The biography of Major Joyce Harmer - Salvation Army major, social worker, court chaplain and tireless advocate for society's least wanted.
Major Joyce came to media attention as the woman who has given comfort to Australia's most infamous people, including convicted child-killer Kathleen Folbigg, and the victims and families in Sydney's gang-rape trials. As a court chaplain, her job has brought her into contact with hardened criminals and others who had no-one to whom they could turn. But how can such a seemingly innocent woman find the strength to deal with the most grim aspects of society - and do it without passing judgment?
In answering that question, biographer Anne Henderson has delved into the life and times of Major Joyce, from her tough beginnings with an abusive father through the testing adversity of post-natal depression and coping with her husband Hilton's brush with death, to her chosen path as a high-profile Salvation Army major, Joyce Harmer's story is both inspirational and moving. It is the account of a woman whose faith has guided her through the worst of times - and the best.