Classics Challenge: The Small Woman

While I do like and read quite a bit of non-fiction, I don't generally choose biographies. So when I thought about what I wanted to read this year, I really wanted to challenge myself in that area. The Small Woman was the last of the four biographies I selected back in December and I'm happy to say that I enjoyed most of them very much. I don't think biography is ever going to be my go-to category when I'm looking for a book but I now know I don't need to be afraid of them.

As far as this specific biography goes, I really liked The Small Woman. Glady Aylward's life is obviously inspirational. She is under-qualified and yet chooses to undertake what appears to be a futile journey to do a seemingly impossible job when she sets out toward China to
be a missionary there.

While the book is short and condenses a lot of years into those few pages, I felt it did a good jobs at giving enough details that I ended up caring about her, her work and the people of the area without getting bogged down in details. It wasn't too heavy either, which given the nature of the book, some may consider a good thing, some not. But I was reading for "inspirational" not "depressing" so I personally, am glad of that but it made those moments when I found myself deeply moved by the story even more surprising and meaningful. Short and fairly easy to read but still touching.

The Small Woman is my Back to the Classics Challenge Non-Fiction Selection. For more info about the Challenge, visit Books and Chocolate.