In this landmark biography, Jane Addams becomes America's most admiredand most hated woman—and wins the Nobel Peace Prize.
Read More
Jane Addams is best known as the founder of Hull House in Chicago, a settlement house opened to serve the poor on Chicago's West Side. In this fascinating and enlightening biography, Knight uses Addams' own writing, letters and other archives to tell the story of this woman who early on decided to devote her life to narrowing the gap between rich and poor. Knight chronicles Addams' many successes and the obstacles she faced, including prejudices in herself that she had to conquer. Addams' role in women's suffrage, the passing of child labor laws and the peace movement are all explored in depth. Knight also notes that Addams' attachment to her friend Mary Rozet Smith, her partner for many years, was something not questioned in the days before Freud. The knowledge that prejudices and inequality are still with us, even though many of the causes Addams championed have been realized, is a sub-theme of this biography. This makes it more than an engrossing look at a woman, but also an inspiration for those who aren't aware of what one person can do to change the world. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Read Less