Book Reviewed: Tantine: The Life of Josephine MacLeod, by Pravrajika Shraddhaprana

Sister Jo Jo

This book offers an autobiographical sketch of a woman who became one of the closest disciples of Swami Vivekananda. Josephine MacLeod’s strong and colorful personality provides many thought-provoking and charming anecdotes. She along with Sister Nivedita, Sister Christine and numerous disciples of Sri Ramakrishna offered critical support to Swami Vivekananda as pioneers in establishing the Ramakrishna Order, now known as Vedanta Society across the globe. Josephine MacLeod stood by him throughout his life and actively participated in the trials and triumphs of the Ramakrishna movement. Vedanta Society offered an alternative to the traditional teachings of New Testament. It taught the essence of life and its connections with the Creator through metaphysical teachings of Upanishads; beyond the realm of a human as a sinner who must seek redemption. His teachings were appealing to many intellectuals in Europe and the Americas. The concept of spiritual evolution resonated with a religion that was not contradicted by science: Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species had just challenged Biblical teachings.

Josephine and her sister Betty first heard Swami Vivekananda's lecture on Vedanta philosophy in New York City in 1895. She was deeply impressed by his knowledge and began to take active interest in his movement. She recognized him as a man worthy of her worship. His dynamism and eloquence in his teachings made huge impacts. She had a penchant for meeting famous and interesting people. She was also a sophisticated woman of character and dressed in the latest fashion. She was distinguished by her noble bearing, elegant manners and genteel conversation all commanded respect. The disciples of Vivekananda had great admiration for her and fondly called “aunty.” She was appealing and steadfast in her beliefs and her loyalty to her teacher. She travelled around the world many times with him. Josephine was not a sanyasin, unlike Sister Nivedita or Sister Christine, but she was instrumental in spreading Vivekananda's message on Vedanta.

The First few chapters read well, but narratives and the overall organization of the book is too random and arbitrary. Several chapters describe stories that are totally unrelated and do not resonate well. MacLeod was a dazzling figure in the evolution of Vedanta Society. She passed away at the age of 90 in Hollywood, California. At the time of her death, she was living at the Vedanta Society temple in Hollywood.