A Free People’s Suicide, and The Global Public Square. His latest book, Last Call for Liberty: How America’s Genius for Freedom Has Become Its Greatest Threat, was published in 2018.

Since moving to the United States in 1984, Os has been a Guest Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Studies, a Guest Scholar and Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution, and Senior Fellow at the Trinity Forum and the EastWest Institute in New York. He was the lead drafter of the Williamsburg Charter in 1988, a celebration of the bicentennial of the US Constitution, and later of “The Global Charter of Conscience,” which was published at the European Union Parliament in 2012. Os has spoken at many of the world’s major universities, and spoken widely to political and business conferences across the world. He lives with his wife Jenny in the Washington DC area.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
863 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and thought-provoking. They praise the writing quality as good, with a college level vocabulary. The stories are compelling and inspiring, making it one of the most memorable work times in their lives. Overall, customers describe the book as deep, rich, and a must-read for those seeking a sense of calling.

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91 customers mention "Readability"91 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and inspiring. They say it's well worth reading and studying, and consider it the best book on the subject of a sense of calling in recent history. The writing is described as winsome yet informative. Many readers find the book biblically sound and strong on history, though the writing style may be challenging.

"...to my heart, a subject that has brought clarity and confusion, gratification and frustration to my life...." Read more

"Good book" Read more

"...I was very pleasantly surprised but not only extremely high readability but also a comprehensive enrichment fueled by his obviously deep cultural..." Read more

"...It is well written and chock full of valuable nuggets - insight about God's plan for our lives and how we should respond." Read more

75 customers mention "Thought provoking"73 positive2 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and meaningful. They say it's a quick read, but it's filled with deep concepts that we do well to ponder. The book helps illustrate calling in light of history, life, and the world around us. It helps them gain a better understanding of their purpose and is a life-changing book for them. Readers appreciate the reminder to include the spiritual aspect and find the vignettes interesting.

"...seems to be turning away from personal responsibility, these are powerful thoughts...." Read more

"...surprised but not only extremely high readability but also a comprehensive enrichment fueled by his obviously deep cultural and historical knowledge...." Read more

"...It is well written and chock full of valuable nuggets - insight about God's plan for our lives and how we should respond." Read more

"...For me, Guinness’ tying of the call to finishing well was especially meaningful.(227) He makes three points: 1. “…..." Read more

36 customers mention "Writing quality"30 positive6 negative

Customers find the book well-written and detailed. They describe it as a devotional study with 26 short chapters. The author helps define a richer, detailed picture of biblical calling. While not an easy read, the vocabulary is at the college level. Readers praise the author's effective communication and eclectic approach to the important topic of our call. The book lays out in a logical and systematic way how to respond to the Caller, providing clarity of guidance.

"I have this book and the audio version, as well. It is well written and chock full of valuable nuggets - insight about God's plan for our lives and..." Read more

"...Guinness' The Call is not an "easy read" and is written at the college level, in terms of vocabulary and depth of insight...." Read more

"...The book is written as somewhat a devotional/study and is broken down to 26 short chapters with a note in the table of contents that the intent is..." Read more

"...I know I'm going to keep this book close at hand, for clarity of guidance, for a long, long time." Read more

15 customers mention "Story quality"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the stories in the book engaging and thought-provoking. They describe the first few chapters as inspiring and memorable. The book combines stories with scripture to help Christians focus on their calling. Readers appreciate the rich description of the importance of being about our Father. Overall, it serves as a good introduction to those unfamiliar with the idea of living a life dedicated to God.

"...painting a stable, and I'm sure it will remain one of the most memorable work times in my life...." Read more

"...Many great stories of great people who followed their true calling, and also considers others who perhaps never knew their calling." Read more

"...He does so with the aid of a great many stories and quotes to help us see the whole picture...." Read more

"...This book has come to me in a perfect moment...." Read more

9 customers mention "Depth"9 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's depth and richness. They find the journey engaging and find themselves engrossed in the words and message.

"...Okay, this is not light reading, but it is more deep than complex and is packed with quotes to treasure such as, “A man must love a thing very much..." Read more

"...This is certainly no new or novel idea, but a rich and fulfilling distillation of Christian thought and life...." Read more

"The Call is a deep and thought provoking read that has given me more insight into who I am, where I am today in relation to my faith and belief in..." Read more

"...Very rich and enjoyable description of the importance of being about our Father's business...." Read more

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2013
    This book addresses a subject near and dear to my heart, a subject that has brought clarity and confusion, gratification and frustration to my life. The book is subtitled Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life. I have read more than a few books and essays on this subject and have heard my share of presentations.

    Having said that, I sometimes feel just as mystified as I was when I first started on my journey to answer the question, “Why am I here?” And “Am I doing what I am supposed to be doing?”

