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The Long Loneliness: The Autobiography of the Legendary Catholic Social Activist Paperback – Illustrated, 4 June 1997
by Dorothy Day (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (665)
Part of: The Autobiography of Dorothy Day (1 books)
This inspiring and fascinating memoir, subtitled, “The Autobiography of the Legendary Catholic Social Activist,” The Long Loneliness is the late Dorothy Day’s compelling autobiographical testament to her life of social activism and her spiritual pilgrimage. A founder of the Catholic Worker Movement and longtime associate of Peter Maurin, Dorothy Day was eulogized in the New York Times as, “a nonviolent social radical of luminous personality.” The Long Loneliness recounts her remarkable journey from the Greenwich Village political and literary scene of the 1920s through her conversion to Catholicism and her lifelong struggle to help bring about “the kind of society where it is easier to be good.”
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"Fascinating as personal history, important as a document in twentieth-century American social history." - New York Times Book Review
"Dorothy Day wanted to be good, and not just do good. . . . a fascinating memoir." - David Brooks in the New York Times
From the Back Cover
A compelling autobiographical testament to the spiritual pilgrimage of a woman who, in her own words, dedicated herself "to bring[ing] about the kind of society where it is easier to be good.''
About the Author
"Dorothy Day, is a modern Catholic saint in the tradition of St. Francis. Her book is an absorbingly well-written series of pictures of her work and that of those she has gathered around her connection with the Catholic Worker, its hospitality house and its community farm. I rejoice with the new hope for mankind because of the kind of work that she and her associates are doing."- Norman Thomas
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The Long Loneliness: The Autobiography of the Legendary Catholic Social Activist
The Long Loneliness: The Autobiography of the Legendary Catholic Social Activist
Product details
Publisher : HarperCollins Religious US
Publication date : 4 June 1997
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From other countries
Haley
5.0 out of 5 stars Great woman great vocation
Reviewed in France on 20 February 2024
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This book was a great read and helped me see the point of the works of mercy and how God can work in the most unlikely way
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Searcher
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Read Autobiography of Dorothy Day, Seeker of Justice & Love!
Reviewed in the United States on 7 October 2016
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I love Dorothy Day! I have read her diary & thought this would be about the same, but it's much more! The book could be reviewed in many ways. One could consider history of the times with dates, novels read, private thoughts, life in general or in particular, relationship to the Church, development of self, religious & spiritual development, her writing, radical, feminine, or maternal movements, love: both physical & other, her conversion to Catholicism, her leanings toward justice, unions or her development to her place in caring for others through the housing, meal, farming set-ups she became famous for. The book is dense but very interesting; I marvel at her memory! I was wondering about the title & finally came to it. Amazing insights she had, including that one. She was so aware of her thoughts, life, spirituality with its duality, love, work & especially always being pulled in two different directions. This is a beautiful, deep, readable book. Dorothy Day is highly intelligent, educated, talented, adjusted in any circumstance. Her emotions were strong: a reader can feel her pain & agony, love, joy! The history of the times is valuable for anyone to get a feel for her experiences & learn. Her spiritual journey is inspiring. Her maternal instincts were deep. I could go on about this strong, amazing, humble, holy woman. But it would take far too many pages & I would not do her or the book justice. So, my advice is: Read this great book! You will not be disappointed no matter which facet you're interested in.
45 people found this helpful
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Sr A. M. House
5.0 out of 5 stars A Saint of the Sidewalks
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 February 2010
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This is not a biography, certainly not hagiography, but the story of Dorothy Day's life told by herself; her search for the truth and for a way of life that could be lived in accordance with that vision, when she had found it. Life was , in the heart of things, often a loneliness, but she found companionship, friendship, and the love of God; and so, she kept going : on the sidewalks, in the slums, wherever she found poverty and misery that could be alleviated. Peter Maurin was her prophet and inspiration, but Dorothy put Peter's ideas into action with an added power. This is a book that really can be life-changing!
31 people found this helpful
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Jane Murray
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful!
