About the Author

Terence Ward was born in Boulder, Colorado, and spent his childhood in Saudi Arabia and Iran. Also the author of Searching for Hassan (Anchor 2003), he is a cross-cultural consultant who has advised corporations and governments in the Islamic world and the West.

Reviews

"The author provides a rich tapestry that intricately weaves the story of an iconic painter and his influence on the viewer."--San Francisco Chronicle

"The Guardian of Mercy is just superb. And bold. I can't think of a book quite like it. Just brilliant.--Pete Hamill, author of Forever, Snow in August, A Drinking Life, Tabloid City

"I was stunned by Ward's account. This book does everything art writing should do. I am pleased beyond envy." —David Carrier, author of Proust/Warhol: Analytical Philosophy of Art and A World Art History and its Objects

“Ecstatic and soul-searching. Written with grace, with almost every sentence imparting an epiphany. An electrifying reading experience and a wondrous book on Caravaggio . . . Ward challenges us to undertake soul-work, even if one is a secular reader. Here, reading is an act of empathy and potential readers will read the book with passion and compassion, thereby becoming, in the words of Wallace Stevens, "necessary angels."--Pelligrino d'Acierno, Director of Italian Studies and Professor of Comparative Literature, Hofstra University

"Ward's work offers a refreshing look at a once-forgotten—but now much-celebrated—artistic genius. The author also reveals the subtle and profound ways in which art and life interact. Fascinating reading about a significant artistic figure and his legacy."--Kirkus

“Strangely compelling . . . a charming departure from the typical narrative of art history. . . . Ward weaves the story of Caravaggio—who was accused of several counts of murder and condemned to a death sentence by the pope, and who eventually died a mysterious, lonely death—with the contemporary story of a guard . . . stationed at Pio Monte della Misericordia."--Publishers Weekly

"Anyone interested in art and its power to change lives will appreciate this thoughtful work."–Booklist

“This is a story of grace! Terence Ward's powerful, moving narrative interweaves Caravaggio's life story with those of people in contemporary Naples whose lives are transformed by the power of art—and mercy."-- Elaine Pagels, Harrington Professor of Religion, Princeton University



Praise for Searching for Hassan

"Astonishing and deeply poignant." -- The Washington Post

"Quixotic, colorful and amusing. . . . An unexpected ode to Iran." -- The New York Times Book Review

"Informative and touching . . . provides a marvelously nuanced portrait of Iran." -- Francine Prose, Elle

"Ward describes a more intricate image of a nation caught in a tug of war with itself. . . . He shows the country in all its complexity." -- Los Angeles Times

"[A] nostalgic, sometimes harrowing pilgrimage." -- The New Yorker

"A wonderfully tactile, rich book . . . written from the right place (the heart), and with the right kind of search in mind (the search for grace)." -- Esquire

"Ward's sympathetic and humane portrayals of everyday Iranians can help us transcend today's policy papers and State Department briefings in order to find commonalities." -- USA Today

Searching for Hassan should be required reading for US foreign policy makers." -- BookPage

"Ward hooks the reader with his unique past and observant eye." -- Detroit Free Press

"A powerful memoir that plumbs the depths of Iranian culture and tradition. . . . A memorable journey." -- Library Journal