Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words by Peace Pilgrim | Goodreads
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Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words
by Peace Pilgrim
4.26 · Rating details · 519 Ratings · 80 Reviews
The silver-haired woman walked away from her name and vowed to "remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace". On New Year's Day, 1953, she walked ahead of the Tournament of Roses parade handing out peace messages. It was the beginning of a pilgrimage that would last eighteen years. Traveling on foot without money or possessions, with only the food and shel ...more
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Paperback, 206 pages
Published April 1st 1992 by Ocean Tree Books (first published 1983)
Original Title
Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words
ISBN
0943734290 (ISBN13: 9780943734293)
Edition Language
English
Other Editions (5)
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Apr 21, 2015Joan rated it really liked it
I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. I thought it would be too much about religion but it offered different views that were kind of cool. For example, she talks to people and changes their views on things and teaches them to lead a happier life. I wish I could do that. I try to be positive, but I feel like I fail more often than not and she just carries this view of good in everyone wherever she goes! I admire that. I sometimes think people are just bad, and she finds everyone to be good. I wonder if the world has changed so much in the past forty years or whenever she wrote the book to today. I wonder if there are any peace pilgrims floating around our country (or the world)?!? A lot of the things she said were very insightful and she must have talked to an huge amount of people to be so wise. (less)
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May 25, 2007Heather rated it really liked it
Recommends it for: anyone who hopes for peace
Shelves: favorites
I just finished this one...it's a short book about a woman's journey for Peace. She walked more than 25,000 miles on a personal pilgrimage for peace. She vowed to "remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace, walking until given shelter and fasting until given food." In the course of her 28 year pilgrimage she touched the hearts, minds, and lives of thousands of individuals all across North America. Her message was both simple and profound. It continues to inspire people all over the world:
"This is the way of peace: overcome evil with good,
and falsehood with truth, and hatred with love."
It's so simple and yet, we manage to do just the opposite everyday...We repay evil with vengence and violence...we lie, cheat and steal...and we harbor resentment and anger. Haven't we learned that these things get us no where?? I hope that we can all find inner peace and in the process, peace within our communities and throughout the world. Don't give up hope.
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Aug 01, 2013Baratang rated it it was amazing
I came across this book while I was browsing the internet, looking for tips/messages/anything that will guide me into attaining peace in in my life. The book was free, I ordered it, and it didn't even take long to atrrive at my door step in South Africa. It was written in a simple way and message was amazing and liberating. The Preparations, Purifications and Relinquishments stood out the most. I write them down in every year's diary and read them in the morning or whenever a need arise.
The publication is more of a reference book, and I am going back to reading it this week. Peace Pilgrim was the first person to make me realise that unnecessary possessions were unnecessary burdens. Of the the relinquishments that a person had to do to alleviate the stress of life, the relinquishment of attachment to material things/positions etc was understandable but very difficult to do completely. (less)
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Apr 06, 2008Dayva rated it it was amazing
Shelves: non-fiction
A woman of truly inspirational faith. This walk of faith touches the heart in places you don't even know you have.
This little book has come to me again.....I am reading it with new eyes and wisdom that I didn't have years ago.
Having always been a flag waving patriot, I have failed to really truly 'give peace a chance'. In mid life, I am seeing the alternative from a new perspective with what feels like a new heart.
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Jun 13, 2017Doreen rated it it was amazing
Shelves: specific-goals-tasks-time-constrain
The review will follow. It's nearly midnight...time for some sleep.
06/20/2017
Peace Pilgrim walked tens of thousand of miles offering kindness and goodwill to everyone she met. Sacrificing material possessions and simple comforts, her goal was to speak about peace; peace between people and peace among nations. The book is created from newsletters, interviews, newspaper articles, private conversations, and personal correspondence stretching nearly three decades.
