What do you think?
Rate this book
A London Sparrow: The Story Of Gladys Aylward
A down-to-earth London girl, without many prospects, commits to Christ as an eighteen year old and the Lord uses her beyond what anyone could have imagined. Gladys Aylward, a little but determined woman, became a mighty gospel force amongst her beloved Chinese people as she forsook everything, even her own safety, for the sake of their physical and eternal wellbeing.
Her Christ-led adventure takes her on a perilous solitary journey from London to China, and sees her escorting hundreds of children through a war zone - even stopping a riot in a Chinese prison! Throughout it all, she would rather die with ‘her people’ than desert them. Her gospel living challenges us today, as she demonstrates a simple, transparent and challenging faith in the God whom she whole-heartedly trusted.
Her Christ-led adventure takes her on a perilous solitary journey from London to China, and sees her escorting hundreds of children through a war zone - even stopping a riot in a Chinese prison! Throughout it all, she would rather die with ‘her people’ than desert them. Her gospel living challenges us today, as she demonstrates a simple, transparent and challenging faith in the God whom she whole-heartedly trusted.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published October 6, 1972
4 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Phyllis Thompson
64 books5 followersPhyllis Thompson has a background in development education and Pastoral ministry in the UK. She is currently a member of the Church of God International General Board of Education, an Executive Council Member of the European Pentecostal Theological Association and a member of the leadership team of her local Church in Northampton, England. She has written on topics to do with Black Majority Churches, and women in Christian leadership. Recent publications include her contribution to Faith of our Fathers (Pathway Press 2009),Challenges of Black Pentecostal Leadership in the 21st Century (SPCK 2013) and Challenges of Pentecostal Theology in the 21st Century (SPCK 2020) the latter two for which she is the editor.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 15, 2021
Despite the need for further editing, this book was a great encouragement and testament of how God uses the weakest and most unlikely of His people to do incredible things for His glory. I had not heard of Miss Aylward before, but am so thankful to have learned of the amazing things she did to further God's kingdom.
April 16, 2021
I didn't enjoy how this was written but a great story
January 12, 2024
p107
Refugees. I know that's the by far the bigger point, but, in order to do the story justice this should be so much better written:
'They came with their bundles and their babies, some with a few hens tied together by the legs and carried upside down, bewildered, frightened.'
I'm feeling for the hens, here, knowing as I do that on the cleverness scale, hens are reasonably clever, & thus likely to feel 'bewildered, fightened'. But no:
'Gladys, who knew just what they felt like, hurried forward to meet them, found places for them to sleep, got the fire going to make some food.'
It's definitely the refugees then.
Refugees. I know that's the by far the bigger point, but, in order to do the story justice this should be so much better written:
'They came with their bundles and their babies, some with a few hens tied together by the legs and carried upside down, bewildered, frightened.'
I'm feeling for the hens, here, knowing as I do that on the cleverness scale, hens are reasonably clever, & thus likely to feel 'bewildered, fightened'. But no:
'Gladys, who knew just what they felt like, hurried forward to meet them, found places for them to sleep, got the fire going to make some food.'
It's definitely the refugees then.
December 2, 2025
Not my favorite. Not great writing and not super inspiring. The Benge book was better, in my opinion.
September 4, 2023
“As with the patriarch so with the parlourmaid, the promise had been fulfilled, ‘I will make your name great’...It was what she did that made the greatest impact. She was transparently honest, utterly sincere, her life was completely in harmony with what she said. She was cheerful, never spent time talking about her feelings, her likes or dislikes, and never sought sympathy for her sufferings, was only occupied with how wonderfully God had brought her through, and what kind, good people she had met on her journey through life. She was entirely single-minded. She was out to serve God and the Chinese and never thought of herself or her own comfort.”
On one of her walls was a little motto card, “God hath chosen the weak things…I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.” A missionary couple “gave her a little card with ‘Be not afraid, remember the Lord’ on it.” She kept it in her Bible.” Later she wrote in her Chinese Bible, “The eagle that soars in the upper air does not worry itself how it is to cross rivers.” “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, and do not wobble…Is not your God with you?” (1 Chronicles 22). “As she sat there like a lonely little sparrow among the crows, cold and frightened, she found herself saying ‘Oh, God, was it worth this?’ ‘and to my mind like a flash came ‘Be not afraid, remember the Lord’, so I prayed that God would remember me and deliver me. I believe He did but in quite a different way to what I imagined.”
