Best introduction (book) to Dorothy Day?
June 15, 2018 6:29 PM Subscribe
What's the best introduction to Dorothy Day's thoughts and work?
I know her reputation and I am very lightly familiar with her work and her writing. What one title will help me understand more about what she did and what she thought?
Thank you!
I know her reputation and I am very lightly familiar with her work and her writing. What one title will help me understand more about what she did and what she thought?
Thank you!
Seconding The Long Loneliness. It's really been foundational to some of the activist work I do even though she and I did not share all of the same values.
posted by jessamyn at 7:05 PM on June 15, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by jessamyn at 7:05 PM on June 15, 2018 [2 favorites]
The Long Loneliness!
But you really ought to track down some Catholic Worker folks and talk to them about Dorothy Day. Many people in the Movement were inspired by Dorothy Day to do some pretty amazing stuff. The best way to understand Dorothy Day is through the fruits of her life's work, IMO!
posted by duffell at 7:12 PM on June 15, 2018 [4 favorites]
But you really ought to track down some Catholic Worker folks and talk to them about Dorothy Day. Many people in the Movement were inspired by Dorothy Day to do some pretty amazing stuff. The best way to understand Dorothy Day is through the fruits of her life's work, IMO!
posted by duffell at 7:12 PM on June 15, 2018 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Definitely The Long Loneliness, followed by her own essays from The Catholic Worker. My introduction came through the interwoven biography The Life You Save May Be Your Own, which juxtaposes her history with that of her contemporaries Thomas Merton, Walker Percy, and Flannery O'Connor. Worth a read on its own but also places her in context. The Duty of Delight is on hold for me at the library so I can't properly recommend it yet!
posted by notquitemaryann at 7:59 PM on June 15, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by notquitemaryann at 7:59 PM on June 15, 2018 [4 favorites]
The Long Loneliness is the best written introduction to her thoughts and work. In my opinion, the very best way to understand Dorothy Day is to volunteer at your local Catholic Worker House.
posted by epj at 8:39 PM on June 15, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by epj at 8:39 PM on June 15, 2018 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Update: I started "The Life You Save May Be Your Own" and it's really good stuff -- I am highlighting a lot of passages! Next I will move on to "The Long Loneliness." Thanks, all!
Also: In my opinion, the very best way to understand Dorothy Day is to volunteer at your local Catholic Worker House.
I totally agree: I started my vacation last month by joining my sister and one brother to serve dinner at a Catholic Charities facility for homeless families on the first night I was in town. I broke bread there before I shared a meal at home! :7)
posted by wenestvedt at 10:31 AM on July 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
Also: In my opinion, the very best way to understand Dorothy Day is to volunteer at your local Catholic Worker House.
I totally agree: I started my vacation last month by joining my sister and one brother to serve dinner at a Catholic Charities facility for homeless families on the first night I was in town. I broke bread there before I shared a meal at home! :7)
posted by wenestvedt at 10:31 AM on July 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: For future readers, there is a link to many of Day's articles from The Catholic Worker (and elsewhere) here: www.catholicworker.org/dorothyday/themes/index.html
On the same site, this page has other information about the avilable materials: www.catholicworker.org/dorothyday/
posted by wenestvedt at 10:35 AM on July 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
On the same site, this page has other information about the avilable materials: www.catholicworker.org/dorothyday/
posted by wenestvedt at 10:35 AM on July 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
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