Peace Pilgrim was devout. Her religious beliefs and trust in God propelled her into spreading peace as her life's work, her calling. Believing in God is NOT a prerequisite to reading and appreciating this book. Atheists and Agnostics alike will benefit from Peace Pilgrim's story. Her beautiful spirituality and commitment to purpose are inspirational. Her respect for individuality and freedom is powerful.
"You do not possess any other human being, no matter how closely related that other may
be...anything that you strive to hold captive will hold you captive - and if you desire
freedom, you must give freedom."
Inner peace, purity, acceptance and freedom from fear are just a few topics covered by Peace Pilgrim's words and experiences. This is a book that needs to be purchased. After reading it through, it then becomes a reference book and must be revisited frequently. Although its message of peace is profound, the book's examples of tolerance, selflessness, and devotion are priceless. A magnificent story about a unique woman.....I highly recommend it!
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Oct 07, 2014Jennifer Locke rated it it was amazing
Shelves: inspirational
I have to rate this book as "It was amazing" because the life of Peace Pilgrim is nothing short of amazing.
I first heard of Peace Pilgrim through an NPR story and couldn't believe that I'd never heard of her before. After reading this book, I'm even more amazed that more people don't know about Peace. Surely, her life was as remarkable and influential as Martin Luther King or Gandhi or any other great spiritual teacher. For 28 years, Peace walked across the country as a pilgrim, "wandering until given shelter, fasting until given food." She owned nothing but the clothes on her back and refused to take more than what she needed while others in the world had less. Her message for attaining peace: "overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love." She was a deeply religious woman with no religious training, unaffiliated with any spiritual organization. Those who knew Peace spoke of her boundless energy, wit and love; hardly anyone met her without being significantly transformed. Peace was undoubtedly a prophet, and her words read like scripture. I'm amazed that such a woman lived in our times.
Some quotes from Peace:
"Live this day! Yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision, but today well-lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope."
"If you don't live the present moment, you never get around to living at all."
"Every good thing you do, every good thing you say, every good thought you think, vibrates on and never ceases. The evil remains only until it is overcome by the good, but the good remains forever."
"Life is like a mirror. Smile at it and it smiles back at you."
What a beautiful soul! The best thing about this book: it's FREE. A society called "Friends of Peace Pilgrim" exists to distribute her materials free of charge. Google it and request your copy. It's always worthwhile to spend time with people whose whole lives bear witness to their deepest truths, people who have left the "normal" path for a better way. I think everyone should know about Peace Pilgrim. Her live was inspired and inspiring, and her message remains timeless and essential.
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Apr 24, 2008BLEEPING Herald Newsletter rated it it was amazing
Peace Pilgrim, as she was known in later years, started her mission in 1953 when she stepped out in front of the Rose Bowl parade, dressed as simply as she appears on the cover, and began her pilgrimage with the vow she held for 28 years: “I shall remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace, walking until I am given shelter and fasting until I am given food”.
Think about that. Get up and walk out your front door, your only possessions from now until you depart this world: what you are carrying on your back. No money, no cell phone, no address, no plans, ever.
She ended up walking across the country many times, logging over 40,000 miles. As the pilgrimage progressed she did many interviews, talked to schools and citizens groups, and gave, gave, gave to everyone she could. And as she often remarked that because of that, she received, received, received.
For more review: http://www.bleepingherald.com/apr2008... (less)
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Dec 06, 2012Frank rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Peace Pilgrim can, in my mind, join the ranks of the very small group who has walked the talk and followed Jeshua Ben Joseph better known to the world as Jesus. Though she never claimed allegiance to any specific tradition she does use a lot of Christian terminology with references to karma and reincarnation. This book will have a permanent spot in my collection and likely be revisited often for inspiration. What a tragedy to have lost such a beautiful human being when and in the way that we did. (less)
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Aug 21, 2007Christopher rated it really liked it
Shelves: topshelf
i remember my sister had this book when she was a hippy following the grateful dead. i would see it around occasionally but not think much of it because of my negative association with hippies. at a vegetarian festival i was given a free copy. when i flipped through it i was surprised to find it much more coherent than i expected and so was encouraged to read the book and found it very insightful and enlightening.