“The thing about Gladys is that when she sees a need she plunges straight in without any thought of the consequences to herself…Her main theme, as always, was the exploits of that silly little Gladys Aylward, and the greatness of her God…‘China Inland Mission’... ‘Have Faith in God’. This was just what she wanted–a mission to go to the inside of China, and faith in God with which to do it.” Her heart cry was “Oh, God! Here’s me. Here’s my Bible, here’s my money! Use us, God! Use us!” “Omnipotence hath servants everywhere.” In Chinese, Aylward translated The Virtuous One, and her bibliography both inspired and convicted me: in my prodigious peregrinations, flagellate my flabby faith.
On one of her walls was a little motto card, “God hath chosen the weak things…I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.” A missionary couple “gave her a little card with ‘Be not afraid, remember the Lord’ on it.” She kept it in her Bible.” Later she wrote in her Chinese Bible, “The eagle that soars in the upper air does not worry itself how it is to cross rivers.” “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, and do not wobble…Is not your God with you?” (1 Chronicles 22). “As she sat there like a lonely little sparrow among the crows, cold and frightened, she found herself saying ‘Oh, God, was it worth this?’ ‘and to my mind like a flash came ‘Be not afraid, remember the Lord’, so I prayed that God would remember me and deliver me. I believe He did but in quite a different way to what I imagined.”
“The thing about Gladys is that when she sees a need she plunges straight in without any thought of the consequences to herself…Her main theme, as always, was the exploits of that silly little Gladys Aylward, and the greatness of her God…‘China Inland Mission’... ‘Have Faith in God’. This was just what she wanted–a mission to go to the inside of China, and faith in God with which to do it.” Her heart cry was “Oh, God! Here’s me. Here’s my Bible, here’s my money! Use us, God! Use us!” “Omnipotence hath servants everywhere.” In Chinese, Aylward translated The Virtuous One, and her bibliography both inspired and convicted me: in my prodigious peregrinations, flagellate my flabby faith.
July 13, 2023
On one level, it's a riveting story of a young woman who was obedient to God's call to go to China and serve there as a missionary, without the backing of any missions board and without promised monthly support. She went on faith that God would take care of her, and He did. She risked her life and her health on numerous occasions but God protected her. The author wisely divided the story into the four main eras of her life: her birth to her departure for China, from 1902-1932; her time in China, from 1932-1949; her time back home, primarily in England, from 1949-1957; and her time back amongst the Chinese, primarily on Taiwan.
On another level, and clearly with the sympathy of the author, Aylward was disobedient to God in taking on the role of a preacher, a role reserved in the New Testament for men, no matter how some may want to twist the exegesis of Galatians 3:28 and other verses. It was a role she relished and enjoyed, unfortunately, and there's no record, at least in this book or in any other biography of Aylward I've read, of any male ever rebuking her as they should have.
On another level, and clearly with the sympathy of the author, Aylward was disobedient to God in taking on the role of a preacher, a role reserved in the New Testament for men, no matter how some may want to twist the exegesis of Galatians 3:28 and other verses. It was a role she relished and enjoyed, unfortunately, and there's no record, at least in this book or in any other biography of Aylward I've read, of any male ever rebuking her as they should have.
May 5, 2016
The author describes Gladys Aylward’s rise to fame as “one of the strangest ‘success stories’ of the twentieth century”; perhaps inevitably, she also suggests that it is “difficult to find any other explanation than a supernatural one for the fact that her name can be grouped with people like Dr Albert Schweitzer and Helen Keller”. It’s not quite as mysterious as all that, but it nevertheless a remarkable story.
The first half of the book is concerned with the reason why she became a figure of public interest, and the subject (albeit highly distorted) of a Hollywood film. Famously, Aylward was a London parlourmaid who felt called to be a missionary in China. She was rejected by the China Inland Mission, but in 1932 she made her way independently to China via Russia and Japan, eventually reaching Tsechow (Zezhou) in Shansi (Shanxi). Here she was welcomed by the widow of Stanley Smith of “Cambridge Seven” fame (the former Miss Anna Lang, although not named), who apparently presided over a missionary “hub” based around a London Missionary Society compound. However, Aylward’s final destination was Yangchen. She presented herself to the resident missionary, Jeannie Lawson, and assisted her in running an inn that provided an opportunity to evangelise travellers.
