Holy Ghost Girl: A Memoir

Author:   Donna Johnson ,  Carrington MacDuffie
Publisher:   Blackstone Publishing
Edition:   Library Edition
ISBN:  

9781455111985


Publication Date:   13 October 2011
Format:   Audio  Audio Format
Availability:   Out of stock   Availability explained
The supplier is temporarily out of stock of this item. It will be ordered for you on backorder and shipped when it becomes available.

Our Price $237.60 Quantity:  
Add to Cart

Share |

Holy Ghost Girl: A Memoir


Audio Format

Overview

Full Product Details

Author:   Donna Johnson ,  Carrington MacDuffie
Publisher:   Blackstone Publishing
Imprint:   Blackstone Publishing
Edition:   Library Edition
Dimensions:   Width: 17.30cm , Height: 3.00cm , Length: 15.70cm
Weight:   0.249kg
ISBN:  

9781455111985


ISBN 10:   1455111988
Publication Date:   13 October 2011
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Audio
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Out of stock   Availability explained
The supplier is temporarily out of stock of this item. It will be ordered for you on backorder and shipped when it becomes available.

Table of Contents

Reviews

Carrington MacDuffie was fantastic as narrator. She made the atmosphere of a tent revival come to life. When she narrated Brother Terrell's sections, I was glued to the story. She brought his charisma through the speakers. -- LiterateHousewife.com What a life! Holy Ghost Girl takes you inside a world where God and sin and miracles and deceit and love are so jumbled together you can't tell them apart. Donna Johnson sorts through her story with great insight, compassion, and humor, giving us an indelible portrait of a charismatic preacher and the faithful who so desperately believed in him. -- Jeannette Walls, New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle This is a thoroughly provocative memoir. Memoirs don't usually resist the obvious. This one does. You won't find Donna M. Johnson dithering in anger, cynicism, or self-pity. Holy Ghost Girl is a sensitive exploration of the power that inheres in faith communities, however flawed. -- Rhoda Janzen, New York Times bestselling author of Mennonite in a Little Black Dress Donna M. Johnson's memoir captivated me from the first page. Vividly written and richly detailed, it evokes a curious subculture that few Americans are familiar with--that of the Pentecostal revival tent, with all the spiritual and carnal ecstasy that simmer beneath it. Holy Ghost Girl is also a cautionary tale of preachers whose followers elevate them to a godhood then blind themselves to their leader's often extravagant sins. -- Julia Scheeres, New York Times bestselling author of Jesus Land Holy Ghost Girl turns, as good books must, from promising read into sure bet. Ms. Johnson's enthralling memoir, her first book, is about growing up on the road in a clan of what she calls Holy Rollers...Fascinating. -- New York Times Yet for all the disaster that seems inevitable from the opening pages of this plainspoken memoir, Johnson still maintains some affection for the part-time charlatan who was often caring and loving to her...and therein lies the paradox at the center of Johnson's story, in which faith and love live alongside anger and betrayal. -- O, the Oprah Magazine Johnson's lively memoir recalls a truly strange childhood...Fascinating and sometimes disturbing...mixed with serious reflection. -- Dallas Morning News Johnson's beautifully written and super-absorbing memoir of growing up on the tent revival circuit is full of vivid and sometimes shocking events. -- Star Tribune Johnson spent her childhood in the 1960s and 1970s traveling America's South with revivalist preacher Brother David Terrell, a hugely popular Holy Roller who brought thousands to his raucous tent sermons. But life under the tent--and under Terrell's control--was far from easy, and Johnson eloquently recounts this uncommon upbringing shaped by constant upheaval and her increasingly fraught conception of faith...Leaving the tent circuit for good at sixteen gave Johnson the perspective she needed for this fascinating tale of life with a 'con man, a prophet, a performer.' -- Publishers Weekly Johnson has a terrific ability to write details as seen through the eyes of a child, letting readers discern what is really happening before the narrator is able to understand herself...Brilliant prose that is both precise and evocative of larger truths illuminates the normalized yet bewildering world. -- School Library Journal A trustworthy narrator, Johnson is consistently funny, poetic, and remarkably devoid of bitterness. -- Kirkus Reviews Holy Ghost Girl is a wonder of a book. Chief among its marvels is how clear-eyed and deeply compassionate Johnson is as she recounts what it was like to grow up believing all things are possible and how hard it was to leave that harsh and deeply flawed paradise to become a part of the world in all its 'gaudy glory.' With evocatively precise details, fond humor, and an utter lack of scorn or cynicism, Johnson accomplishes the camel-through-the-eye-of-a-needle miracle of rendering the world through the eyes of a young child. Arriving at a time when the war between fact and faith is escalating, Holy Ghost Girl is a book that people will be talking about. -- Sarah Bird, author of The Gap Year A wrenching and extraordinarily beautiful memoir. If you're a fan of The Glass Castle, you'll be mesmerized by Donna M. Johnson's true-life tale of how her young life was upended by her mother's love affair with an infamous charismatic preacher. -- Lisa Napoli, author of Radio Shangri-La A brilliant and beautiful story of people who passionately loved God and broke his commandments in almost every way possible. The kind of story the Bible is full of, told with rare compassion and grace. -- Christine Wicker, author of Lily Dale: The True Story of the Town That Talks to the Dead and God Knows My Heart