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Mar 23, 2007Justin rated it it was amazing
Recommends it for: humans
Its a spiritual book with sentiments from a spiritual woman.
You can download the pdf for free or request a copy here:
http://www.peacepilgrim.net/book/inde...
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Jun 13, 2014Esther Ruvalcaba rated it really liked it
That 100% trust is how I would love to live my life
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Aug 30, 2017Lydia Wren rated it it was amazing
I've read this one through 3 times over. It's practically my Bible.
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Sep 17, 2017Robyn Harrison rated it liked it
Truly an amazing woman!
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May 14, 2017Alexander rated it it was amazing
Shelves: favorites
one of the best!
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Feb 16, 2018Tracy Laveque rated it it was amazing
Full of wisdom given in straightforward language that is like a laser beam into you soul. Fascinating life led completely in service to the greater good.
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Sep 17, 2017Maggie rated it really liked it
Shelves: memoir
it has taken me quite a few decades to get around to reading this book ... certainly glad that i have ... highly recommended ... she's right, ya know
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Mar 16, 2017Elizabeth Sims rated it it was amazing
Shelves: bio-autobio, religion-philosophy
A pivotal book for many. If only I had the courage to live as Peace Pilgrim did. God bless her memory.
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Sep 14, 2013Monicaaa rated it it was amazing
Shelves: favorites, inspirations
"If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought."
Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words.
Peace Pilgrim's message was a simple one. "I shall remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace."
At the height of the Korean War on January 1, 1953, Peace Pilgrim set off on a pilgrimage across the United States. She carried petitions for peace. Her aim was to end war and violence. Her aim was to help people attain inner peace.
She wore a ...more
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Feb 05, 2013Kim Buchanan rated it really liked it
Shelves: spiritual-memoir
This woman's story astounds me. Certain that her life must change, she took 15 years to discern just how it should change. In January 1953--at the Rose Bowl parade, of all places--Peace took the name Peace Pilgrim and began walking for peace. She traversed the U.S. 7 times (she was on her 7th trip across when she was killed in an auto accident in 1983). She slept outside, unless offered housing. She didn't eat until she was offered food. She carried nothing with her except the clothes on her back, a toothbrush, and a writing pen. She spoke about peace, particularly the connection between inner peace and world peace. She pledged not to stop walking until world peace had been achieved.
This book contains Peace's reflections on her journey, responses to questions in letters, newspaper clippings, and transcripts of interviews. At times while reading, I would just about have decided that she was a crackpot...then she'd share this amazing spiritual insight and I would be convinced all over again that she was one of those really spiritual people like Gandhi or St. Francis. (But then, people thought they were crackpots, too, huh?)
Peace is clear that her calling is not every person's. Reading about the complete commitment she made to her calling, though, challenges me to reflect more deeply on my own. (less)
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Mar 31, 2009Jody rated it liked it
Kimber loaned me this one a long time ago! (It has been a long while since we exchanged any books!) This was a really interesting read for me. First, it contained a lot of 'God' motivation which doesn't work for me, but, second, it clearly made the point that you have to live fully in peace in order to be able to affect any change so the world can live in peace, too. Peace Pilgrim was a woman who spent almost 30 years walking across and around North America for peace. She said she started by min ...more
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Apr 18, 2011Crystal Falconer rated it really liked it
A friend recommended this book to me, and I will admit, it's not my usual type of reading. That said, I do believe that "Peace Pilgrim" was an amazingly brilliant person who figured out many things about physical and emotional health. Purifying your body by eating and drinking only things that you know are good for you should be a no-brainer, but it is easier said than done in a world of caffeine, processed foods, etc. She also believed that disease is in large part the product of stress and emo ...more
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Jun 18, 2011Mrsgaskell rated it liked it
Shelves: nonfiction, own, 7-star
This was an interesting account of a wise and simple woman who gave up all her material possessions, even her identity to walk over 25,000 miles for peace beginning in January 1953 until her death in 1981 in a car accident. She believed that inner peace was necessary before world peace could be achieved. Much of this is in her own words since she gave many talks during her travels. This was one of my mother's books.
