An Autobiography: The Story of the Lord's Dealings with Mrs. Amanda Smith the Colored Evangelist (Schomburg Library of Nineteenth-Century Black Women Writers) [Hardcover]

Amanda Smith (Author), J. E. Dodson (Introduction)

Book Description

Series: Schomburg Library of Nineteenth-Century Black Women Writers | Publication Date: April 14, 1988

Containing An Account Of Her Life Work Of Faith, And Her Travels In America, England, Ireland, Scotland, India And Africa, As An Independent Missionary.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The union of religion and political agitation...remains constant throughout the century....It is most evident in the spritual autobiographies of evalgelists like Jarena Lee, Julia Foote, and Amanda Smith. Smith's 1893 account of her career in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, where she rose from deaconess despite the significant opposition of male preachers, is all the more striking against the backdrop of her childhood experience of slavery. In the transport of her own conversion experience, the young Amanda Smith ran to a mirror to see whether her color had changed."--Eric J. Sundquist in The New York Times Book Review

About the Author

J. E. Dodson is at Union Theological Seminary.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 608 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (April 14, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195052617
• ISBN-13: 978-0195052619
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,151,292 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Remarkable Life, June 25, 2002

By 

"wbmercer" (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Autobiography: The Story of the Lord's Dealings with Mrs. Amanda Smith the Colored Evangelist (Schomburg Library of Nineteenth-Century Black Women Writers) (Hardcover)

Amanda Smith began her life as a slave. She later became a very successful evangelist, preaching to both black and white audiences all over the United States, as well as in England, Liberia and Africa. Fame on that scale in that field would, of course, be rare for an African-American woman even in today's society. In the face of the social obstacles she faced in the late 19th century it was surely nothing short of miraculous.

Her autobiography is, of course a real autobiography. They didn't often have "ghostwriters" in those days. Her style of writing is easy to read but intelligent, articulate and piercingly insightful.

She writes about encounters with racism, sexism and class distinctions among African-Americans with a rare combination of uncompromising integrity, wisdom, humor, tact and graciousness. She writes about holiness and theological issues within the context of her own personal experience with God in a way that is compelling and inspirational.

The autobiography of Amanda Smith is a remarkable telling of a remarkable life. She is an undiscovered American treasure. Her book ought to be a perennial bestseller.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amanda Smith - A True Servant Of The Lord Jesus Christ, March 1, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: An Autobiography: The Story of the Lord's Dealings with Mrs. Amanda Smith the Colored Evangelist (Schomburg Library of Nineteenth-Century Black Women Writers) (Hardcover)

I just finished reading the biography of Amanda Smith. I found this book to be a faith building testimony of God's faithfulness and sufficiency, to all who will only trust Him both for spiritual and temporal provision. In today's complicated secular society and even in the organized church, Amanda Smith's testimony rises up in a refreshing way to glorify the Lord and teaches us that God's ways are still pure and simple, easy for anyone to understand and full of goodness and mercy, if only we would humble ourselves to hear what the Lord is saying to us, in His Word, the Bible. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a closer walk with Jesus.