Reviewed in Canada on 16 November 2016
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Interesting, well-written book about a legend. She was a hero of my hero, and I'm glad I know her life from her perspective. Inspiring!
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GC
5.0 out of 5 stars Souvenir d'une dame en situation dans son temps
Reviewed in France on 7 March 2020
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Une belle autobiographie qui donne à réfléchir.
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Gary P Burns
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 February 2015
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amazing woman. A sincere life. inspirational story.
5 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars An important read!
Reviewed in the United States on 22 November 2023
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Don't let the title intimidate you, as I did, originally. To me, the title made me fear a depressing book about hard times--but how wrong I was! I admit, I first read a biography of Dorothy Day, before getting the courage to read her own words. She gives us both amazing glimpses and deep looks into spiritual and physical poverty and coming together as a community to survive and thrive in both. Her words are both galvanizing and breathtaking--and yes, sometimes painful. But she always has the solution, focusing on the love of God and always, always turning to God, our ultimate problem-solver. Thank you God, and thank you, Saint Dorothy Day!
4 people found this helpful
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Ron
4.0 out of 5 stars A good autobio
Reviewed in Canada on 30 August 2022
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I was hoping for some looser days. But day was always peaceful. What is the long lonliness? It changes a bit
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M. L. Asselin
4.0 out of 5 stars Looking into the Heart and Soul of a Saint
Reviewed in the United States on 31 May 2014
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“The Long Loneliness” is the autobiography of Catholic social activist Dorothy Day (1897-1980). Day was the co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, which, beginning in 1933, established grassroots, autonomous communities that realized Catholic social teaching through outreach to the poor and disenfranchised. Her autobiography covers her formative years, her involvement in various social justice causes including workers and suffragette movements, her conversion to Catholicism (and the impact of that on her personal life), and her friendship with the Catholic Worker co-founder, Peter Maurin (1877-1949).
Despite living in a non-religious family, Day was drawn to God from an early age (“my heart leaped when I heard the name of God” p. 12). As she grew into adulthood, she rebelled against these earlier leanings while becoming more involved in social justice causes, associating with, though not joining, American Communists and socialists. Later on as a young adult, Day once again explored her desire for the Divine, and her budding interest in Catholicism. Living on Staten Island, she gave birth to a daughter, Tamar, with a common-law husband, a biologist who had an aversion to religion. The relationship foundered as Day sought to have Tamar baptized, and to enter the Church herself. Although the Church hierarchy did not always side with Day on her views of social justice, she found that her social activism found meaning in her faith. It was her friend Peter Maurin who provided the Catholic doctrinal and theological underpinnings of both the Catholic Worker Movement and Day’s own social activism. His belief in the centrality of agrarian life also redirected many Catholic Worker activities early on from the city to the country.
“The Long Loneliness” is a spiritual autobiography that is at once both in the tradition of Saint Augustine and apart from it. Allusion to Augustine’s “Confessions” is evident right from the start in the title of the first chapter, “Confession,” with its discussion of the Roman Catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation, commonly referred simply as confession. Unlike Augustine’s work, and that of the modern master of the form, Thomas Merton, whose “The Seven Storey Mountain” just predates Day’s, in 1948, “The Long Loneliness” does not so much address God directly. Moreover, the two earlier works bear the heavy imprint of the later man on the child and young adult, which is a filtering less evident in Day’s book.
Although Day states early in her book (p. 11) that she will focus on herself and not on others (“I feel hesitant to go too deeply in writing of other lives”), a good part of the early book is an accounting of American social activism in the early twentieth century, and the second half is largely focused on her friend Peter. There is spiritual autobiography here, but Day seems to be almost uncomfortable putting herself in the spotlight and so tends to steer away from discussing in any detail some of her early relationships. Nonetheless, she is one of the few who have been considered for canonization as a Catholic saint who has admitted in a positive way the pleasure of sex and human relationships.
