Dorothy Day: Friend of the Forgotten (Women of Spirit) [Paperback]

Deborah Kent (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Series: Women of Spirit

The fascinating story of Dorothy Day (1897-1980), known the world over as the founder and leader of the Catholic Worker movement. Deborah Kent scrupulously chronicles Day's life, from her early years to her conversion and onward, and shows how Day sought to fuse her deep commitment to God with her passion for community service and social justice.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-10?Born in 1897, Day was a human-rights activist with a nonconformist lifestyle. Earning her living as a journalist, she was an unmarried mother who stood apart by blending radical politics with Christian teachings and spiritual piety. She identified with early feminists and socialists, but unlike Emma Goldman or Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, she could not reconcile viewpoints that rejected religion. An internal struggle ended when she converted to Catholicism and committed herself to the faith that dominated her life's work. The Catholic Workers Movement, founded by Day during the Depression, continues to support community houses in urban slum areas. Written in a simple, spare style that draws from the subject's writings, this account affirms a life of service to the destitute and underprivileged. Black-and-white photographs appear in a 16-page center section. The text compares favorably to Jim O'Grady's Dorothy Day (Ward Hill, 1993), but neither volume measures up to adult biographies in emphasizing her influence on the American Catholic Church. A basic introduction for a generation unfamiliar with this leader for social justice.?Janet Woodward, Franklin High School, Seattle, WA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 7^-12. Kent expertly distills the drama of Day's life, from her childhood, when she "practiced being a saint," to her death, when she may actually have come close to being one. An honest picture of her life emerges, with Kent including mention of Day's tumultuous youth, abortion, short-lived marriage, brief imprisonment, involvement with Communism and the Catholic Worker Movement, and ultimate reconciliation with God. Day's character flaws are faithfully portrayed, as is the way her fate was inextricably bound to her compassion for the poor. Kent also lends a sense of many fascinating people Day knew--among them, Eugene O'Neill and John Dos Passos--who helped nurture her growing conviction that God was a real presence in her life. A finely detailed biography that evokes the spirit of a woman whose influence continues today. Shelley Townsend-Hudson --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 157 pages
• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (March 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802851002
• ISBN-13: 978-0802851000
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,838,130 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #70 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( D ) > Day, Dorothy

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars touching to the heart, January 11, 2011

By 

Bubbles123 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dorothy Day: Friend to the Forgotten (Kindle Edition)

the book is so inspiring to people who dont understand how homeless and lessfortunate people live and reading this book me cry because it was so well writed.