Drop a stone in the water and see how the circles spread, growing wider and wider. After a while you cannot see them, but you know that the motion you have started must go on and on till it whispers against the pebbles on the farther shore. So it is with a good deed or an evil one; we see its beginning; we cannot see what distant shore it may reach. So, no one will ever know the full amount of good this noble woman has done.

Laura E. Richards tells the story of Florence Nightingale with such graceful style that one can hardly tell it is a work of nonfiction. The author’s ability to masterfully weave historical letters, poems, and quotes from prominent people of the time into the story gives readers a thorough look at the extraordinary life of Miss Nightingale. 

From The Good and the Beautiful edition