Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Publication Date: November 4, 2025

Length: 128 pages

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.

I review fiction. I have occasionally reviewed biographies of interesting people. I avoid reviewing political or religious books because both can be very polarizing. I keep my faith and my politics private. Last month, Grand Central Publishing provided the opportunity to review Martin Scorsese’s new book, Conversations on Faith. Having watched several movies with/or by Mr. Scorsese, I decided to step out of my comfort zone of fiction to read this book.

This book features a series of six conversations between Mr. Scorsese and Antonio Spadaro, all centered on faith. Martin Scorsese is a renowned actor and director. Antonio Spadaro is an Italian Jesuit theologian. During the first conversation, Scorsese defines his religious beliefs as Christian, Roman Catholic by baptism. He believes the tenets of the Catholic church suit his view of God and religion best. Each of these conversations centers around Scorsese’s faith and life experiences.

It is significant to note that in each script he writes, his central characters have an experience involving faith. It might not be overt to the viewer, but it is part of the movie’s message. I found his revelation surprising, and I realized that I need to rewatch his films. Maybe I was looking at these movies too superficially.

Each conversation is deeply thought-provoking. I am a very quick reader; however, this time I took time to read and reflect on each conversation. Sometimes I agreed with or understood Scorsese’s points; other times I found myself disagreeing. I would advise readers to take this approach, slow life down enough to enjoy this book. I appreciated the opportunity this book afforded me to clarify my thoughts on faith.

My takeaway is that Scorsese lives a life rooted in faith. It is a part of who he is and what he creates.

I am glad I read this book. My gratitude to Grand Central Publishing for offering the book, and my heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Scorsese and Mr. Spadaro for sharing these conversations.

My Rating: 🌻🌻🌻🌻/5