The title comes from these words by the English nun Mary Ward (1585-1645): “the long loneliness you hear me speak of is not far from me….” Day uses the expression a few times in her book as well as in other writings, including “The Catholic Worker” newspaper. It first appears in her book in reference to feeling lonely after moving to New York City: “I felt the spell of the long loneliness descend on me.” Her childhood closeness to one of her sisters had lessened as Day matured, and she “found no friends; I had no work; I was separated from my fellows” (p. 51). Much later, when her daughter Tamar is a mother herself, Day is reminded “how alone a mother of young children always is” (p. 243). Then again, Day references it in addressing the martyr-like challenge of resisting war when even the Church acquiesces to it: “Again the long loneliness to be faced” (p. 273). Day reveals how to resolve the long loneliness: “we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community” (p. 286). In the Christian context, love and community being so central to the idea of being a follower of Jesus, this revelation is not so remarkable. But in the context of a life selflessly and tirelessly devoted to social justice and peace, these words reflect Day’s observation that one can be surrounded be people and still be lonely. It is in freely giving to others one’s love, however, that one finds community and love is returned.
“The Long Loneliness” is an important book about a twentieth-century American saint. Her story reminds us that saints are not sinless, but are God’s heroes in spite of it—or even because of it. Her story is not always compelling reading—the history of early twentieth-century American social activism is not page-turning material, unless by “page turning” you’re skipping over it—but she engages the reader when she turns to her life and Maurin’s. Then, at last you might understand “the long loneliness” and so look into the heart and soul of a saint.
19 people found this helpful
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Sandman
4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 March 2013
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Pretty good, received the product as it was described in good time.....I was definitely happy with the overall service.Good read!
2 people found this helpful
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Clifford R. O'bryan
5.0 out of 5 stars Dorothy Day Autobiography
Reviewed in the United States on 11 February 2024
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Dorothy Day was a remarkable woman who gave her life to the poor and downtrodden. The Long Loneness is about her remarkable journey n her own words. Pope Francis named her one of the most important Catholics of the US.
It is not easy reading. Dorothy Day tells of her troubles and trials. But still a remarkable book.
2 people found this helpful
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Rebekah Scott de Moratinos
3.0 out of 5 stars Love her works, don't like her writing style
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 January 2011
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Dorothy Day is a 20th century saint, a firebrand lefty who embraced Catholicism and infused both with the power of one another. She started out as a journalist, and branched into full-time social ministry in America's cities. I wish she'd hung onto her journalist's chops long enough to get this book finished -- it wanders all over the place and never really shows us what makes Dorothy "tick."
11 people found this helpful
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Ann from The Bronx
3.0 out of 5 stars It satisfied my curiosity regarding Dr. Day.
Reviewed in the United States on 7 November 2010
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I really didn't know anything about Dorothy Day, so the book really helped me to know all about her life. It was for the most part very interesting, but there were parts of the book where I would skip because they no longer interested me. However, I am very grateful for the parts of the book that held my interest. By the way, I just requested to be put on the mailing list of The Catholic Worker.
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Alison Walton
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 December 2014
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A woman who I would have liked to meet
5 people found this helpful
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Patricia Vaccarino
5.0 out of 5 stars Along Comes A Saint – Dorothy Day
Reviewed in the United States on 5 July 2021
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Dorothy Day’s autobiography is a candid rendition of the faith-based community that she created together with the French Catholic theologian and writer Peter Maurin. The story of her life reveals the paradoxical struggle between her profound loneliness and intense joy. The two emotions of loneliness and joy are never at cross purposes and instead hang in the balance, protected by the bliss of knowing God. Aside from being an inspiration for our own spiritual journeys, Dorothy Day’s astute descriptions of Socialism, Communism, Libertarianism, Democracy, Pacifism, and Catholicism clearly articulate the struggle between labor and capitalism, poverty and greed, and good and evil. The book is not always smoothly written, which can sometimes be a distraction, especially when Day uses her own private lexicon and syntax to craft clumsy sentences. Overall, the work is as imperfect as we all are as human beings. As a final takeaway, we get more than a glimpse into the mission underlying the Catholic Worker; in the words of Peter Maurin: “We want to make the kind of society where it’s easier for people to be good.”