Holy Ghost Girl is a wonder of a book. Chief among its marvels is how clear-eyed and deeply compassionate Johnson is as she recounts what it was like to grow up believing all things are possible and how hard it was to leave that harsh and deeply flawed paradise to become a part of the world in all its 'gaudy glory.' With evocatively precise details, fond humor, and an utter lack of scorn or cynicism, Johnson accomplishes the camel-through-the-eye-of-a-needle miracle of rendering the world through the eyes of a young child. Arriving at a time when the war between fact and faith is escalating, Holy Ghost Girl is a book that people will be talking about. -- Sarah Bird, author of The Gap Year Holy Ghost Girl turns, as good books must, from promising read into sure bet. Ms. Johnson's enthralling memoir, her first book, is about growing up on the road in a clan of what she calls Holy Rollers...Fascinating. -- New York Times A brilliant and beautiful story of people who passionately loved God and broke his commandments in almost every way possible. The kind of story the Bible is full of, told with rare compassion and grace. -- Christine Wicker, author of Lily Dale: The True Story of the Town That Talks to the Dead and God Knows My Heart A wrenching and extraordinarily beautiful memoir. If you're a fan of The Glass Castle, you'll be mesmerized by Donna M. Johnson's true-life tale of how her young life was upended by her mother's love affair with an infamous charismatic preacher. -- Lisa Napoli, author of Radio Shangri-La Carrington MacDuffie was fantastic as narrator. She made the atmosphere of a tent revival come to life. When she narrated Brother Terrell's sections, I was glued to the story. She brought his charisma through the speakers. -- LiterateHousewife.com Donna M. Johnson's memoir captivated me from the first page. Vividly written and richly detailed, it evokes a curious subculture that few Americans are familiar with--that of the Pentecostal revival tent, with all the spiritual and carnal ecstasy that simmer beneath it. Holy Ghost Girl is also a cautionary tale of preachers whose followers elevate them to a godhood then blind themselves to their leader's often extravagant sins. -- Julia Scheeres, New York Times bestselling author of Jesus Land Johnson spent her childhood in the 1960s and 1970s traveling America's South with revivalist preacher Brother David Terrell, a hugely popular Holy Roller who brought thousands to his raucous tent sermons. But life under the tent--and under Terrell's control--was far from easy, and Johnson eloquently recounts this uncommon upbringing shaped by constant upheaval and her increasingly fraught conception of faith...Leaving the tent circuit for good at sixteen gave Johnson the perspective she needed for this fascinating tale of life with a 'con man, a prophet, a performer.' -- Publishers Weekly This is a thoroughly provocative memoir. Memoirs don't usually resist the obvious. This one does. You won't find Donna M. Johnson dithering in anger, cynicism, or self-pity. Holy Ghost Girl is a sensitive exploration of the power that inheres in faith communities, however flawed. -- Rhoda Janzen, New York Times bestselling author of Mennonite in a Little Black Dress What a life! Holy Ghost Girl takes you inside a world where God and sin and miracles and deceit and love are so jumbled together you can't tell them apart. Donna Johnson sorts through her story with great insight, compassion, and humor, giving us an indelible portrait of a charismatic preacher and the faithful who so desperately believed in him. -- Jeannette Walls, New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle A trustworthy narrator, Johnson is consistently funny, poetic, and remarkably devoid of bitterness. -- Kirkus Reviews Johnson has a terrific ability to write details as seen through the eyes of a child, letting readers discern what is really happening before the narrator is able to understand herself...Brilliant prose that is both precise and evocative of larger truths illuminates the normalized yet bewildering world. -- School Library Journal Johnson's beautifully written and super-absorbing memoir of growing up on the tent revival circuit is full of vivid and sometimes shocking events. -- Star Tribune Johnson's lively memoir recalls a truly strange childhood...Fascinating and sometimes disturbing...mixed with serious reflection. -- Dallas Morning News Yet for all the disaster that seems inevitable from the opening pages of this plainspoken memoir, Johnson still maintains some affection for the part-time charlatan who was often caring and loving to her...and therein lies the paradox at the center of Johnson's story, in which faith and love live alongside anger and betrayal. -- O, the Oprah Magazine


