"A rich meditation upon human finitude. Calling upon a potpourri of philosophical voices while relating a number of accounts from his life, Lysaker prompts his reader to a shared openness and vulnerability. . . Hope, Trust, and Forgiveness is an achievement in pluralistic and ethical deliberation, richly observant of challenges with which we are beset."

Journal of Value Inquiry

“Drawing upon diverse thinkers from several philosophical traditions, Hope, Trust, and Forgiveness is a beautiful exploration of how we relate to ourselves and one another as we navigate uncertainty, intimacy, and injustice. Lysaker has a rare and remarkable ability to capture the nuance of our lived experiences through his powerful writing. This book is rich with new insights.”

Katie Stockdale, University of Victoria

“A work in fragments without ever feeling fragmented, the book’s individual tesserae communicate a vibrant, beautiful, troubled world. Many of the text’s connected interventions stand on their own as self-contained ephemera advocating decency and care in harsh and uncertain times. Taken as a whole or in parts, this is a rich and intimate book that suggests philosophizing risks failure in the unshakable hope of getting ‘it’ right and in the knowledge that forgiveness must remain possible.”

Mark Christian Thompson, Johns Hopkins University

“With creativity and candor, Lysaker returns us to scenes of ordinary life, reminding us of our finitude while also showing how finitude itself throws us toward each other in ways that demand courage and imagination. Above all, Lysaker performs the hope he describes, forging conversations between disparate thinkers and giving readers new resources for thinking about incremental action, pragmatic hope, and partial (therefore real) forgiveness. This might well be the handbook for our time.”

Megan Craig, Stony Brook University