“If you are guided to a faith, use it as a stepping stone to God, not as a barri...more
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Jul 16, 2007B. rated it it was amazing
This is an incredible book about one woman's journey to change humanity one step at a time.....no literally, one step at a time. When Mildred Norman-Ryder decided to make the "journey of peace", she did so at the age of 44. She walked cross country, covering over 25,000 miles until her death in 1981. Peace Pilgrim, the name people began to call her and she took on, relied on the kindness of others to make those 25,000 + miles possible. All of her meals, some transportation and her lodging were provided by people across the country who supported her. This book is the journey of her life and her amazing ability to make a peaceful change. She may have passes in 1981, but her legacy lives on and she definately made peace find it's way to me! (less)
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Feb 08, 2008Joanna rated it liked it
Shelves: 2008-read, nonfiction, biography-memoir
An interesting book collecting excerpts of speeches, letters, news stories, and pamphlets about the woman who dubbed herself Peace Pilgrim in the 1950s and began walking across the country (and through Canada as well) to spread her personal gospel of peace, inner peace, and inner spirituality. Peace Pilgrim reads as a little crazy, but also inspirational in her own way. She committed herself to doing what she believed to be her calling and really went for it, for decades. She didn't want money or followers and refused opportunities for both. I'm glad someone put this book in my hands as I'd surely never have heard of it otherwise. (less)
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Dec 23, 2013Karen Maskarinec rated it it was amazing
Recommended to Karen by: Jennifer Nelson
This will probably be the only time I give five stars to a book that really doesn't meet my strict criteria for "great literature." It has earned the rating based on inspirational content. Here is a quote that really had me saying YES: "Faith is a belief in things that your senses have not experienced and your mind does not understand, but you have touched them in other ways and accepted them. It is easy for one to speak of faith; it is another thing to live it. To me, faith represents that people can, through their own free will, reach out and contact God, and grace represents that God is always reaching toward people." (page 128) (less)
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Jan 23, 2008Heather rated it it was amazing
You used to only be able to order this book from friends of Peace Pilgrim who published it for free out of their home, using donations from foundations to pay for the cost. She always wanted her work to be read for free, so I don't know how the hell the book wound up on Amazon.com for $14, but I suppose at least it's hopefully reaching a wider audience. There are audiotapes of her in existence, but she sounds a little crazy when you hear her voice on audiotape, so I recommend reading the book instead. It's very good. (less)
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Aug 22, 2015Bill Pritchard rated it it was ok
Disclaimer - there is a lot of wisdom here in this book. This remarkable lady walked over 25,000 miles across this country and parts of Canada, and had quite a bit of time to do some remarkable thinking. Her sayings are simple - her logic is simple - and because of this I almost get a "Being There" feeling. Peace Pilgrim was killed in a accident while taking a ride to a speaking engagement. For those on a journey, this is a woman who walked her talk. Perhaps you can find more than I was able to.
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Aug 30, 2013Alexa Mergen rated it really liked it
I first read this book as an undergraduate in college. I thought that was the ideal time to read about one woman's dedication to simplicity, compassion and peace: I was shaping my values, deciding who and what I wanted to be. Twenty-five years and many cities and jobs later, I came across the book in a used bookstore and picked it up to reread. Now I think middle life is the ideal time to read it: I am shaping my values, deciding who and what I want to be. You can't go wrong reading this book. It will make you rethink everything from your next-door-neighbor to your dinner plate. (less)
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