God's Influencer: Holy Advice from St. Carlo Acutis

Michelle Nott reviews a new book about a new saint, written by Antonia Salzano and Andrea Acutis.

God's Influencer: Holy Advice from St. Carlo Acutis

By Antonia Salzano and Andrea Acutis

Publisher: Sophia Institute Press

I have a group of saint friends whom I have enjoyed getting to know and who have helped me at various times in my life. One of my newer friends is soon-to-be-canonized Carlo Acutis. 

I recently had the pleasure of getting to read about him in God’s Influencer: Holy Advice from St. Carlo Acutis by Antonia Salzano and Andrea Acutis.  

This book is comprised of 42 interview questions by Giorgio Maria Carbone that are answered by the parents of Carlo Acutis. In the book, the audience has the opportunity to know Carlo more intimately by reading stories of his childhood from the memories of his parents, and by reading his own reflections on our faith that his parents share in their interview answers.  

My Thoughts on God’s Influencer 

I jumped at the chance to read more about Carlo Acutis, and I was not disappointed. I, like so many others, have taken an interest in Carlo and want to learn more about him and what type of life he led. Our parish recently hosted a relic of Carlo Acutis and provided a presentation on his life. I have learned a lot about him from these opportunities.

But reading God’s Influencer has given me a better glimpse inside his mind and heart. Reading the reflections he wrote is just so humbling and really provides an insight on how he attained sainthood. His parents shared so many stories and testimonies given from family friends and some of the countless individuals he helped during his lifetime. I am just so amazed at what a wonderful person he was after reading the stories about him. It is very clear to me that, from the very beginning, he was called to be a saint. 

I feel as though I can relate to him because he was just a few years older than me. He was born in 1991 (I am 1994) and I can’t help but wonder how his life would have turned out if he was still alive. His parents do give some insight into what his plans were for the future before he became sick. But, of course, God’s plan is best, and now Carlo will be canonized soon! 

The reflections and insights on Carlo provided in this book show how he accomplished his sainthood and can provide examples for us to achieve the same goal. I see how much of an impact he had on the world while he was alive, and I am so excited to see how he will continue to change it as a saint. 

Additional Thoughts on the Format of the Book 

I love how this book is formatted. There are no chapters; instead, it is divided up by interview questions and answers, making it easy to pick up and put down when needed. All the personal stories and reflections shared in it are so great to read and provide such a great insight into the mind of this saint.  

My one critique of the book is the font size used for the reflections. To differentiate between the interview answers of his parents and when they would share a reflection as part of their answer, the font changes to a smaller size and different format. It’s not a big change, but I found it to be a little on the small side for my eyes.  

I truly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get to know Carlo Acutis from the perspective of how his close family and friends saw him! 

Is this a book you'd like to read? Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2025 Michelle Nott
Images: (top) detail from cover; (bottom) Canva