The Search for God and Guinness: A Biography of the Beer that Changed the World

Written by Stephen Mansfield

Narrated by David Colacci

The history of Guinness, one of the world's most famous brands, reveals the noble heights and generosity of a great family and an innovative business.

It began in Ireland in the mid 1700s. The water in Ireland, indeed throughout Europe, was famously undrinkable, and the gin and whiskey that took its place devastated civil society. It was a disease-ridden, starvation-plagued, alcoholic age, and Christians like Arthur Guinness-as well as monks and even evangelical churches-brewed beer that provided a healthier alternative to the poisonous waters and liquors of the times. This is where the Guinness tale began.

Now, 250 years and over 150 countries later, Guinness is a global brand, one of the most consumed beverages in the world. The tale that unfolds during those two and a half centuries has power to thrill audiences today: the generational drama, business adventure, industrial and social reforms, deep-felt faith, and the noble beer itself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Jun 6, 2017
• ISBN: 9781541476042

Stephen Mansfield

Stephen Mansfield is the New York Times bestselling author of Lincoln's Battle with God, The Faith of Barack Obama, Pope Benedict XVI, Searching for God and Guinness, and Never Give In: The Extraordinary Character of Winston Churchill. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Beverly.

Reviews for The Search for God and Guinness

[scott_hercher · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Search for God and Guinness is a faith-based paean to the Guinness family and their company. Written in part as an escape from the weariness of partisan politics as the meaning of life and the criticism the author apparently faced following his Faith of Barack Obama, Stephen Mansfield seems to find affirmation in the Guinness family's dedication to social works, convinced that they are always done for the glory of God, rather than just because it was the right thing to do. Not all the Guinnesses took an active role in the company: many became clergymen, preachers, reformers and any number of non-beer, non-Church related professions. For nearly 200 years, Guinness may have been one of the best companies to work for, paying their employees well and working hard to reduce their employee's poverty. Mansfield seems to rely almost exclusively on secondary sources, some of which were written by members of the Guinness family themselves. Mansfield's desire to see only the good in the Guinness' likely leaves some dark underbellies unexposed. The book is easy reading, but also doesn't seem to be rigorously researched. It isn't a bad book, but has neither the soul-searching philosophizing that I anticipated from the title, nor the academic biographical approach that the subject deserves.

[melydia_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A history of the Guinness beer company, not only just about the Guinness family and their business, but also in the context of history and religion. It's a bit of a love letter to the company, which can get a tad tiresome, but in general it's an interesting read.

[squirrelhead_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book I have read by author Stephen Mansfield and I can report that I found it very interesting. It was Guinness that attracted me to the book cover and upon picking it up, found I had read several pages whilst leaning against the bookshelves at my local library. Why not bring it home?This is story about the humble beginnings for Arthur Guinness’ career in brewing beer. While many people are under the impression that Arthur started up the family business after acquiring long lease on St James Gate, you will be quite engaged to read about the real beginnings of his brewing experience. Arthur had roughly 25 years of experience before he started up at St James Gate. As a matter of fact, he brought hops from his family home in Celbridge and began brewing in Dublin after years of experience with his father and on his own talent.The company treated the employees very well. You’ve read or heard about the benefits provided by Google to their employees? The Guinness family were the precursors for that business model.Guinness IS good for you!Each of the facts I listed below is written about in detail in this book, telling of the circumstances.From the bookSome Guinness facts:* More than ten million glasses of Guinness are consumed each day worldwide. That is nearly two billion pints a year.* In 1759, Arthur Guinness founded the Guinness brewery in Dublin by signing a lease for famous property St James Gate – a lease that has given him rights to that property for nine thousand years!* It is a myth that the water for brewing Guinness comes from the River Liffey. Most of the water comes from the streams of the Wicklow Mountains which lies just south of Dublin .* A Guinness worker during the 1920s enjoyed full medical and dental care, massage services, reading rooms, subsidized meals, a company funded pension, subsidies for funeral expenses, educational benefits, free concerts and lectures and a guaranteed two pints of Guinness beer a day.* During World War I, Guinness guaranteed all of its employees who served in uniform that their jobs would be waiting for them when they returned home. Guinness also paid half salaries to the family of each man who served.* A Guinness chief medical officer, Dr John Lumsden, personally visited thousands of Dublin homes in 1900 and used what he learned to help the company fight disease, squalor and ignorance. These efforts also led to the establishment of the Irish version of the Red Cross, for which Dr. Lumsden was knighted by King George V.Guinness was known for its care of its employees, One Guinness family member who headed the brewery said, “You cannot make money from people unless you are willing for people to make money from you.”There were so many, “Oh I didn’t know that, how interesting” moments that I would stop and call out to Doug, “Listen to this” and proceed to share parts of this book.We had been fortunate to have a family vacation in Ireland that took us to Arthur Guinness’ hometown of Celbridge and we enjoyed a pint there, talking to the bar maid about the town history, sipping our pints in the old pub on a chilly afternoon. We also took a tour of the brewery in Dublin and have our photo at the famous St James Gate. The tour was great but I wish I had read this book prior to going to Ireland .A good read – I recommend it!

[shannonrose4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love stout, so when I saw this title years ago, I just had to read it. I thought it would be a little bit family history, good wit and a little about beer: I learned so much more. Stout isn't just beer & Guinness in a very big way saved Dublin. Sláinte!

[visceral3realist · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A scholarly 'biography' this is not (e.g. lacks footnotes). In reality the book contains some very general facts, gleaned from the centuries, about some in the Guinness family and their brewery, but then smothers this with seemingly never ending slaver in praise of religious faith. When I had completed this book, it seemed that 'biography' was only a vessel as a means to proselytize....or to be really cynical, an obsequious ploy for a few, free pints.

[benkline · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful look at not just the business/corporation of Guinness but also the Guinness family from the beginning of the brewery through Arthur Guinness. Despite the title, the book doesn't delve into the religious all too much (which is a good thing) (until the end, when it goes into greater detail the Grattan Guinness's).

The flow of the book is fast and a very easy read. The details about some of the aspects of the brewery is fascinating and the people (not just the Guinness's) who populate the book are fleshed out very well and Ireland itself is described perfectly.

[readbanned · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

a good read: THE SEARCH FOR GOD AND GUINNESS by Stephen Mansfield. Don't be put off but what seems a sacrilegious tale. This is a biographical account of a beer that changed the world. Good-natured and inspirational as ...it parallels the history of Christianity with the history of beer, this book... tells the true story of how the Guiness Family used its wealth, faith, and philanthropy to influence millions. The author points out (makes his case) the important role faith played in the companys success as well as in how democratic capitalism evolves. The book serves as a reminder to me that the failures of corporations and businesses is not the norm and I don't need to be told, "this is the way it has to be". Mansfield traces the family tree of the founder Arthur Guiness telling stories of success, charity and how the company has been an empelling(sp) press for social good from its beginning to the present.

[foreigncircus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is a little bit history, a little bit morality play, and a little bit personal reflection. It is more focused than I expected on the religious legacy of the Guinness family, but was nonetheless an enjoyable read. There were a few places where I thought the religious rhetoric got a bit strong, but then the author always dialed it back a bit. Though I'm not sure I agree about beer being the savior of the working class, it was interesting to read about the social changes in Dublin that can be traced to the Guinness family. All in all, a great choice for anyone who loves stout.

[marient_5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mansfield tells the story of brewery founder Arthur Guiness and traces the family tree to his heirs who built housing for the poor, restored some of the great institutions of faith in Ireland, and who even ensured that soldiers had pints of brew on the battlefields of the world's great wars.Book Club March 2010- Roger will lead.