author
Maisie Ward
1889–1975
Best known for her lively biography of G. K. Chesterton, she was also a gifted Catholic writer, speaker, and publisher who helped shape 20th-century religious publishing. Her work combined literary warmth with a clear sense of faith, history, and public life.
1 Audiobook
Gilbert Keith Chesterton
by Maisie Ward
About the author
Born Mary Josephine Ward on January 4, 1889, on the Isle of Wight, she published under the name Maisie Ward. She came from a prominent English Catholic family and built a career as a writer, lecturer, and publisher.
She is especially remembered for her biography of G. K. Chesterton, but her work reached beyond literary biography. With her husband, Frank Sheed, she was associated with the influential Sheed & Ward publishing house, which became an important force in Catholic publishing in the English-speaking world.
Ward died in New York City on January 28, 1975. She remains a notable figure in modern Catholic letters for the way she brought together publishing, public speaking, and biography in a warm, accessible style.