10 people found this helpful
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J.C.Killick
2.0 out of 5 stars I was looking for the wisdom of a great Christian woman and chose a story of her life
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 August 2017
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My fault. I was looking for the wisdom of a great Christian woman and chose a story of her life.
2 people found this helpful
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JUDy
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in Canada on 23 March 2017
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very interesting historically and in regards to development of faith
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Mseedii
5.0 out of 5 stars Hard read but relevant
Reviewed in the United States on 7 July 2024
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Her style is very different from most autobiographies I've read. But... her message and her life are very challenging and needed in today's polarized world. Even if you are not Catholic or religious in any way, her message of caring for the marginalized of her day needs new champions.
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Clem Russo
4.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring Spirituality, Not-so-Great Autobiography
Reviewed in the United States on 11 February 2021
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Though we have a new president now, we're still living in Trump's America, let's face it -- where many people think you're "smart" if you make millions but pay no taxes, "tough" if you insult and demean others, and "successful" if you live in mansion with gold toilets. Given the regrettable pervasiveness of this ethic of self-interest, vanity and greed, it's refreshing to read a book by someone who devoted her whole life -- motivated by a real love for people and with total humility -- to acting on the Judeo-Christian values that we purportedly adhere to. I've been intrigued by the legend of Dorothy Day for many years and by her work in the Catholic Worker movement to alleviate poverty and provide communal support to the marginalized and dispossessed members of our society, who comprise such a large portion of America even today. In this book she describes what that life was like in language that's so blunt, unadorned and matter-of-fact that she seems to be saying, Given the society we live in, what else I could do! By today's standards, even the most secular among us would consider her a "saint" and a true inspiration.
That being said, given Day's training as a journalist and writer, I was disappointed by this book as an autobiography. Aside from a vague sense of chronology that's stronger in her childhood years, the book seems to become increasingly amorphous as she relates what happened in her adult life -- with a frustrating absence of actual dates -- and often digresses into stories about friends or coworkers who, even when this book was first published, would have been unknown to most readers. At the tale end of the book, she sometimes strays into what I can only describe as religious reveries, using liturgical and religious language that even to me, once a devout Catholic, just seemed like gibberish. Those few passages are certainly not a reason to avoid this book, but if what you want is a detailed biography of Dorothy Day, you might look elsewhere.
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Chuck8764
5.0 out of 5 stars 83 years ago, history repeats itself
Reviewed in the United States on 25 July 2016
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Dorothy Day recounts her life in 1933 which we can learn what is happening today 83 years later.
"In 1933, the unemployment numbered 13 (million)." P185 Today over 90 million our out of the work force.
"One of the reasons for the rapid growth (of the Catholic Worker News paper) was that many young men were coming out of college to face the prospect of no job." P186 Does this sound familiar today!
"Give them relief (Welfare) checks and they will sit back and do nothing for the rest of their lives. When they do have a jobs they see how much they can get away with in giving as little as possible for the highest pay they can get." PP226 Today millions are on welfare and food stamps and Federal workers are giving as little as possible for the highest pay they can get, and are protected by a union regardless if their qualified or commit a criminal act.
Peter (Dorothy's friend) also quoted (Thomas) Jefferson-"He who governs best governs least." P222 Meaning he who governs worst governs most. With Obama borrowing 10 trillion, issuing unconstitutional executive orders and mandating new laws through regulations, it seems he is governing the worst.
One of his (Peter's) criticisms of labor (unions) was that it was aiding in the creation of the Welfare State, the Servile State....P222 Notice how labor unions strikes have eliminated entire industries like steel and garments. Of course Obama and the Democrats want to eliminate the coal industry if only the coal miners will accept their Welfare checks and sit back and do nothing the rest of their lives.
Written 83 years ago, it seems history is repeating in a negative way. Thank you Dorothy for the insight.
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