This book is a concise, interpretive account of the life of Clara Barton from her childhood in Massachusetts through her feats of heroism during the Civil War, her founding of the American Red Cross, which she led for 20 years, and her bitterly contested ejection from office which clouded her last decade. Clara Barton (1821-1912) led a life "in the service of humanity." Undoubtedly heroic and undoubtedly generous in her impulse to aid others, she nonetheless remained a self-centered individual who could brook neither criticism nor ingratitude. Her life story is told here with sympathy and understanding without sacrificing candor or honesty.