Many Bahá’ís will be familiar with the name John David Bosch; however, until now his life has not been explored in a comprehensive biography. John and his wife Louise are perhaps best known for their efforts and selfless generosity in helping to establish a Bahá’í school in northern California. The school, which opened in 1927 on the Bosches’ property in Geyserville, would grow as a center of learning and eventually relocate to its current location in the mountains above Santa Cruz and be named in their honor.
Author Angelina Diliberto Allen has drawn on extensive research to weave together the strands of the Bosches’ lives and give us a vivid picture of these inspiring souls. Within the pages of this book, the reader will find a treasure trove of highlights, from John’s discovery and embrace of the Faith under the tutelage of Helen Goodall to his deep and lasting friendships with such luminaries as Thornton Chase and Hands of the Cause Amelia Collins and Roy Wilhelm, to name just a few. Most notable of all, however, is the presence on these pages of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Encounters and correspondence with the Master are documented here extensively, and, in perhaps the book’s most stunning section, the reader is given an intimate glimpse of the days surrounding the Master’s passing. The Bosches were among a small group of pilgrims present at the time, and their experience of the event and the special tasks they performed are shared in detail.
John and Louise Bosch lived multifaceted lives of discovery, devotion, and service, and their story will leave the reader with much to reflect upon.
John David Bosch
How difficult to capture the life of such a selfless, self-effacing soul as John Bosch ("one of the chosen and not of the called" according to 'Abdu'l-Bahá, paraphrasing Christ's words), and yet how successful is Angelina Allen with her meticulous biography of this great man, the spiritual brother and dear support of fellow Californian Bahá'í, Thornton Chase. Angelina captures John Bosch's "language of the heart" ('Abdu'l-Baha) and helps the reader to inhale the spiritual fragrance that had Shoghi Effendi refer to him as a "saint." Like sugar dissolving in tea, John Bosch dissolved his ego in service, particularly in his educational legacy — Geyserville. So it's fitting that this book evolves into a love letter to that Bahá'í school and its successor Bosch School, a living educational monument (like this literary monument) to John and his wife Louise.
JOHN DAVID BOSCH
I never met John & Louise Bosch but I have wonderful memories of going to Geyserville Baha'i School, sitting under the "big tree," having class in Collins Hall and walks beside the Russian River in the 1950's. When the Bosch Baha'i School moved to the Santa Cruz mountains we stood in awe looking up at the redwood trees in the Ioas Grove. Now with reading this wonderful biography of John & Louise Bosch whose lives of selfless service made it all possible, we owe a debt of gratitude to the author's careful research and delightful narrative.
John David Bosch
I just finished reading this book and I am taken aback by how much work Angie must have put in to make this gem come to fruition! I never realized how important of a figure John Bosch was to the Faith. Just to get a glimpse of how close he was to Abdu'l Baha' and the impact John had on The Master's decision to visit the West Coast on his tour of the U.S. is amazing! And the fact that he and his beloved wife, Louise, were among the seven Western believers in Haifa at the time of Abdu'l Baha's passing is not lost on this reader. So many letters exchanged with some of the most notable early American Baha'is: Thornton Chase, Louis Gregory, May Maxwell, among others. Even the closeness of his connection with Shoghi Effendi is depicted within the covers. It describes the importance of the Baha'i school the Bosch's created in Geyserville, later to be relocated to the beautiful Santa Cruz mountains (a must visit for all!). This was an enthralling read and one I highly recommend!
Great history of early believers.
Angie has put together a wonderful history of early believers in the U. S. The details focus on John Bosch, his travels, meetings with Abdul-Baha and so much more.