Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World

Bob Goff is the author of Love Does. In a book that is built up of anecdotes and personal reflections, the Bob Goff of the book is also the key character, used to exemplify its lessons and messages. As with all semi-autobiographical works, especially those which espouse a particular ideology, the relationship between the author Goff and the Goff presented in the book is uncertain; it cannot be known to what extent this character is factually accurate. By extension, it is impossible to know how factual the anecdotes are in truth. As with all motivational literature in the first-person style, these stories—overwhelmingly presented as metaphor or allegory—are mainly significant for what they seek to communicate, rather than for their basis in fact.

This said, Love Does relies heavily on its presentation of the figure of Bob Goff as a truthful, believable, and relatable character, with a strong emphasis on his openness, modesty, and devoutness. A lawyer by profession, Goff positions himself as a major figure in the realm of humanitarian work, and leader of the charitable organization Love Does. Citing his professional background as an attorney and an honorary consul for the Republic of Uganda to the United States—both of which are referenced early on in the book despite its largely chronological structure—Goff seeks to establish his authority in tandem with relatability.