Following Lawton’s death, Aylward began caring for orphans; she also found work with the local Mandarin, inspecting local women and girls to ensure compliance with the Republic’s edict against footbinding. On one occasion, she also gave assistance in defusing a prison riot. Famously, she led 100 Chinese orphans to safety as the Japanese advanced; the trek nearly killed her, and there is a sense that the ordeal left emotional scars. With the post-war establishment of the People’s Republic of China, she was eventually forced to return to the UK. However, she arrived as a foreigner: by this time she had renounced her British citizenship and become a naturalised Chinese citizen – a decision that created numerous bureaucratic difficulties.
Alyward’s experiences made her a popular public speaker, and she came to the attention of Hugh Redwood, author of God of the Slums. This in turn led to a half-hour radio dramatization of her story, by an author named Alan Burgess. A short booklet then appeared, by Robert Owen Latham (author of a number of missionary accounts, as well as a filmmaker for the LMS), and then a longer work by Burgess, entitled The Small Woman. It seems that Burgess did for Alyward what Malcom Muggeridge would later do for Mother Theresa, establishing Alyward in the public consciousness as an exemplary Christian humanitarian.
This in turn led to the Hollywood film The Inn of the Sixth Happiness. Alyward bitterly regretted having agreed to allow this venture. Viewed on its own terms, it is not a bad film, although Ronald Donat in yellowface has dated it, and it takes some suspension of disbelief to accept an East End parlourmaid with a Swedish accent. But as a representation of Alyward and her story it is a travesty. Ingrid Bergman looks nothing like Alyward, and the inclusion of a love interest is preposterous. Elsewhere, I’ve read that Alyward also objected to Bergman due to her private life, although the author glosses over this particular complaint.
Alyward’s later years included international tours, lunch with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, and being the subject of an episode of This is Your Life. She also relocated to Taiwan, now the last bastion of the pre-Communist Republic of China. A number of the orphans she had rescued were now living here as adults, and some of these informally “adopted” her. She also took in new orphans, and for a while she was associated with World Vision, on the recommendation of Bob Pierce. There was a late bitter blow when it was discovered that a trusted aide in Taiwan had been embezzling money.
Like most Christian paperback biographies, the style of A London Sparrow is engaging but informal (sources are not given), and the undercurrent of affection verges on sentimentality. However, this is no hagiography. Alyward comes across as impulsive and disorganised, and we get a sense that these were at times real weaknesses. She also seems to have been afflicted by anxieties and depressive episodes.
The book also touches on a controversy that was explored in more depth in a 2004 BBC documentary. Page 73 mentions that in 1940, while visiting villages, she would gather information about Japanese troop movements and pass the information on to a certain Colonel Lin from the Chinese Intelligence Service. She saw this as a service to her adopted country, but the meetings took place in an office at the missionary compound in Tsechow belonging to a Welsh missionary named David Davis. While Alyward was on her trek with the orphans, Davis was arrested by the Japanese as a spy (this was before Britain and Japan were at war), and suffered a terribly. Evidence used against Davis included an indiscrete interview Alyward had given to a journalist named Theodore White for Time magazine.
One subject that is unexplored is Alyward’s relationship with the KMT regime in Taiwan. Alyward proudly spoke of Taiwan as “free Taiwan”, in contrast to the Communist oppression in the Chinese mainland, but she moved to the island during the worst years of the regime’s “White Terror”, and the island remained under military rule until the 1980s. Chiang Kai-Shek’s anti-Communism, and his personal profession of Christianity, has meant that this has often been overlooked or even whitewashed. The author’s silence here is at least preferable to the pro-Chiang rhetoric to be found in some other Christian paperbacks of the period.
The first half of the book is concerned with the reason why she became a figure of public interest, and the subject (albeit highly distorted) of a Hollywood film. Famously, Aylward was a London parlourmaid who felt called to be a missionary in China. She was rejected by the China Inland Mission, but in 1932 she made her way independently to China via Russia and Japan, eventually reaching Tsechow (Zezhou) in Shansi (Shanxi). Here she was welcomed by the widow of Stanley Smith of “Cambridge Seven” fame (the former Miss Anna Lang, although not named), who apparently presided over a missionary “hub” based around a London Missionary Society compound. However, Aylward’s final destination was Yangchen. She presented herself to the resident missionary, Jeannie Lawson, and assisted her in running an inn that provided an opportunity to evangelise travellers.
Following Lawton’s death, Aylward began caring for orphans; she also found work with the local Mandarin, inspecting local women and girls to ensure compliance with the Republic’s edict against footbinding. On one occasion, she also gave assistance in defusing a prison riot. Famously, she led 100 Chinese orphans to safety as the Japanese advanced; the trek nearly killed her, and there is a sense that the ordeal left emotional scars. With the post-war establishment of the People’s Republic of China, she was eventually forced to return to the UK. However, she arrived as a foreigner: by this time she had renounced her British citizenship and become a naturalised Chinese citizen – a decision that created numerous bureaucratic difficulties.
