Friend of Life: A Biography of Rufus M. Jones

by Elizabeth Gray Vining

An excellent biography of Rufus Jones, Quaker mystic and social activist, which includes the author's interviews with Jones and many Friends and colleagues of her noteworthy subject. Jones was interested in bringing together people attracted to Quakerism and its philosophy, but who were not members of a Quaker meeting. This resulted in Wider Quaker Fellowship and, in 1936, the American Friends Fellowship Council. Reprint by The Society of Friends in Philadelphia, 1981.

347 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1981

About the author

Elizabeth Gray Vining began her distinguished writing career with children's books because she said "they enjoy their books so much, read and re-read them—which is satisfying to a hard-working author." Later she began to write for adults as well, and they, too, read and re-read her books. among the most popular of these books are Windows for the Crown Prince, The Virginia Exiles, Friend of Life, Take Heed of Loving Me, and Flora.
—From the back of "Return To Japan"
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Elizabeth Janet Gray, also known as Elizabeth Gray Vining, was a prominent Quaker, known for having gone to Japan after World War II to tutor Emperor Akihito of Japan in English while he was the Crown Prince. She was a graduate of Bryn Mawr College, and a noted author of children's and adult literature. She won the Newbery Award for Adam of the Road, published in 1942.

Reviews

[Rhiannon Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A readable - perhaps at times slightly fictionalised - but usually well-referenced biography of Jones. I was having trouble knowing where to start because Jones himself wrote so much, but this story of his life puts his work in context and gives me an idea which of the many books will be most relevant to my work.