How does the life of Dorothy Day reconcile the apparent contradictions between devout religious orthodoxy and radical social activism? Robert Coles, a psychiatrist and social critic, utilizes his decades-long personal acquaintance with Day to construct a psychological and intellectual portrait of the Catholic Worker movement founder. By examining her transition from a Greenwich Village bohemian to a committed Catholic, Coles explores the internal tensions of a woman who challenged both the secular establishment and the institutional Church.

Experts and readers frequently cite this work as a foundational psychological study that avoids hagiography in favor of a nuanced, humanizing portrait. The text is noted for its accessible prose style, making it a standard reference for those interested in the history of 20th-century American social movements.