Alice von Hildebrand is a household name to many who know her from her countless EWTN appearances, her books, and her extensive articles and essays. What is little known is the story of her life, notably the thirty-seven years she spent at Hunter College in New York City.

There, despite systematic opposition, she left a mark on a generation of students through her defense of truth with reason, wit, and love. By showing her students how truth fulfills the deepest longings of the heart, she liberated countless students from the oppressive relativism of the day, enabling many of them to find their way to God.

Now, for the first time, discover the details of Alice von Hildebrand’s life as a "Happy Failure," including:

her thrilling escape from Europe that was nearly halted by a Nazi sub
her early days in America and her dedication to education and cultivating wisdom
her marriage to the great philosopher Dietrich von Hildebrand,
her victories and defeats at Hunter where she combated a culture of relativism
and much more…

Memoirs of a Happy Failure is a fascinating and essential glimpse into the life of one of contemporary Catholicism’s most compelling minds. It is the story of courage, faith, and the grace of God acting in the world.

John Henry Crosby