A brilliant and beautiful story of people who passionately loved God and broke his commandments in almost every way possible. The kind of story the Bible is full of, told with rare compassion and grace. -- Christine Wicker, author of Lily Dale: The True Story of the Town That Talks to the Dead and God Knows My Heart A wrenching and extraordinarily beautiful memoir. If you're a fan of The Glass Castle, you'll be mesmerized by Donna M. Johnson's true-life tale of how her young life was upended by her mother's love affair with an infamous charismatic preacher. -- Lisa Napoli, author of Radio Shangri-La Holy Ghost Girl is a wonder of a book. Chief among its marvels is how clear-eyed and deeply compassionate Johnson is as she recounts what it was like to grow up believing all things are possible and how hard it was to leave that harsh and deeply flawed paradise to become a part of the world in all its 'gaudy glory.' With evocatively precise details, fond humor, and an utter lack of scorn or cynicism, Johnson accomplishes the camel-through-the-eye-of-a-needle miracle of rendering the world through the eyes of a young child. Arriving at a time when the war between fact and faith is escalating, Holy Ghost Girl is a book that people will be talking about. -- Sarah Bird, author of The Gap Year Carrington MacDuffie was fantastic as narrator. She made the atmosphere of a tent revival come to life. When she narrated Brother Terrell's sections, I was glued to the story. She brought his charisma through the speakers. -- LiterateHousewife.com A trustworthy narrator, Johnson is consistently funny, poetic, and remarkably devoid of bitterness. -- Kirkus Reviews Johnson has a terrific ability to write details as seen through the eyes of a child, letting readers discern what is really happening before the narrator is able to understand herself...Brilliant prose that is both precise and evocative of larger truths illuminates the normalized yet bewildering world. -- School Library Journal Johnson spent her childhood in the 1960s and 1970s traveling America's South with revivalist preacher Brother David Terrell, a hugely popular Holy Roller who brought thousands to his raucous tent sermons. But life under the tent--and under Terrell's control--was far from easy, and Johnson eloquently recounts this uncommon upbringing shaped by constant upheaval and her increasingly fraught conception of faith...Leaving the tent circuit for good at sixteen gave Johnson the perspective she needed for this fascinating tale of life with a 'con man, a prophet, a performer.' -- Publishers Weekly Johnson's beautifully written and super-absorbing memoir of growing up on the tent revival circuit is full of vivid and sometimes shocking events. -- Star Tribune Johnson's lively memoir recalls a truly strange childhood...Fascinating and sometimes disturbing...mixed with serious reflection. -- Dallas Morning News Yet for all the disaster that seems inevitable from the opening pages of this plainspoken memoir, Johnson still maintains some affection for the part-time charlatan who was often caring and loving to her...and therein lies the paradox at the center of Johnson's story, in which faith and love live alongside anger and betrayal. -- O, the Oprah Magazine Holy Ghost Girl turns, as good books must, from promising read into sure bet. Ms. Johnson's enthralling memoir, her first book, is about growing up on the road in a clan of what she calls Holy Rollers...Fascinating. -- New York Times Donna M. Johnson's memoir captivated me from the first page. Vividly written and richly detailed, it evokes a curious subculture that few Americans are familiar with--that of the Pentecostal revival tent, with all the spiritual and carnal ecstasy that simmer beneath it. Holy Ghost Girl is also a cautionary tale of preachers whose followers elevate them to a godhood then blind themselves to their leader's often extravagant sins. -- Julia Scheeres, New York Times bestselling author of Jesus Land This is a thoroughly provocative memoir. Memoirs don't usually resist the obvious. This one does. You won't find Donna M. Johnson dithering in anger, cynicism, or self-pity. Holy Ghost Girl is a sensitive exploration of the power that inheres in faith communities, however flawed. -- Rhoda Janzen, New York Times bestselling author of Mennonite in a Little Black Dress What a life! Holy Ghost Girl takes you inside a world where God and sin and miracles and deceit and love are so jumbled together you can't tell them apart. Donna Johnson sorts through her story with great insight, compassion, and humor, giving us an indelible portrait of a charismatic preacher and the faithful who so desperately believed in him. -- Jeannette Walls, New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle


