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Evelyn Underhill

Artist of the Infinite Life

Dana Greene

Evelyn Underhill (1975-1941) was one of the greatest spiritual writers of the twentieth century. Living most of her life in England, Underhill used writing as a vehicle to express her passionate search for the infinite life. Her philosophy transcends generations and her legacy as a pivotal figure in Christian mysticism endures today. In this comprehensive biography, Dana Greene expertly captures Underhill’s true essence. She gives us a thorough account of Underhill’s development as a mystic and theologian and also explores beyond to the heart of who she was as a person. The connections Greene makes between Underhill’s personal life and work create an in-depth and accurate portrait of this extraordinary woman.

Dana Greene, Associate Provost for Faculty and Professor of History at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, is the author or editor of five books on women and religious history, including The Living of Maisie Ward (University of Notre Dame Press, 1997).

Reviews

“Dana Greene’s fine biography of Underhill . . . is once again a joy to read.” — Review for Religious

“In an age when we are trying to retrieve voices of women from their near silence in the history of spirituality, Underhill has much to say to the contemporary reader. . . . Greene’s biography centers on Underhill’s intellectual development, especially as manifested in her writings. This proves no small task when one considers the corpus of Underhill’s over four hundred books, essays, articles, and reviews. Greene has integrated a careful content analysis of works written during each period of Underhill’s life with painstaking research of archival materials, personal correspondence, and personal interviews of those who knew Underhill. In the process she has painted a portrait of a real woman struggling with the critical faith questions of the twentieth century. . . . Greene proves herself to be a literary and historical artist as she combines first-class scholarship, deep insight into the life of her subject, and a flowing, on occasion almost poetic, writing style.” — Spirituality Today