Books

A good book,

I was wondering if any of you have read a book "Visions of Glory" by Barbara Grizzutti Harrison. As far as I know, it is the only book written by a woman about the witness experience. She is a very good writer, and gives a different slant to the subject. Since writing this book she has gone on and written several novels and essays for prestigious magazines. Her JW book is out print of now, but you could get it via interlibrary loan.

Her book is not mentioned by xJW writers and is not mentioned in their newsletters. I don't think she is ignored because she is female. I think it is because she is very honest about her life style and the traditional writers probably consider her too deviant to support. At any rate, I think you would find it to be a good read, if you already haven't done so.

I would also be interested in any nonfiction, good reading to learn new stuff that you would recommend on nonreligous subjects. I will describe some I like later on.

Hey larc,

I've read most of her book. Through Randy Watter's site, Freeminds. I found it really interesting and the insights valuable, particularily for a woman in the organization.

She grew up next to Bethel, her mother a model jw, her father not in the org. Was interesting to read about mother/daughter relationship.
She writes well. I tried to order book, but out of print.

I enjoyed it - and I don't know why others don't quote her. Well written - not rabid against the WTBTS, just her memory of growing up, falling in love with a "worldly" man, working at headquarters, reasons for leaving, etc.

waiting

Edited by - waiting on 26 January 2001 21:48:40

Harrison has a new book: "An Accidential Autobiography" available in soft-cover $14. She describes it as
"An autobiography in which I am not the main characer." I'm enjoying it very much - I like her take on other people, and her own thoughts on her experiences and relationships. Waiting, she writes more about her mother and father - most insightful - sometimes sad - sometimes funny. She tells a little more about her JW childhood and her years at Bethel. She's 60+ - has had a wide panorama of life experiences which she relates with colorful insight. You can tell she has kept a life-long journal, and that this was a basis for putting down the words in this auto-bio.

I read her book, found some of it quite a stretch to be honest. Then in another book, something like "Churches That Abuse" (Witnesses not mentioned) she was slammed pretty hard for some stuff she'd written about other religious groups that turned out in some instances not to be true and in other instances to be badly distorted. So, it could be that she's not refered to because she's not very accurate. Is that a dangling participle?

Edited by - Xandit on 26 January 2001 23:34:37

Thank you for your imput Xandit,

I know a person that is very knowlegable regarding JW history. He that her write up on Russel is not accurate. I may go back and reread it with a more objective frame of mind and see what I think then. If I find places that appear to be a stretch, I'll make note of them.

dangling participle?
It's been far too long since I've heard that phrase. I just finished reviewing booklets in consideration of my ambitions to renew my quest for a "higher education". Encouraged by your words, I take the next step.

Xandit,

I was curious. Are there any ideas from her book that come to mind, that I should for, which seem to be innacurate to you. If so, I'll give those particular attention.

Yeah, she claimed that Russell had a harem and that he died of syphillus ... that is so obsurd!

Now Rutherford, that's another story!

_______________
Never take a laxative and a sleeping pill on the same night.

larc, it has been a long time since I read the book so I don't remember too much specific, I though it was a bit of a stretch that she was being spied on in India, a few things like that. Of course the business about the hareem was a hoot. What brought it back to me was the other book which it turns out wasn't Curches That Abuse,very good by the way, but was The Politics of Religious Apostasy. In one section it described her 'lurid' writing about the Island Pond religious community. A couple of ex members, Harrison, and some anti-cult people stirred up a virtual firestorm about this group. In the end, there was nothing there, it was all way overblown. Before it all went away there were some pretty grievous bending of the law by some state agencies that got involved. The courts stopped it in the end because nothing was really going on.

RR:

It's been several years since reading Visions of Glory, but I don't remember the syphilis charge. I know this is asking a lot, but do you know the page(s) where this accusation is found? Barbara Grizzuti Harrison is a gifted author, and I remember the book as an honest perspective about being a JW from a feminist point of view. Sadly, that's lacking compared to the popular books by Franz, Penton, and others. Female Witnesses outnumber males, but their voices are seldom heard in the popular press. Harrison's 1978 read came out long before the volumes of information that followed years later by some high-profile males.

The last paragraph on the book's jacket cover reads, "Visions of Glory is an extraordinary account of the rites of passage from girlhood to womanhoon, from disillusion to spiritual renewal--an intense, often hilarious, frequently moving autobiography by a gifted writer."

I couldn't agree more.

JAVA, counting time at the Coffee Shop

Edited by - JAVA on 27 January 2001 23:47:32

larc,

I read the book. It does have a different slant. I found it at the local library.

I enjoyed reading the book, but my impression of her was somewhat of a "loose" person.

TR

Edited by - TR on 28 January 2001 0:41:37

hey tr,

Please elaborate upon your speculation?

waiting

Waiting,

I new I'd create a response on that one. Well, it's been a few years, but what I remember is that she had casual sexual relationships.

TR

TR, mention loose behavior and you're dragging a fresh herring infront of a hungry salmon...Old leather face will snap like a sculpin after fresh eggs! You got her pegged!

candyman

shut.up.carmel.

hey tr,

Perhaps if she'd had as many casual relationships and been a heavy drinker like Ernest Hemingway, she'd be a better author? Even have her own furniture design?

It's a thought to be pondered.

A man will marry a woman because he needs a mother he can communicate with. Martin Mull

She didn't get along well with her own mother, perhaps this is one reason she didn't marry so soon?

Every woman needs at least three men: one for sex, one for money and one for fun. Bess Myerson

waiting

Waiting,

Have you read the book? I am going back to get the book from the library and reread it, but as I recall she loved her mother very much, and after some wild times, she got married. Well, in a couple days I'll let you know if my memories are correct.

hey larc,

Been a while - but I was under the strong impression that there was a lot of conflict growing up, which can go along with love. Her mother was perfect jw sister. Her father not in org. Lots of competition between mother/daughter - particularily when bethelites would come over to visit. Mother stole the show, the perfect hostess, flirting, the whole thing. Her mother and she treated her father shabbily, even in her own estimation. Her mother didn't work, but would invite the bethelites over on a regular basis for dinner, being a charming hostess with the food that her worldly husband provided. Then she put her husband down for being "worldly." Rather small minded, imho.

Perhaps being a mother & daughter, I read too much into it, but I don't think so. She did marry, had a daughter, didn't she? Had been out of the wts for years when the elders came knocking at her door. She had dated one of them years before, wasn't he a CO? Anyway, it was quite odd & cold. I'm going from memory here, so don't ask for quotes.

The mother/daughter was a sideline of the book, imo. I liked it because it was from a woman's viewpoint. I don't believe she wrote it pretending to be a historian, just one who's lived it. As for looseness? Damn, wish I'd done it!

waiting

ps - I'll ask my son to get it from the university library - great library. Thanks for the lead.

Waiting,

Quite possibly.

TR

Waiting,

I agree with your last comment. I wish I would have had all the fun she had.:)
She struck me as a very strong, forth right woman, who grew up through the concrete and survived. I would love to have her in my home and be able to talk to her for hours.

larc,

Barbara was doing a book signing a few years ago (I believe somewhere in Chicago) and two ex-JWs from a email group I was on attended. They introduced themselves as ex-Witnesses, and she asked them to stay until the signing was over. They talked for about an hour afterwards, and enjoyed meeting her. They also inquired about a reprint of Visions of Glory and she said others ask about that too, but it's up to the publisher. The publisher is Simon and Schuster, if any are interested in letting them know. I'm sure they have a Web URL that could be used for contact.

JAVA, counting time at the Coffee Shop

Edited by - JAVA on 29 January 2001 7:54:8