Damien the Leper
1937 book
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Damien the Leper is a 1937 American biographical book by John Farrow about Father Damien of Molokai. Hugh Walpole wrote the foreword calling the book "both true and beautiful... the story has been told here in very simple terms and with the absolute stamp of truth upon it... Farrow is never melodramatic. He does not often build up the character of Father Damien from the outside but lets it gradually live of itself through the incidents, the letters, the criticisms of others until, when the book is finished, we feel that we have met [him]."[1]
Title page for Damien the Leper (1937) | |
| Author | John Farrow |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Father Damien |
| Genre | biography |
| Published | 1937 |
| Publisher | Sheed and Ward |
| Publication place | USA |
| Pages | 230 |
Farrow finished the book by mid 1936 and it was announced it would be a film.[2]
In 1939, RKO Pictures purchased the book for a feature film titled Father Damien, to be directed by Farrow and star Joseph Calleia.[3][4] In 1942 Pat O'Brien was announced as star.[5] The project was not realized.
According to Southern Cross "Farrow has treated his subject in the manner of a scholar and has not allowed his admiration of Fr. Damien to cloud his critical faculties."[6]
The book helped Farrow be created a Knight Commander of the Holy Sepulchre.[7][8]
The book was republished in 1945.[9]