Alyward’s experiences made her a popular public speaker, and she came to the attention of Hugh Redwood, author of God of the Slums. This in turn led to a half-hour radio dramatization of her story, by an author named Alan Burgess. A short booklet then appeared, by Robert Owen Latham (author of a number of missionary accounts, as well as a filmmaker for the LMS), and then a longer work by Burgess, entitled The Small Woman. It seems that Burgess did for Alyward what Malcom Muggeridge would later do for Mother Theresa, establishing Alyward in the public consciousness as an exemplary Christian humanitarian.
This in turn led to the Hollywood film The Inn of the Sixth Happiness. Alyward bitterly regretted having agreed to allow this venture. Viewed on its own terms, it is not a bad film, although Ronald Donat in yellowface has dated it, and it takes some suspension of disbelief to accept an East End parlourmaid with a Swedish accent. But as a representation of Alyward and her story it is a travesty. Ingrid Bergman looks nothing like Alyward, and the inclusion of a love interest is preposterous. Elsewhere, I’ve read that Alyward also objected to Bergman due to her private life, although the author glosses over this particular complaint.
Alyward’s later years included international tours, lunch with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, and being the subject of an episode of This is Your Life. She also relocated to Taiwan, now the last bastion of the pre-Communist Republic of China. A number of the orphans she had rescued were now living here as adults, and some of these informally “adopted” her. She also took in new orphans, and for a while she was associated with World Vision, on the recommendation of Bob Pierce. There was a late bitter blow when it was discovered that a trusted aide in Taiwan had been embezzling money.
Like most Christian paperback biographies, the style of A London Sparrow is engaging but informal (sources are not given), and the undercurrent of affection verges on sentimentality. However, this is no hagiography. Alyward comes across as impulsive and disorganised, and we get a sense that these were at times real weaknesses. She also seems to have been afflicted by anxieties and depressive episodes.
The book also touches on a controversy that was explored in more depth in a 2004 BBC documentary. Page 73 mentions that in 1940, while visiting villages, she would gather information about Japanese troop movements and pass the information on to a certain Colonel Lin from the Chinese Intelligence Service. She saw this as a service to her adopted country, but the meetings took place in an office at the missionary compound in Tsechow belonging to a Welsh missionary named David Davis. While Alyward was on her trek with the orphans, Davis was arrested by the Japanese as a spy (this was before Britain and Japan were at war), and suffered a terribly. Evidence used against Davis included an indiscrete interview Alyward had given to a journalist named Theodore White for Time magazine.
One subject that is unexplored is Alyward’s relationship with the KMT regime in Taiwan. Alyward proudly spoke of Taiwan as “free Taiwan”, in contrast to the Communist oppression in the Chinese mainland, but she moved to the island during the worst years of the regime’s “White Terror”, and the island remained under military rule until the 1980s. Chiang Kai-Shek’s anti-Communism, and his personal profession of Christianity, has meant that this has often been overlooked or even whitewashed. The author’s silence here is at least preferable to the pro-Chiang rhetoric to be found in some other Christian paperbacks of the period.
April 21, 2025
Actually rating: 2.83
Is a bit jumpy in certain places. It will jump from one plot point to another quite quickly can be a little confusing especially as the main character is referred to be different names. Two in particular. Certain plot points are glossed over while others are given a lot more space to be explained.
The life of Gladys is well explained and has a lot detail for such a short book. The author was able to explain the whole of Gladys' life in under 250 which is amazing. The book is digestible and contains the right amount of information to explain Gladys' life without it feeling like you are reading a dictionary of her life. There is more information then a simple google search and a clear attention to detail.
Is a bit jumpy in certain places. It will jump from one plot point to another quite quickly can be a little confusing especially as the main character is referred to be different names. Two in particular. Certain plot points are glossed over while others are given a lot more space to be explained.
The life of Gladys is well explained and has a lot detail for such a short book. The author was able to explain the whole of Gladys' life in under 250 which is amazing. The book is digestible and contains the right amount of information to explain Gladys' life without it feeling like you are reading a dictionary of her life. There is more information then a simple google search and a clear attention to detail.
