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Jane Addams (1860–1935)

Author of Twenty Years at Hull-House

41+ Works 1,276 Members 6 Reviews 3 Favorited

About the Author

Jane Addams was born Laura Jane Addams in Cedarville, Illinois, on September 6, 1860. She graduated from Rockford Female Seminary with the hope of attending medical school. Her father opposed her unconventional ambition and, in an attempt to redirect it, sent her to Europe. In London, Addams was show more moved by the work done at Toynbee Hall, a settlement house. Upon her return to the United States, she began her lifelong fight for the underprivileged, women, children laborers, and social reform. In the space of four years she received Yale University's first honorary doctorate awarded to a woman, published her first book, was the first woman president of the National Conference of Charities and Corrections, and was elected vice president of the National American Women Suffrage Association. In 1915 she became the first president of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. With Ellen G. Starr, Addams founded Hull House in Chicago, a renowned settlement house dedicated to serving the disadvantaged and the poor. Addams went on to author twelve books, including Twenty Years in Hull House, Newer Ideals of Peace, and Peace and Bread in Time of War. The latter title was written to protest the U.S.'s involvement in World War I and was based on Addams's experience assisting Herbert Hoover in sending relief supplies to women and children in enemy nations. Hospitalized following a heart attack in 1926, Addams could not accept in person the Nobel Peace Prize she was awarded in 1931. She was the first American woman to receive the honor. Addams died in 1935. (Bowker Author Biography) show less

Works by Jane Addams

Twenty Years at Hull-House (1910) 827 copies
Democracy and Social Ethics (1902) 61 copies
Twenty Years at Hull-House (1998) 56 copies
The Jane Addams Reader (2001) 40 copies
Newer Ideals of Peace (1906) 18 copies
On Education (1985) 10 copies
My friend, Julia Lathrop (2004) 6 copies
A Belated Industry (2014) 1 copy
Why women should vote (1990) 1 copy
Women in Public Life (2013) 1 copy

Associated Works

Tagged

Common Knowledge

Other names
ADDAMS, Jane
Birthdate
1860-09-06
Date of death
1935-05-21
Gender
female
Nationality
USA
Birthplace
Cedarville, Illinois, USA
Place of death
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Relationships
Villard, Fanny Garrison (colleague)
Organizations
Hull House

Members

Reviews

Interesting historically. Addams was an assimilationist who spoke fairly respectfully about Southern European and Jewish traditions; a reformer who sought government by experts but also the franchise for women; a believer that labor rights mattered and that bad conditions produced bad behavior rather than the reverse; and a condemner of prostitution who both thought that many women were tricked or coerced into sex work and that sex work ruined any woman who engaged in it such that other “good” people were justified in excluding them from polite society no matter how repentant they were.… (more)
 
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rivkat | 5 other reviews | Apr 29, 2022 |
As the title says, this book chronicles two decades in the life of Hull House, founded in Chicago by Jane Addams. Addams talks about her own life to the extent that it inspired her to build the house, and about the life of the house and its members. The house became a refuge for new arrivals to Chicago, a place for youth to gather safely, and a place where the traditions of immigrants' home countries could be showcased and passed down to new generations.

The actual work done by Hull House is valuable and important, and it is inspiring these days to read about initiatives that bring people together. I did find this something of a slog, though. Lots of long, dense paragraphs and long chapters. Definitely one for the dedicated reader rather than the casual one.

I read this after seeing it mentioned in The Women of the Copper Country, by Mary Doria Russell.
… (more)
½
 
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rabbitprincess | 5 other reviews | Aug 30, 2020 |
Written in the early 1900s, this is the story of the beginnings of Social Services in America. Jane Addams tells not only about her experiment with Hull House, but about her philosophy of what social service is or can be, the need for it and some of the episodes with the people she helped. It is quite dry, more of an intellectual observation than a personal story. I admire her for trying to stay clear of being identified with or owned by other social movements of the times. Still, I couldn't finish this book. More my problem than a problem with the book, but it didn't involve me in it, too much observation and not enough personal experiences I suppose. I quit reading about half way through.… (more)
 
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MrsLee | 5 other reviews | Dec 16, 2014 |
The opening chapters about her life filled me with some hope but the main bulk was a bit more stiff and stilted. It seemed an equal mixture of antedoctes and theory and they didn't always mesh well. She mostly served to downplay her own role, which I'm guessing was fairly substanial. Perhaps a bio of her would tell me more of what I wanted to know.
 
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amyem58 | 5 other reviews | Jul 3, 2014 |

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Statistics

Works
41
Also by
10
Members
1,276
Popularity
#20,106
Rating
3.8
Reviews
6
ISBNs
192
Languages
6
Favorited
3

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