    In what Guinness calls the haunting question, he refers to Vaclav Havel, former president of the free Czech Republic and his Letters to Olga. Havel was also a playwright who spoke truth to the power of Soviet totalitarianism. His stance and actions led to four and a half years of hard labor in prison. His letters to his wife from prison join the writings of Deitrich Bonhoeffer’s WWII Letters and Papers from Prison as two of the best writings from prison.

    The writings focus the struggle to find meaning in life and conclude that responsibility is the key to human identity. Havel calls responsibility the “knife to carve our portraits of reality and the pen to write our stories on the scroll of history”. . .”responsibility does establish identity, be we are not responsible because of our identity, instead we have an identity because we are responsible”. In a world that seems to be turning away from personal responsibility, these are powerful thoughts.

    Os says that the “notion of life as karma, or the belief that your future is unchangeably written, is as far from the truth of calling as you can get”. Deep stuff, yes, but very though provoking.

    If you saw the Amazing Grace movie, you may remember William Wilberforce, member of the British Parliament whom Os calls the “least known great reformer in Western history”. You will likely find the connection of Wilberforce to English poet, clergyman, and former slave trader John Newton, who wrote the wonderful song, as intriguing as the movie.

    Okay, this is not light reading, but it is more deep than complex and is packed with quotes to treasure such as, “A man must love a thing very much if he not only practices it without any hope of fame or money, but even practices it without any hope of doing it well”. This is from G. K. Chesterton, putting his own slant on the traditional proverb, “If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly.” Words to remember as I just keep on writing books that don’t sell very well.

    Here’s another one from Os, “Calling is a reminder for followers of Christ that nothing in life should be taken for granted; everything in life must be received with gratitude.”
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2024
    Good book
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    5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book
    Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2024
    Good book
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    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2014
    (Posting this review on a shared family Amazon account.)

    I am a 26 year old millennial guy seeking to live a meaningful and dedicated life for the glory of God. The Call was commended to me as a great book uncovering the true nature of calling and rescuing it from the captivity of specificity and exactitude. The commendation was abundantly fulfilled.

    The Call has proven to be a rich encouragement and exhortation relevant for all believers. Os Guinness relentlessly and exhaustively exhorts the believer to honor his or her call to live as a child of the King in every way possible. Having never read any works by Os Guinness I was not sure what to expect. I was very pleasantly surprised but not only extremely high readability but also a comprehensive enrichment fueled by his obviously deep cultural and historical knowledge. I would venture to say a good quarter (if not third) of this book is quotation from such greats of the faith as GK Chesterson, Dorothy Sayers, Luther, Calvin, Bonhoeffer, and a very wide range of cultural and historical figures.

    Having finished the last fifth of the book in one sitting I find myself both emboldened and empowered by the broad context for fulfilling our call that Guinness puts forth. And by holding up so many examples from the halls of faith, Guinness encourages us that the type of calling he his suggesting has been lived over and over again in history, and many others have seen calling in much the same way he does. This is certainly no new or novel idea, but a rich and fulfilling distillation of Christian thought and life.

    Do not expect an exposition so much as a journey through the halls of calling's house. If you're expecting a "how to" on perceiving and fulfilling your specific occupational calling or job you will be disappointed, but this book is all the more for you. That is what I came to it for, but I have walked away with a far greater appreciation for the true calling of our God beyond specific occupational endeavors.

    The Call is almost certainly going to become an annual staple for me. I highly recommend it for believers in any stage of life.
    36 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2024
    I have this book and the audio version, as well. It is well written and chock full of valuable nuggets - insight about God's plan for our lives and how we should respond.
    One person found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • chris brown
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 31, 2024
    A good read, good service, decent price. Many thanks
  • Sarah Lo Negro
    5.0 out of 5 stars An absolute must-read
    Reviewed in France on October 6, 2021
    Rich and engaging, well written and thoughtful, but most importantly bursting with the truth of calling that our generation and family of believers need to hear!
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Deeply impacting and radically challenging!
    Reviewed in India on January 19, 2021
    During this era of global recession of intrinsic values and pandemic of moral, ethical and spiritual decay; this book has served for me as a compass to navigate through into the highest value of human being and living 'the call' of my life!
  • Nelson Paul Lee
    5.0 out of 5 stars Know your calling, but especially know your Caller
    Reviewed in Canada on December 17, 2018
    Many in the world are driven and these we seem to admire as successful. Rather, than being pushed, we must be pulled - called - by the Caller who guides and enables. Find this Caller at all costs and your calling and you will be truly successful!
  • Aurelius Marcus
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterwork
    Reviewed in Germany on June 19, 2019
    Absolutely the best book I ever read on calling. It's deep and refreshing and gives you a new understanding about the plans and purposes of God for your life. Guinness in my opinion can already be numbered among the great Christian Authors of this century. A must-read.