"""Holy Ghost Girl is a wonder of a book. Chief among its marvels is how clear-eyed and deeply compassionate Johnson is as she recounts what it was like to grow up believing all things are possible and how hard it was to leave that harsh and deeply flawed paradise to become a part of the world in all its 'gaudy glory.' With evocatively precise details, fond humor, and an utter lack of scorn or cynicism, Johnson accomplishes the camel-through-the-eye-of-a-needle miracle of rendering the world through the eyes of a young child. Arriving at a time when the war between fact and faith is escalating, Holy Ghost Girl is a book that people will be talking about."" -- ""Sarah Bird, author of The Gap Year"" ""Holy Ghost Girl turns, as good books must, from promising read into sure bet. Ms. Johnson's enthralling memoir, her first book, is about growing up on the road in a clan of what she calls Holy Rollers...Fascinating."" -- ""New York Times"" ""A trustworthy narrator, Johnson is consistently funny, poetic, and remarkably devoid of bitterness."" -- ""Kirkus Reviews"" ""A wrenching and extraordinarily beautiful memoir. If you're a fan of The Glass Castle, you'll be mesmerized by Donna M. Johnson's true-life tale of how her young life was upended by her mother's love affair with an infamous charismatic preacher."" -- ""Lisa Napoli, author of Radio Shangri-La"" ""Donna M. Johnson's memoir captivated me from the first page. Vividly written and richly detailed, it evokes a curious subculture that few Americans are familiar with--that of the Pentecostal revival tent, with all the spiritual and carnal ecstasy that simmer beneath it. Holy Ghost Girl is also a cautionary tale of preachers whose followers elevate them to a godhood then blind themselves to their leader's often extravagant sins."" -- ""Julia Scheeres, New York Times bestselling author of Jesus Land"" ""Johnson has a terrific ability to write details as seen through the eyes of a child, letting readers discern what is really happening before the narrator is able to understand herself...Brilliant prose that is both precise and evocative of larger truths illuminates the normalized yet bewildering world."" -- ""School Library Journal"" ""Johnson spent her childhood in the 1960s and 1970s traveling America's South with revivalist preacher Brother David Terrell, a hugely popular Holy Roller who brought thousands to his raucous tent sermons. But life under the tent--and under Terrell's control--was far from easy, and Johnson eloquently recounts this uncommon upbringing shaped by constant upheaval and her increasingly fraught conception of faith...Leaving the tent circuit for good at sixteen gave Johnson the perspective she needed for this fascinating tale of life with a 'con man, a prophet, a performer.'"" -- ""Publishers Weekly"" ""Johnson's beautifully written and super-absorbing memoir of growing up on the tent revival circuit is full of vivid and sometimes shocking events."" -- ""Star Tribune"" ""Johnson's lively memoir recalls a truly strange childhood...Fascinating and sometimes disturbing...mixed with serious reflection."" -- ""Dallas Morning News"" ""This is a thoroughly provocative memoir. Memoirs don't usually resist the obvious. This one does. You won't find Donna M. Johnson dithering in anger, cynicism, or self-pity. Holy Ghost Girl is a sensitive exploration of the power that inheres in faith communities, however flawed."" -- ""Rhoda Janzen, New York Times bestselling author of Mennonite in a Little Black Dress"" ""What a life! Holy Ghost Girl takes you inside a world where God and sin and miracles and deceit and love are so jumbled together you can't tell them apart. Donna Johnson sorts through her story with great insight, compassion, and humor, giving us an indelible portrait of a charismatic preacher and the faithful who so desperately believed in him."" -- ""Jeannette Walls, New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle"" ""Yet for all the disaster that seems inevitable from the opening pages of this plainspoken memoir, Johnson still maintains some affection for the part-time charlatan who was often caring and loving to her...and therein lies the paradox at the center of Johnson's story, in which faith and love live alongside anger and betrayal."" -- ""O, the Oprah Magazine"" ""A brilliant and beautiful story of people who passionately loved God and broke his commandments in almost every way possible. The kind of story the Bible is full of, told with rare compassion and grace."" -- ""Christine Wicker, author of Lily Dale: The True Story of the Town That Talks to the Dead and God Knows My Heart"" ""Carrington MacDuffie was fantastic as narrator. She made the atmosphere of a tent revival come to life. When she narrated Brother Terrell's sections, I was glued to the story. She brought his charisma through the speakers."" -- ""LiterateHousewife.com"""


