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THE QUIET REBELS: The Story of the Quakers in America by Margaret H. Bacon

THE QUIET REBELS: The Story of the Quakers in America

By

Pub Date: April 1st, 1969
Publisher: Basic Books

The story of the Society of Friends is a familiar one. The specific difference of Miss Bacon's book is that, in addition to the historical sketch, there is a development, at the popular level, of the theme of the influence which the American Quakers, though few in number (perhaps 120,000 today), have been able to bring to bear on American institutions and ideals. This interesting information, coupled with the author's lively style and her ability to synthesize history effectively, brings the reader to forgive--though not necessarily to forget--that Miss Bacon has written, if not a puff, then at least a very sympathetic and uncritical apologia of the one Christian sect which has the least need of it. Nonetheless, the book does answer satisfactorily the basic questions, ""Who are the Quakers?"" and ""What are the Quakers?"" It may therefore be recommended, perhaps without enthusiasm, to curious readers at the high-school level.