fathermothergod - Lucia Greenhouse

fathermothergod

By Lucia Greenhouse

  • Release Date: 2011-08-09
  • Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 116 Ratings

Description

“A courageous and finely crafted portrait of a young woman struggling with her family, her faith, and that awkward space between being a child and growing into adulthood.”—Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

“Unimaginable . . . As much an indictment of Christian Science as it is a memoir of her family’s experience of loss.”—O: the Oprah Magazine
 
Lucia Ewing had what looked like an all-American childhood, but when it came to accidents and illnesses, her parents didn’t take their kids to the doctor’s office—they prayed and called a Christian Science practitioner. As a teenager, her visit to an ophthalmologist created a family crisis, and she was a sophomore in college before she had her first annual physical. In December 1985, when Lucia and her siblings, by then young adults, discovered that their mother was sick, they came face-to-face with the reality that they had few—if any—options to save her. Powerless as their mother suffered, they were grief-stricken, angry, and confused. 
 
In this haunting, beautifully written book, Lucia pulls back the curtain on the Christian Science faith and chronicles its complicated legacy for her family. At once an essentially American coming-of-age story and a glimpse into the practices of a religion few really understand, fathermothergod is an unflinching exploration of personal loss and the boundaries of family and faith.

Reviews

  • Wow

    5
    By Jeni0505
    As a recovering adult from a Christian Science childhood, I was right there with the author at every twist and turn. The story brought back painful memories. To this day, my parents practice CS.... Huge rifts in the family exist...and, strangely, I am still a little protective of the right for them to practice. However, I am relieved to say, I broke free from the religion many years ago. As a child I spent years suffering from untreated strep throat, horrible scars from untreated chickenpox (no Calamine lotion), flues, etc. because of having never gone to a doctor until my twenties, I now suffer from severe uneven legs which has caused scoliosis, the need for a hip replacement, and constant joint issues. If I would have been treated a child-- who knows. Thanks to the author!!
  • Hard to put down

    5
    By SharonZ
    Compelling story about growing up in a Christian Science family. Honest writing style, it hooked me from the first page.
  • Very moving and interesting

    5
    By rb9008
    Wow... What a very moving and incredible memoir. I am also a grown woman who was raised in CS but left it in my 20's. This story is so familiar and somewhat similar. My mother got very sick a few years ago but fortunately she did get medical attention after my brothers and sisters and myself insisted and eventually made a full recovery. However, prior to that we watched a grandfather, grandmother and uncle die prematurely due to reliance on CS. Thank you for writing this. It helps to know I was not the only one experiencing this very confusing and unsafe childhood. I suffered terribly from many episodes of untreated strep throat, vaginal infections, etc. After getting married and having my own kids I could not understand how a parent could let their child suffer when some antibiotics would make them feel better within 24hrs. Anyway, I sometime attend Unity which, to me has all the positives of CS but not the negatives. Why can't one pray AND take medicine? Pray to God but row to shore! Thanks again for writing this. It was easy to read, interesting, moving and helpful.