The Quaker Reader

by Jessamyn West (Editor)

This book contains over 60 extracts from the writings of members of the Religious Society of Friends from 1650 to 1962. It includes passages from the works of such well-known authors as George Fox, William Penn, Walt Whitman and John Greenleaf Whittier. The passages illuminate both the faith and practice of the Quaker faith throughout the ages.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Christian, Historical, Spirituality

538 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1962

About the author

Mary Jessamyn West was an American Quaker (originally from Indiana) who wrote numerous stories and novels, notably The Friendly Persuasion (1945).

Reviews

[Silvio Curtis]

A good collection of material, giving a historical overview of Quaker thought. A lot of primary sources by Quakers, some primary sources by non-Quakers, and a few secondary sources. A wide variety of styles, but the focus tends to be on the individual religious experiences of Quakers. If there's a weak spot, it's probably the difficulty integrating the individuals' experiences to get a sense of the history of Quakers as groups.

[Daniel]

some of the selections in this book are a little strange. the catalog as a whole fails to give a very comprehensive sense of the development of quaker thought, and the history behind that thought is often entirely obscured. west's idiosyncratic commentary sometimes trespasses into the nonsensical or simply irrelevant. that being said, it's a big, juicy anthology, and the foundational texts that form its early sections are tremendous.

[Marie Zenzie]

Fantastic compilation of historic records & sources in a comprehensive order & organization.

[Eli]

I have a much older edition, from 1960-something. The commentary feels quite dated, but the primary sources are fascinating.

[Claudia]

A fascinating look at what Quakers believe and why

[Gregory Broderick]

Fantastic Read

[Bette]

Thick reading of original sources