A seminal, searingly honest masterpiece of autobiographical fiction that gave voice to the struggles of women and the working class in early 20th-century America.

More than a novel, Daughter of Earth is a raw and powerful testament to a woman's fight for existence and identity against overwhelming odds. Through the unforgettable voice of Marie Rogers, Agnes Smedley chronicles a journey from a childhood of grueling poverty in the mining towns and farmlands of the American Midwest to a hard-won, independent adulthood.

This is a story of resilience. Marie battles the constraints of her class, gender, and a deeply patriarchal society, striving for education and intellectual freedom while navigating the harsh realities of exploitation, love, and loss. Her political awakening and unwavering pursuit of dignity make her a heroine unlike any other, both of her time and profoundly timeless.

Smedley’s writing is direct, unflinching, and devoid of sentimentality, making Marie’s story all the more moving and authentic. It is a foundational text of feminist and socialist literature that continues to resonate with its powerful cry for justice and self-determination.