Dorothy Canfield Fisher
A bestselling novelist who wielded her literary influence to champion education, social justice, and the power of a good book.
1879–1958 (age 79)·American author and social activist·Birthday: February 17·The Gilded Age
Biography
Dorothy Canfield Fisher was a quiet but formidable force in American culture. Born in Kansas and deeply rooted in Vermont, she lived a life of purposeful engagement. With a PhD in romance languages, she was a scholar, but she found her true voice in fiction, writing bestselling novels like 'The Bent Twig' and 'The Deepening Stream' that explored American family life with psychological depth. Her influence extended far beyond her writing. She was a passionate advocate for the Montessori method, introducing its concepts to a U.S. audience. For 26 years, as a key judge for the Book of the Month Club, she helped shape the reading habits of millions, selecting works that combined literary merit with broad appeal. A friend of Eleanor Roosevelt, Fisher used her platform to advocate for refugees, racial equality, and lifelong learning, embodying the ideal of the citizen-writer.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
Dorothy was born in 1879, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dorothy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1879
Dorothy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1879Born
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1884Started school
President: Chester A. Arthur
1892Became a teenager
President: Benjamin Harrison
1895Could drive
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1897Could vote
President: William McKinley
1900Turned 21
Boxer Rebellion in China
President: William McKinley
1909Turned 30
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1919Turned 40
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1929Turned 50
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1939Turned 60
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1949Turned 70
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1958Died at 79
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
Key Achievements
- She served on the Book of the Month Club selection committee for 26 years, influencing American literary tastes.
- Her 1916 translation and promotion of Maria Montessori's work helped popularize the method in the United States.
- She authored over 40 books, including bestselling novels and non-fiction works on education.
- She was named by Eleanor Roosevelt as one of the ten most influential women in the United States.
Did You Know?
During World War I, she ran a relief operation in France and was awarded the French Legion of Honor.
She was the first woman to serve on the Vermont State Board of Education.
The Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award is a longstanding annual award in Vermont.
She was a descendant of Vermont's first permanent settler, Remember Baker.
“A mother is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary.”
