It Is Well with My Soul: The Extraordinary Life of a 106-Year-Old Woman
An African American centenarian who saw W. E. B. Du Bois speak in 1924 and attended President Barack Obama's inauguration in 2009 shares wisdom from a life well lived during a crucial period in American history Ella Mae Cheeks Johnson was an inspirational, dynamic, and one-of-a-kind woman, whose ordinary life was nothing less than extraordinary throughout the course of her 106 years. A graduate of Case Western Reserve University, Ella Mae was the child of former slaves and experienced the best and worst of the past century in America--from the Jim Crow era and the Great Depression to the inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2009, which she memorably attended. Through it all, she endured--and thrived--by adhering to the example of the Good Samaritan: the belief that compassion is the key to the good life and offering to help without expecting payback brings its own rewards. In It Is Well with My Soul , Ella Mae Cheeks Johnson shares her insights on living a long and enjoyable life and her hopes for the future.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0143117440
ISBN13:9780143117445
Release Date:March 2010
Publisher:Penguin Group
Length:202 Pages
Weight:0.38 lbs.
Dimensions:0.6" x 4.3" x 7.8"
Age Range:18 years and up
Grade Range:Postsecondary and higher
Customer Reviews
3 ratings
An Inspiring Lady
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 14 years ago
The title of this semi-autobiographical story is so appropriate. This little lady's life was a monument to what can be accomplished if one shakes the temptation to put on a "poor little me" attitude when adversity comes at an early age.. I highly recommended it, especially for young people. It's too bad that she died just before publication and could not be here for the accolades she deserves as a model for all.
Inspiring lady. . .
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 14 years ago
When I read that Ella Mae Johnson had died right before this book was to be published, I thought how sad that she would not be here to receive well-deserved congratulations. She was a pioneer. The book chronicles the sorts of ups and downs you'd expect from 106 years on the planet, many of them in breaking down barriers as an African-American. It's really an inspiring story. . . and though she's no longer with us, at least her story survives!
Inspiring Life, a great read!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 14 years ago
"Ella Mae Cheeks Johnson's story is a marvel of surprises. This lively, highly intelligent woman who spent thirty-four of her last years in a senior retirement community never let her circumstances hold her back from satisfying a wide-ranging curiosity. The centenarian with a 'church lady' demeanor was reading books like Confessions of an Economic Hit Man! She lived to see so many of the last century's most startling changes and kept her balance through it all -- being orphaned at age four, living in the Jim Crow South, being taken in by neighbors, hearing W.E. B. Du Bois speak at Fisk, raising two sons on her own during the Second World War. She was not Everywoman, but someone with an immense and sparkling spirit. This is a Great read -- and not just for African American audiences."
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