From her picture on the British 5 pound note to the numerous Elizabeth Fry Societies worldwide, Elizabeth Fry (1780-1845) is well known for her work for prison reform. But less well known is how her Quaker faith inspired that work, leading her to see the light within the impoverished and imprisoned. With Elizabeth Fry: A Quaker Life, noted Quaker historian Gil Skidmore has brought together Fry’s essential writings-some previously unpublished-from her journals,letters, and more general works. The result is a rich portrait of the struggles and anxieties behind the public persona of this Quaker saint.

Gil Skidmore, herself a Quaker, has spent many years researching the lives and writings of the early Quakers. She is currently research collections coordinator at the the library of the University of Reading.