cover image Finding My Way: The Autobiography of an Optimist

Finding My Way: The Autobiography of an Optimist

Evelyn Stefansson Nef. Francis Press, $26 (304pp) ISBN 978-0-9665051-5-3

In some respects, Evelyn Stefansson Nef's life story chronicled in Finding My Way: The Autobiography of an Optimist follows the patterns of other women who atained prominence through their relationships with men of achievement. Born in 1913 Brooklyn, Nef was raised by Hungarian-Jewish immigrants. Over the course of her life, she had three husbands: master puppeteer Bil Baird; polar explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson; and John Nef, a founder of the University of Chicago's elite Committee on Social Thought. All opened new worlds to her, and Nef's zest for learning and determination to better herself are admirable. Female readers may find inspiration in her success in becoming a cultivated woman of accomplishment. Photos. (May 1)