Grace Duffie Boylan

Who was Grace Duffie Boylan?

Grace Duffie Boylan was an American writer. She wrote many children’s books, often dealing with diverse races and cultures, like Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Other titles include: Young Folks, Our Little Eskimo Kiddies: Kids of Many Colors, Yama Yama Land, and Our Little Cuban Kiddies.

Her Thy Son Liveth: Messages From A Soldier To His Mother appeared in 1918 anonymously. It is her account of what her son communicated to her about death using morse code and automatic writing after his death on the battlefield in France during World War I.

This novel served Director Peter O'Fallon as base for his movie A Rumor of Angels, starring Vanessa Redgrave. The scenario about a boy who learns to cope with the death of his mother by befriending a grumpy old lady who is being transposed to our times.