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Jane Addams (1860-1935) is here portrayed as an important moving force in the transformation of America from rural and agricultural to urban and industrial, from laissez-faire to general welfare state. ... Read more

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This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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Jane Addams set up a community center for immigrants, fought for women’s voting rights, and was part of the peace movement. Can you imagine what her life must have been like? What was she like as a person? Read this book in the American Lives series to get

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Examines the life and times of Jane Addams who, in 1889, established in Hull House one of the first settlement houses in America and later became the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. ... Read more

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The first biography in twenty-six years of Jane Addams -- founder of the Hull-House settlement and winner of the 1931 Nobel Peace Prize -- written with access to hundreds of new family documents.

"Today, Jane Addams is widely recognized as an extraordinary figure in our nation's history, one of a roster of great Americans -- Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. among them -- who made lasting contributions to social justice. But as with the lives of many iconographic figures, the legend often obscures the real story."

Frequently recognized as one of the most influential women of the century -- and considered a heroine by nurses and social workers around the globe -- Jane Addams had to struggle long and hard to earn her place in history. Born in 1860 on the eve of the Civil War, she lived during pivotal times when women were only beginning to create new roles for themselves (ironically building on the Victorian ideal of women as ministering angels).

Focusing on her metamorphosis from a frail, small-town girl into a woman who inspired hundreds of others to join her movement to serve the poor, A Useful Woman delves into the mysterious ailments and other troubles young Jane faced. Examining for the first time Jane's physical and mental health and the effect of her father's remarriage after her mother's death, biographer Gioia Diliberto directly links Addams's proneness to depression to her inability to conform to the mores of her time. Also, for the first time, she examines in detail Addams's two marriage-like relationships with women.

With hundreds of previously unavailable documents at her disposal, Diliberto has written a fascinating study of one of the most intriguing and important women in history, concentrating on her difficult formative years with compelling -- and groundbreaking -- results.Amazon.com Review
The story of settlement house pioneer Jane Addams's early life traces a trajectory that has become almost a feminist cliché. The frustrated Victorian spinster, plagued by mysterious physical ailments, finds a socially useful outlet for her intelligence and energy and her illnesses vanish--she becomes the picture of health and contentment. Familiar though it is in outline, the particulars of Addams's personal history are fascinating, especially as related in veteran biographer Gioia Diliberto's engaging, accessible style. Young Jane comes to life as a powerful personality notable for her "cool intellect." As a schoolgirl she was already convinced that "her life would not be ordinary." The author does a subtle job of assessing the psychological roots of Addams's empathy with the poor and commitment to social justice without scanting the integrity of her ethical convictions. And Diliberto's familiarity with contemporary scholarship shows in her lucid summary of the trends in religious and philanthropic beliefs that led Addams to found Hull-House in 1889 to help poor people better themselves; yet she wears her learning lightly in a lively text. The main narrative closes in 1899, with Hull-House thriving and 39-year-old Jane happily involved in a relationship with Mary Rozet Smith that endured until Smith's death in 1934. (Addams survived her by only a year.) This is a model of popular, undogmatic feminist biography. --Wendy Smith ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great social history
A Useful Woman provides not only an outstanding biography of Jane Addams but gives wonderful insights into the role of women and the impact of the women's college movement in the 19th century. Diliberto does an excellent job of explaining the options open to women and how a well-educated woman like Jane had few outlets. The women Jane became involved with, both friends and sponsors, were fascinating as well, and I found myself wanting to know more about this important period in women's history.

author out of mind
The liberal feminine look on Jane Addams rings false to me. Jane Addams was from a much different time. She was from the victorian era. She was from the liberal protestant part of the culture. The hints of this writer reflect the narrow view of the few of today's citizens. But in the end, make no mistake, Jane Addams was a very proper person from her time. She was of course not sexually active outside of marriage. She was not sexually attracted to women. The problem with facts is that they do not change.

About A Woman Who Wanted to Make the World Better
Womens' lives are often filled with many tasks, and to become an international social reformer is very difficult to include.This is the story of one woman who wanted a life that was different from the traditional woman of her age.And the interesting part of the story is that she did become an internationally known social reformer.And she did win a Nobel Peace Prize.In our age of supporting choices for women, this book is not only about a 'useful' woman, it is also a very useful story.

A well-written biography
It bothers me to hear A USEFUL WOMAN described as a "feminist biography" just because the subject bucked the gender norms of her Victorian times.This book is about a social force and conscience, Jane Addams, whose intelligence, spirituality, generosity and, yes, unmarried status drove her to found Hull-House, a "settlement" in Chicago that served as both haven and learning center for the indigent, with a particular emphasis on aiding women and children.Addams, a frail woman suffering from lifelong ailments including depression, rose above her infirmities to enact social change and awareness during a time when many of the poor were seen as morally bankrupt individuals and not the victims of a socially unjust system.

The book is well-written and accessible, and suffers only rarely from too much trivial detail.Diliberto provides remarkable insight into this remarkable woman.If you are at all interested in social causes and the people behind them, read this biography.It is truly inspiring to read of how one woman changed the course of many lives.

What a Biography Should Be
Although a lover of biographies, even I was surprised when I couldn't put this book down.Diliberto has written a compelling and thoughtful study of Jane Addams, but managed to interweave her character analysis seamlesslyinto the social issues of the age.From women's rights to labor issues,Chicago corruption to pacificism, the author glides easily from socialissue to personal insight.Jane emerges as a real individual, not an"angel", but someone to be greatly admired. ... Read more

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Until now, ethicists have said little about the body, limiting their comments on it to remarks made in passing or, at best, devoting a chapter to the subject. Embodied Care is the first work to argue for the body's centrality to care ethics, doing so by analyzing our corporeality at the phenomenological level. It develops the idea that our bodies are central to our morality, paying particular attention to the ways we come to care for one another. Hamington's argues that human bodies are "built to care"; as a result, embodiment must be recognized as a central factor in moral consideration. He takes the reader on an exciting journey from modern care ethics to Merleau-Ponty's philosophy of the body and then to Jane Addams's social activism and philosophy. The ideas in Embodied Care do not lead to yet another competing theory of morality; rather, they progress through theory and case studies to suggest that no theory of morality can be complete without a full consideration of the body. ... Read more

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Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Publisher: The Macmillan Company; Publication date: 1910; Subjects: Social history; Peace; Chicago (Ill.); Social settlements; History / Social History; Political Science / Peace; Social Science / Social Work; Travel / United States / Midwest / East North Central; ... Read more

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In the midst of World War I, from April 28 to May 1, 1915, more than a thousand women from Europe and North America gathered in The Hague to discuss proposals for a peaceful end to the war. As one of the founders of the Woman's Peace Party, Jane Addams was among the attendees at the International Congress of Women, along with fellow social reformers and peace activists Emily G. Balch and Alice Hamilton. This book contains their journalistic accounts of theCongress's proceedings and results as well as their personal reflections on peace, war, politics, and the central role of women in the preservation of peace.

Following the conference in The Hague, Addams and Balch traveled around Europe as members of delegations visiting various governmental leaders to demand an end to the war. In this book they describe the activities of these delegations, painting a vivid portrait of the emerging women's peace movement.

With the continuing growth of the peace movement, the essays in Women at the Hague remain as timely as they were when first published in 1915. Addams, Balch, and Hamilton write compellingly about the organizing methods and collaborative spirit of the women's peace movement, conveying a strong awareness of the responsibility of women to protect the global community from the devastating effects of war. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Volume: 46;v. 328; Original Published by: Crowell in 1893 in 297 pages; Subjects: Charity; Charities; Social settlements; Human services; Business & Economics / Nonprofit Organizations & Charities; Political Science / Public Policy / Social Services & Welfare; Social Science / Human Services; Social Science / Social Work; Social Science / Philanthropy & Charity; ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1908.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more