Introduction
Robert Ellsberg, son of Daniel Ellsberg is the editor-in-chief and publisher of Orbis Books, the publishing arm of Maryknoll.
Early life
Robert is the son of Carol Cummings, the daughter of a Marine Corps Brigadier General, and the American military analyst and whistleblower, Daniel Ellsberg. In 1975, at age 19, he dropped out of college, intending to spend a few months with the Catholic Worker Movement.
Career
He stayed to become the managing editor of The Catholic Worker for two years (1976-8), a job that would introduce him to Dorothy Day and consequently would allow him to work with Day for the last five years of her life. This life-changing experience prompted him to convert to Catholicism.
Robert returned to Harvard, and earned a degree in religion and literature, and later a Master's in Theology from Harvard Divinity School.
In 1987 he began work as editor-in-chief of Orbis Books. He is the author of several books, many of which have received awards; his Blessed Among All Women tied a Catholic Press Association record by winning awards for Gender, Spirituality, and Popular Presentation of the Catholic Faith. He is the editor of the published diaries and letters of Dorothy Day.
Books
- All Saints: Daily Reflections on Saints, Prophets, and Witnesses for Our Time (Crossroad, 1997)
- The Saints' Guide to Happiness: Practical Lessons in the Life of the Spirit, Doubleday, 2005. ISBN 978-0-385-51566-5
- Blessed Among All Women: Reflections on Women Saints, Prophets, and Witnesses for Our Time (Crossroad, 2006).
- The Duty Of Delight: The Diaries of Dorothy Day. ISBN 0-87462-023-6 (editor) Marquette University Press, Milwaukee, 2008
- All the Way to Heaven: The Selected Letters of Dorothy Day. ISBN 978-0-87462-061-0 (editor) Marquette University Press, Milwaukee, 2010.