Juliette Gordon Low; The Remarkable Founder of the Girl Scouts


I have been enjoying my annual supply of Girl Scout cookies while reading the brand new adult biography called, Juliette Gordon Low; The Remarkable Founder of the Girl Scouts, written by Stacy A. Cordery.  Today, March 12, 2012, marks the centenary of the Girl Scouts in America. This is a scholarly work written by an Illinois history professor who has written a couple of other biographies on Teddy Roosevelt and one on Alice Roosevelt Longworth.  Having been a Girl Scout myself, as well as a Girl Scout leader for my daughter's troop for seven years, I was anxious to read more about the founder of Girl Scouting.  My interest was piqued by a tour of the Juliette Gordon Low birthplace in Savannah a couple of years ago while vacationing.  I found the adult biography detailing Daisy's hearing loss, her childhood and family life, her marriage to an adulterous British fellow, her relationship to Sir Robert Baden-Powell (the founder of the Boy Scouts), and the establishment of the Girl Scout movement---the endeavor "Daisy" undertook to make a difference in the world---to be a fascinating read.  The old black and white photographs included in the book were neat to see.  History really came to life for me reading this book.  I have so many fond memories of my Girl Scouting years, both as a girl and as a leader, plus the visit to Savannah, and my continued support of the Girl Scouts through their annual cookie sales, that I was the perfect reader for Cordery's new book.  The documentation and resources, notes, bibliography, and index included are impressive.  All the primary sources the author examined make for a truly accurate biography of the woman who began the largest and most beloved girls and women's organization in the world.

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