An Eye for Others

“A nation can be considered great when it … strives for justice and the cause of the oppressed, as Dorothy Day did by her tireless work” (Pope Francis, Address to U.S. Congress). That work began in the autumn of 1916 when Dorothy was hired by The New York Call at the age of 18. Guided by two dozen articles with her byline, we encounter a writer at the outset of her career dedicated to changing a world indifferent to the plight of the less fortunate through journalism. Dorothy’s months at The Call coincide with the United States’ buildup for its entrance into the war raging in Europe. This drumbeat for war sets the pace as young Dorothy composes her articles as a pacifist and friend of the working poor. Those who know Dorothy through her later work will recognize her eye for others and her unwavering commitment to a peaceful society through mutual cooperation, justice and brotherly love.

“An Eye For Others” is a wish come true! I’ve often longed to know more about Dorothy Day’s life as a young journalist and here it is. At age 18 she was hired by The Call, a socialist daily newspaper based in New York, and quickly emerged as a brave and talented reporter more interested in suffering people than in radical ideology. The book draws deeply on her many articles for The Call, revealing how much the later Dorothy Day was visible in her younger self. McDonough also opens a window on America in the last months before it went to war in Europe. The text is augmented by many photos, drawings and cartoons. An important book for anyone interested in the Catholic Worker movement or turn-of-the-20th-century American radicals.

– Jim Forest