Talking of Michelangelo
“Anyone who wants to know why I have such deep respect for the Catholic tradition needs only to read this book.”
Eric Metaxas
As his Ignatian retreat in France becomes a battleground of faith and doubt, Giersch grapples with the hardest issues and discovers that God is far more patient, creative, and mischievously loving than we ever imagined. The result is a gorgeous literary memoir that is brutally honest and relentlessly hopeful.
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A Birthday Retreat in France . . . and a Crisis of Faith He Never Saw Coming
In this bracingly honest and unexpectedly funny narrative, Peter Giersch recounts the journey that began as a simple getaway but evolved into the most transformative experience of his life. Follow the author as he takes you from the bustling streets of Paris to a secluded monastery in the Burgundy region — and then into the depths of a “dark night of the soul” that threatens the very foundations of his faith.
Part travelogue and part spiritual memoir, Giersch ponders the existential imperative in conversation with the great minds of Western civilization and twentieth-century pop culture. Blending vivid storytelling and unfiltered candor, Giersch’s story reflects J. D. Salinger’s first-person conversational style and C. S. Lewis’s intellectual approach to the Faith, making it a sort of Catcher in the Rye meets Mere Christianity, which dares to voice the deepest doubts and questions we’ve all been grappling with.
As his Ignatian retreat becomes a battleground of faith and doubt, Giersch grapples with the hardest issues — sex, sin, suffering, and mortality — and discovers that God is far more patient, creative, and mischievously loving than we ever imagined. The result is a gorgeous literary memoir that is brutally honest and relentlessly hopeful.
For anyone who has ever longed to figure out where God is hiding in the chaos of the twenty-first century, this book will bring clarity to the questions and joy in the answers.
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Endorsements
“Anyone who wants to know why I have such deep respect for the Catholic tradition needs only to read this book by my friend Peter Giersch. Profoundly literary, devotional, and compelling a gorgeous memoir.”
Eric Metaxas
New York Times Bestselling Author, Bonhoeffer; Podcaster and Host, Socrates in the City
“I love the philosophical wanderings of Peter Giersch’s Talking of Michelangelo. This rare book is at once a traveling narrative, a philosophical meditation, and a substantive spiritual examination. Giersch writes with a literate, reflective voice that invites the reader to grapple with deeper questions that most of us instinctively sense but rarely confront. I encourage readers to take their time pondering the weighty musings of this urban mystic.”
David Engelhardt
Pastor, King’s Church, Manhattan; TPUSA Board of Directors
“Giersch is the consummate storyteller, guiding readers on an incredible journey through his book Talking of Michelangelo. We embark on our quest in the humble town of Milwaukee. Then we’re guided through the historical streets of Paris. Ultimately our journey ends in battle, when, in a Benedictine monastery in the heart of France, we glimpse the fires of Hell and a foretaste of Heaven. A great read that will certainly leave you changed.”
Tom Peterson
TV Host; Author; Founder, Catholics Come Home
“Peter Giersch’s Talking of Michelangelo transcends the bounds of a typical memoir, offering deep insight into modern man’s tendency to delude himself. Framed by an entertaining telling of his travels and an almost unbelievable retreat experience, this book shines a light on our ultimate reliance on the grace of Divine Providence. For anyone looking to engage modern culture from a faithful perspective, Talking of Michelangelo will prove a trusty handbook.”
Stephen D. Minnis
President, Benedictine College, Atchison, Kansas
“This book does not disappoint. As you read Peter Giersch’s tale about his search for deeper meaning, you may even recognize your own personal struggles in the story.”
Rev. Francis Joseph Hoffman
Fr. Rocky,” Chairman and CEO, Relevant Radio
Upcoming Media Appearances
Socrates in the City
Podcast
Socrates in the Studio
Podcast
Eric Metaxas Show
Podcast
About the Author
Peter Giersch has had a varied career in business, academia, and the arts. After a stint as a teacher and nonprofit executive, he launched Cathedral Consulting Group, overseeing its growth into a multinational, multimillion-dollar management consulting firm. Currently serving as founder and CEO of the Giersch Group, Peter has published several Catholic devotional books, including Day by Day with the Catechism, and has been active in Legatus and the Rotary Club. He is a former member of the board of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and collaborates musically with his talented children, streaming under the name of Giersch At Last. Peter lives near Milwaukee with his wife of more than thirty years and with whichever of his five children might be living at home at the moment.
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“A gorgeous literary memoir that is brutally honest and relentlessly hopeful.”
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