A brilliant and beautiful story of people who passionately loved God and broke his commandments in almost every way possible. The kind of story the Bible is full of, told with rare compassion and grace. -- Christine Wicker, author of Lily Dale: The True Story of the Town That Talks to the Dead and God Knows My Heart A wrenching and extraordinarily beautiful memoir. If you're a fan of The Glass Castle, you'll be mesmerized by Donna M. Johnson's true-life tale of how her young life was upended by her mother's love affair with an infamous charismatic preacher. -- Lisa Napoli, author of Radio Shangri-La Holy Ghost Girl is a wonder of a book. Chief among its marvels is how clear-eyed and deeply compassionate Johnson is as she recounts what it was like to grow up believing all things are possible and how hard it was to leave that harsh and deeply flawed paradise to become a part of the world in all its 'gaudy glory.' With evocatively precise details, fond humor, and an utter lack of scorn or cynicism, Johnson accomplishes the camel-through-the-eye-of-a-needle miracle of rendering the world through the eyes of a young child. Arriving at a time when the war between fact and faith is escalating, Holy Ghost Girl is a book that people will be talking about. -- Sarah Bird, author of The Gap Year A trustworthy narrator, Johnson is consistently funny, poetic, and remarkably devoid of bitterness. -- Kirkus Reviews Johnson has a terrific ability to write details as seen through the eyes of a child, letting readers discern what is really happening before the narrator is able to understand herself...Brilliant prose that is both precise and evocative of larger truths illuminates the normalized yet bewildering world. -- School Library Journal Johnson spent her childhood in the 1960s and 1970s traveling America's South with revivalist preacher Brother David Terrell, a hugely popular Holy Roller who brought thousands to his raucous tent sermons. But life under the tent--and under Terrell's control--was far from easy, and Johnson eloquently recounts this uncommon upbringing shaped by constant upheaval and her increasingly fraught conception of faith...Leaving the tent circuit for good at sixteen gave Johnson the perspective she needed for this fascinating tale of life with a 'con man, a prophet, a performer.' -- Publishers Weekly Johnson's beautifully written and super-absorbing memoir of growing up on the tent revival circuit is full of vivid and sometimes shocking events. -- Star Tribune Johnson's lively memoir recalls a truly strange childhood...Fascinating and sometimes disturbing...mixed with serious reflection. -- Dallas Morning News Yet for all the disaster that seems inevitable from the opening pages of this plainspoken memoir, Johnson still maintains some affection for the part-time charlatan who was often caring and loving to her...and therein lies the paradox at the center of Johnson's story, in which faith and love live alongside anger and betrayal. -- O, the Oprah Magazine Holy Ghost Girl turns, as good books must, from promising read into sure bet. Ms. Johnson's enthralling memoir, her first book, is about growing up on the road in a clan of what she calls Holy Rollers...Fascinating. -- New York Times Donna M. Johnson's memoir captivated me from the first page. Vividly written and richly detailed, it evokes a curious subculture that few Americans are familiar with--that of the Pentecostal revival tent, with all the spiritual and carnal ecstasy that simmer beneath it. Holy Ghost Girl is also a cautionary tale of preachers whose followers elevate them to a godhood then blind themselves to their leader's often extravagant sins. -- Julia Scheeres, New York Times bestselling author of Jesus Land This is a thoroughly provocative memoir. Memoirs don't usually resist the obvious. This one does. You won't find Donna M. Johnson dithering in anger, cynicism, or self-pity. Holy Ghost Girl is a sensitive exploration of the power that inheres in faith communities, however flawed. -- Rhoda Janzen, New York Times bestselling author of Mennonite in a Little Black Dress What a life! Holy Ghost Girl takes you inside a world where God and sin and miracles and deceit and love are so jumbled together you can't tell them apart. Donna Johnson sorts through her story with great insight, compassion, and humor, giving us an indelible portrait of a charismatic preacher and the faithful who so desperately believed in him. -- Jeannette Walls, New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle Carrington MacDuffie was fantastic as narrator. She made the atmosphere of a tent revival come to life. When she narrated Brother Terrell's sections, I was glued to the story. She brought his charisma through the speakers. -- LiterateHousewife.com


