A Practical Philanthropist: The Life and Times of Mary Louise Curtis Bok Zimbalist, Founder of Philadelphia's Curtis Institute of Music

Filling a gap in the literature, this biography pays tribute to the enduring legacy of an influential and philanthropic pioneer who helped define America’s place in the world of classical music.

Born at the height of the country’s centennial celebration, Mary Louise Curtis was raised by industrious New Englanders who created Ladies’ Home Journal and built it into the most widely read magazine in America. Aside from immense wealth, Mary’s parents bestowed upon their only child a sophisticated...