Hu Shi's life touched virtually every important aspect of society in twentieth-century China. His most significant contributions were his support of Chinese liberalism and his advocacy for the use of vernacular Chinese. ""A Pragmatist and His Free Spirit"" explores the lesser-known side of this staunch supporter of John Dewey's philosophy and reconstructs his romance with Edith Clifford Williams, an American avant-garde painter, by delving into the correspondences the two exchanged over almost half a century.