"""Holy Ghost Girl is a wonder of a book. Chief among its marvels is how clear-eyed and deeply compassionate Johnson is as she recounts what it was like to grow up believing all things are possible and how hard it was to leave that harsh and deeply flawed paradise to become a part of the world in all its 'gaudy glory.' With evocatively precise details, fond humor, and an utter lack of scorn or cynicism, Johnson accomplishes the camel-through-the-eye-of-a-needle miracle of rendering the world through the eyes of a young child. Arriving at a time when the war between fact and faith is escalating, Holy Ghost Girl is a book that people will be talking about."" -- ""Sarah Bird, author of The Gap Year"" ""Holy Ghost Girl turns, as good books must, from promising read into sure bet. Ms. Johnson's enthralling memoir, her first book, is about growing up on the road in a clan of what she calls Holy Rollers...Fascinating."" -- ""New York Times"" ""A brilliant and beautiful story of people who passionately loved God and broke his commandments in almost every way possible. The kind of story the Bible is full of, told with rare compassion and grace."" -- ""Christine Wicker, author of Lily Dale: The True Story of the Town That Talks to the Dead and God Knows My Heart"" ""A wrenching and extraordinarily beautiful memoir. If you're a fan of The Glass Castle, you'll be mesmerized by Donna M. Johnson's true-life tale of how her young life was upended by her mother's love affair with an infamous charismatic preacher."" -- ""Lisa Napoli, author of Radio Shangri-La"" ""Carrington MacDuffie was fantastic as narrator. She made the atmosphere of a tent revival come to life. When she narrated Brother Terrell's sections, I was glued to the story. She brought his charisma through the speakers."" -- ""LiterateHousewife.com"" ""Donna M. Johnson's memoir captivated me from the first page. Vividly written and richly detailed, it evokes a curious subculture that few Americans are familiar with--that of the Pentecostal revival tent, with all the spiritual and carnal ecstasy that simmer beneath it. Holy Ghost Girl is also a cautionary tale of preachers whose followers elevate them to a godhood then blind themselves to their leader's often extravagant sins."" -- ""Julia Scheeres, New York Times bestselling author of Jesus Land"" ""Johnson spent her childhood in the 1960s and 1970s traveling America's South with revivalist preacher Brother David Terrell, a hugely popular Holy Roller who brought thousands to his raucous tent sermons. But life under the tent--and under Terrell's control--was far from easy, and Johnson eloquently recounts this uncommon upbringing shaped by constant upheaval and her increasingly fraught conception of faith...Leaving the tent circuit for good at sixteen gave Johnson the perspective she needed for this fascinating tale of life with a 'con man, a prophet, a performer.'"" -- ""Publishers Weekly"" ""This is a thoroughly provocative memoir. Memoirs don't usually resist the obvious. This one does. You won't find Donna M. Johnson dithering in anger, cynicism, or self-pity. Holy Ghost Girl is a sensitive exploration of the power that inheres in faith communities, however flawed."" -- ""Rhoda