Available for preorder. Orders ship September 2026.
Life's trials can break us—or they can forge us. When tragedy struck his family, Ben Baran was forced to confront suffering in its rawest form. In the aftermath, Baran—Navy admiral, organizational psychologist, Catholic, husband, and father—sought answers to the questions all of us eventually face: How do we endure the unendurable? What purpose might suffering serve? Can faith and science together show us a way through?
Crucibles is his honest and hope-filled response. Baran weaves insights from psychology and sociology with the Catholic tradition, especially teachings of St. John Paul II. He explores how adversity can both wound and transform. Drawing on stories from Antarctic explorers, Holocaust survivors, soldiers, saints, and parents, he shows how life's crucibles are unavoidable, but also potentially redemptive: clarifying who we are, forging resilience, and binding us together in solidarity.
A guide for anyone facing hardship or preparing for it, this candid and compassionate book is full of raw beauty and honest hope, reminding us that, even in our deepest trials, we are never alone.
Ben Baran, Ph.D., is an organizational psychologist, speaker, and management consultant who also serves as a rear admiral in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He is an associate professor of management at Cleveland State University’s Monte Ahuja College of Business and co-founder of the consulting firm Indigo Anchor. Following the tragic death of his third child, Vincent, he and his wife co-founded the Catholic nonprofit Mighty Vincent, which seeks to bring joy, compassion, and love to the world by facilitating volunteer service and raising awareness of those in need. Ben lives in Hudson, Ohio, with his wife and children. Learn more at www.benbaran.com.
| SKU/ISBN | 9781594171109 |
| Product Number | 71109 |
| Size | 5.5x8.5 |
| Format | |
| Pages | 240 |
I learned long ago there is absolutely nothing I can say that will take away the crushing pain of parents who have just lost a child. Nothing. That is why this book “Crucibles” is both helpful and profound, written by a father who has experienced such a loss. I hope you read it.
At this moment in history, we are witnessing a quiet revival of Christian Faith, especially among younger people—and not only in the United States, but around the world. One of the prevailing reasons for this religious revival is that young people are seeking meaning, especially in their suffering. Ben Baran’s Crucibles is a credible account of how faith and science work together to make sense of our lives and our experiences, especially the heavy and heartbreaking ones. Whatever your age or generation, it should be on your reading list this year.
