Customer Reviews

Evelyn Underhill: Artist of the Infinite Life

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The biography of Evelyn Underhill by Dana M. Greene

Dana Greene packs a lot of insight into the understanding of Evelyn Underhill who was an English spiritual writer of the first half of the 20th century. Ms. Greene sticks to her extensive research by not padding her biography with conjecture or speculation. The research drives the book which gives an honesty and frankness to the biography. Dana Greene's writing is "dense" in the sense that insights into the life of Evelyn Underhill are packed into each line of the narrative. This type of "dense" writing is not to be confused with heaviness due to complex jargon and unclear presentation but is the mark of a good writer in that ideas are communicated without the unpleasant trappings of textbook academia.

To summarize my thoughts on Evelyn Underhill as seen through the "eyes" of Dana Greene:

* Evelyn Underhill was a recognized, British, powerhouse spiritual writer of the early to mid-20th century. Her work was deeply rooted in the mystics of the Middle Ages down through the late 19th century.
* She developed a spirituality based on her understanding of mysticism; a spirituality that was created out of her own mind and not that of institutional religion. For various reasons she stayed in the "borderlands" of the institutional church and she writes about why she had to stay in this "borderland."
* Underhill's personal spiritual struggles were abetted by her contact with some of her spiritual mentors but one in particular--Baron von Hügel. This man would be a primary resource for her life until his death in the mid-1920's. Von Hügel would help shape Evelyn Underhill's spiritual development which would eventually bridge the gap between her "borderland" status and her acceptance of institutional religion.
* Underhill's book on mysticism was a hallmark publication for understanding her approach to the spiritual life. Her many books and articles would find their reference in this book.
* World War I brought devastation not only to life and landscape in Europe but it also shattered long held philosophical and spiritual paradigms. Evelyn Underhill's spiritual paradigms were also shattered during this time. But, out of this devastation she constructs a more community based spirituality via her open affiliation with the Anglican Church.
* After the war, Underhill begins an additional career as a leader of spiritual retreats and many of the topics of these retreats were published.
* Dana Greene's biography relates well the struggles and triumphs of an individual who was trying to make sense out of the reality in which she found her life.
* At the end of the book is an Afterword that Ms. Greene has chosen to be the venue to give her own take about Evelyn Underhill's life and work. I found this not only very interesting but unique in the genre of biography. Ms. Greene gives the reader a chance to peek into her own thoughts, conjectures and understanding of the influence Evelyn Underhill had on the spiritual thought of that period as well as her influence for spiritual thought of current times.

Be prepared that this biography will not be a fast, whimsical read, but it will be a provocative read that requires deep thinking as well as philosophical struggling.

Whether or not you agree with the final comments in the Afterword, you will be richer for having taken on the challenge of reading this biography. I highly recommend this book.