Janzen, New York Times bestselling author of Mennonite in a Little Black Dress"" ""What a life! Holy Ghost Girl takes you inside a world where God and sin and miracles and deceit and love are so jumbled together you can't tell them apart. Donna Johnson sorts through her story with great insight, compassion, and humor, giving us an indelible portrait of a charismatic preacher and the faithful who so desperately believed in him."" -- ""Jeannette Walls, New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle"" A trustworthy narrator, Johnson is consistently funny, poetic, and remarkably devoid of bitterness. -- ""Kirkus Reviews"" Johnson has a terrific ability to write details as seen through the eyes of a child, letting readers discern what is really happening before the narrator is able to understand herself...Brilliant prose that is both precise and evocative of larger truths illuminates the normalized yet bewildering world. -- ""School Library Journal"" Johnson's beautifully written and super-absorbing memoir of growing up on the tent revival circuit is full of vivid and sometimes shocking events. -- ""Star Tribune"" Johnson's lively memoir recalls a truly strange childhood...Fascinating and sometimes disturbing...mixed with serious reflection. -- ""Dallas Morning News"" Yet for all the disaster that seems inevitable from the opening pages of this plainspoken memoir, Johnson still maintains some affection for the part-time charlatan who was often caring and loving to her...and therein lies the paradox at the center of Johnson's story, in which faith and love live alongside anger and betrayal. -- ""O, the Oprah Magazine"""


Author Information

"Donna Johnson grew up calling evangelical minister David Terrell ""Daddy."" She left his ministry for good at the age of seventeen and has not returned since. She has written about religion for the Dallas Morning News and the Austin American-Statesman. With her husband, she owns and operates Bazzirk, Inc., a marketing and advertising firm that runs marketing programs around the world. She maintained a residency at the Ragdale Foundation in spring 2009 and won the Mayborn Creative Nonfiction Prize for Manuscript in Progress in 2007 for Holy Ghost Girl. She lives in Austin and is active in the local writing community. Carrington MacDuffie is a voice actor, recording artist, poet, and spoken-word performer who has narrated over two hundred audiobooks, received numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards, and has been a frequent finalist for the Audie Award, including for her original audiobook Many Things Invisible. In addition to her narration work, she has released an album of original songs entitled Only an Angel. She has recited and performed her poetry at venues ranging from L.A. coffeehouses to the museums and poetry festivals of the Northwest. She served for several years as poetry editor of the literary journal Square Lake, where she enjoyed discovering and publishing unknown writers alongside of literary notables."

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Countries Available

All regions
Latest Reading Guide

NOV RG 20252

 

Shopping Cart
Your cart is empty
Shopping cart
Mailing List