Description: Anna Keyser Baker's diary offers a rare view of post-Civil War Philadelphia through the reflections of a devout Swedenborgian woman. Spanning 1874 to 1876, her entries record in detail her daily life, interleaving religious devotion with vivid portraits of people and places. With rich editorial context, this volume is an insight into Anna's life, a
Brief description: Christopher Augustus Barber is an ordained minister of the General Church of the New Jerusalem, a religion teacher, and president of the Swedenborg Foundation. He holds master's degrees in theology from Bryn Athyn College and in education from Widener University. Dedicated to making Swedenborgian thought accessible and relevant, Barber combines research, theological insight, and deep empathy in his work. He is especially passionate about reviving the stories of overlooked historical figures.
Review Quotes: "This small jewel of remembrances from 1874 to 1876 is a worthy companion to the fabled diaries of colonial Philadelphia settler Elizabeth Drinker from a century earlier. Just as Drinker's journals served as a window through which we could observe the day-to-day lives of Philadelphians living contemporaneously with the founding of our country, the writings of Anna Keyser Baker offer the same opportunities for observation a hundred years later. Elizabeth's perspective was from a Quaker city; Anna came from a more contemporary religion--the Swedenborgians. The good news is that Anna Keyser Baker is a truly interesting person and has important things to say. The better news is that the author Reverend Christopher Augustus Barber has done his homework well. Each neighbor is identified, if possible, and given a personal touch. Every bible verse is identified and cross-referenced. Every effort has been made to give the complete accounting of the life of a woman who wrote privately to herself not knowing we'd be reading over her shoulder 150 years later."--Joe Lex, presenter on podcasts All Bones Considered