Stephen Mansfield invites you to take a look at history through the lens of beer in his book, The Search for God and Guiness. Mansfield masterfully tells the story of the Guiness family’s work and impact over the last 250 years. The story begins with entrepreneur Arthur Guiness and his twofold pursuit to not only provide his countrymen with a safe alternative to hard liquor and contaminated water, but to also produce a superior product. To quote Mansfield, “In the minds of most of the people in the world, Guiness is beer and that is all there is to the story. But this is far from true.” To prove his point, the author paints a picture of generosity and faith passing from one generation to the next, and as the family business grows, so does the giving.

This work conveys the importance of the lost art of handing down a trade through the generations. It also shows how the values of hard work, commitment to excellence, generosity to the poor and innovative thinking all stemmed from a deep faith in God and a sense that a man can fulfill God’s calling in any chosen profession. The epilogue was a refreshing call to return to ethically sound business practices which contrasts greatly with the greed that preceded our current economic state. This book would be a great read for anyone looking to practically live out their faith and their calling.