March 19, 2023
I grew up on stories of Gladys Aylward (from the Dutch by Mrs. Mijnders-VanWoerden) and realize now in what a wonderful way they simply reflected Gladys’ own perspective as she must have told her stories. This book was different… more of a step removed. It didn’t have all the wonderful details, but I saw more of how the people around her saw her. I was very moved by her struggles near the end of the book around the time the movie came out and the court case involving “son in law’s” embezzlement of funds meant for orphans.
I wouldn’t recommend this as the only book you read about her, but it definitely added more perspective to her story for me.
I wouldn’t recommend this as the only book you read about her, but it definitely added more perspective to her story for me.
January 22, 2021
Re-reading this book. I first read it as a young Christian in the 1970s when it was first published. It had a profound effect on me, causing me to be determined to live 100% for God wherever He placed me. I'm really looking forward to reading it again after all these years.
Re-read the book and again found it very good. As a mature Christian I can see that Gladys Aylward was not always wise in her actions and certainly wasn't a team-player. She said that she was that silly little Gladys Aylward, but God is great. She may sometimes have been foolish, but her story shows that God is great! This book again spurred me on to live 100% for the Lord where He has placed me. I highly recommend it.
Re-read the book and again found it very good. As a mature Christian I can see that Gladys Aylward was not always wise in her actions and certainly wasn't a team-player. She said that she was that silly little Gladys Aylward, but God is great. She may sometimes have been foolish, but her story shows that God is great! This book again spurred me on to live 100% for the Lord where He has placed me. I highly recommend it.
August 13, 2021
The book definitely needs some work and editing, but the story is riveting and the way it is told by the author is excellent! One of the best stories in all of the history of Christendom. Powerful moments of her life surrounded by a faithful day to day living for Jesus that is so rare these days. Really love how the author shows the humanness of Gladys and some of her quirks and even sins in her life. Would recommend this read and I like the sleak new cover that 10ofthose put to this new edition.
September 14, 2019
This is an incredibly moving story, which I read right after watching the movie made, from the book. (The Inn of the Sixth Happiness}, when I was 10 years old. It had a huge impact on my life in an extraordinary way and will remain my all time favorite, just because the most important thing in my life, happened, through this story. I reread this book so many times, but sadly, lost my copy of it in 1982 when I moved to France.
November 10, 2022
This is a great, little introduction to Gladys Aylward, a missionary to China. I appreciate that this book both celebrates Gladys' faith but also critiques some of her actions. It is remarkable the faith it took to go to China even after being rejected by a mission board in order to service. Despite enduring war and having limited funds, she acted courageously. And God went ahead of her time and time again.
June 4, 2022
I hadn't heard of Gladys Aylward before, but I really enjoyed this book. It was inspiring to read about what she did, the people she influenced and the changes she caused while serving God. It's rare I give the full rating for anything, but I think this book deserves the full 5 stars, would definitely recommend it.
August 29, 2022
I enjoyed reading this book and filling in more details about Gladys's life, having previously read a biography of her life aimed at children. I did find some.of the sentences clunky and old fashioned (at the time I didn't realise I was reading a newly republished version of an old book) and some sentences didn't even make sense, which really disappointed me.
May 8, 2025
A good length story about a woman who shouldn’t have done anything great but believed in a God who could move mountains. Very interesting getting the full story of Gladys after having watched the Inn of 6th Happiness many times.
February 24, 2021
Great read about the life and faith of this extraordinary woman - so much more than the Hollywood tale!
December 5, 2021
A delightful little book about a remarkable little woman. The story of Gladys will inspire you, motivate you, and leave you wanting a relationship like hers with the God she so loved.
January 9, 2022
This is a delightful account of the life of Gladys Aylward, missionary to China in the early 1900s. I will be passing this one on to my kids to read as well.
February 17, 2022
Not written very well, some sentences were confusing.
March 21, 2022
Excellent account of extremely inspiring missionary lady.
April 26, 2022
What an amazing life!
May 8, 2023
An amazing woman. A missionary in China. This book was hard to put down
March 1, 2024
I enjoyed this book! I was encouraged by the life of Gladys Aylward, especially her prayer life and trust in God for financial support.
September 11, 2023
Whilst Gladys Aylward’s story is remarkable, the telling of it in this book was not very smooth. I found myself tempted to skip through to the end. However, out of respect for the author I persevered.
June 23, 2021
Her life is a testament to what God can do with a surrendered, willing life. Nothing is too difficult for God. She answered His call and trusted Him as the GOD Who can do exceedingly above and beyond anything we can think or imagine. Nothing is too difficult for Him. She believed.
dnf
January 10, 2026i honestly could not finish this book😭
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews