"A World More Bright, the Life of Mary Baker Eddy" by Isabel Ferguson and Heather Vogel Frederick

Once in a while I enjoy reading biographies. I especially like books about strong women that left their mark on history. Mary Baker Eddy was definitely such a woman. A sickly girl born in early 1800s in the country side of New Hampshire, she had her fair share of struggle: early widowhood, forced separation from her only son, health problems, poverty, abandonment by her second husband... However, her story is not about what she suffered although those trials definitely molded her into who she became. Her story is that of triumph. In her 40s she wrote a book that has influenced not only the American religious thought, but has had an impact on countless lives around the world. It still stirs its readers with questions like: is God all good? If so, is He also the source of evil? Her book, of course, is Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Eddy went on to establish a church, a college, a publishing house, and launched what would become a multiple Pulitzer-prize winning newspaper The Christian Science Monitor. She accomplished all of this and more during the time when women did not even have a right to vote...

This new biography is an excellent introduction to the life of a great American religious leader and thinker. The book is very well written. I loved all the colorful pictures and side bars that provide additional glimpses into the time period and customs of the day, thus providing an excellent backdrop to the story. The book is also very manageable lengthwise - just a little over 200 pages. Overall, this biography felt very fresh, unlike some that you take off the shelf and feel like blowing dust off the cover. So if you like books about late 19th-early 20th century and want to learn more about a woman who was in her day a real celebrity, this is definitely a book to check out.