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This is not a book about how to get out of religion or how to prove there is no God or how to become a humanist. This book is a collection of one woman’s thoughts over the course of one year as her life changed and her freedom evolved, as she worked her way out of religious bondage, as she decided there probably is no God and considered why mankind wants one (or two or three), as she explored her freedoms, her past, her future, her culture and her universe. Her religion permeated every aspect of her life and therefore the removal of it also deeply affected every aspect.
From her small home in rural Missouri Kaleesha invites you into the innermost areas of her life with warm, personal style. Bits of wit, sadness, beauty and sarcasm abound as she examines the nuances of creating a new life for herself free from the expectations of God. Surrounded by children, goats, chickens, friends and family she sorts through her relationships and perceptions of herself, her fellow creatures and the cosmos. This book is an engaging exploration of life, teeming with thoughtful and honest questions about what it means to be human.
What people are saying
Kaleesha Williams’s self-portrait of a wife, mother and questioning individual is as personal as it is more widely illustrative. It could so easily have been one person’s view of the death of a marriage, a blame-riddled take on events from a single perspective, but Williams manages to use her own experiences as a lens, her thought processes laid bare in often painful detail. Covering a year, the story is seen through journal entries, a period in which the author fights a war on two fronts, struggling to hold together a large young family while she come to terms with an unfolding rejection of religious dogma, an orthodoxy that had done much to drive this fiercely intelligent woman into the shallows.
Thoughtful, analytical and endlessly questioning, Williams is determined to take nothing for granted. There is nothing here that has not been rigorously tested and appraised before it can be trusted or embraced, whether it is from her traditional religious upbringing or from the newer reasoning platform that emerges as the story unfolds. If only more of us did that.
This analysis is very well handled, never drifting into hyperbole, waffle and obsession – quite an art in itself. Williams never portrays herself as a tragic heroine, commendably, and there is no spin in her favour. She is as touchingly forgiving to her protagonists as she is suspicious of the natural temptation to sail under new flags.
I think she could write first-class fiction given that her emotional scenarios are portrayed with such a lean and flowing clarity. Her descriptions of the day-to-day minutiae on the farm are also both charming and informative.
Being such a personal journey you are left hoping for the best for the author, not to mention all the other personalities involved. Good things come from the worst of times – hopefully in this case it will be more writing from a highly accomplished scribe.
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Honest and real and unapologetic. Something we can all learn from even if the details are different. The quest to finding our true selves is universal and I have enjoyed following kaleesha's path as I gain awareness into my own.
Format:Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
As the description says, this is not a book about whether or not God exists. It is a year out of the author's life while she comes into her own. It is inspiring, touching, amusing, and thought provoking. Kaleesha Williams is an amazing woman, and I'm glad she chose to share her story with us.
Format:Kindle Edition
An honest, open account of one woman's spiritual quest. She has had the courage to ask herself the tough questions and seek her own truths and invites the reader to do the same, if they dare. One of my favorite quotes from the book (and I have many) is, "Unanswered questions are opportunities to learn and grow." If you have unanswered questions, and are willing to look for your own truths, this is a great book to help you explore them.
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Wonderful writing about a moving, engaging, and interesting story. I don't have time to write a lengthy review, but I do want to express that it was a great read, one I found terribly interesting, and that I have a lot of respect for the author by the time I got to the end of it. Check out her blog for more of the same, it's like having extra chapters of the book in a sense :)
5.0 out of 5 stars So real May 7, 2014
Format:Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
Reading this book is like reaching into your innermost being, when we dare challenge ourselves to answer the questions in our own lives. I love how she shares her true self even when it is painful to realize hurtful realities. Incredibly thoughtful and introspective, as well as inspiring. May we all find the courage to live life happily and to its fullest.
5.0 out of 5 stars It is a gripping and heartwarming story of an intelligent woman extracting herself from the quagmire of religious dogma ..., August 8, 2014
This book gives me hope for America and Humanity. It is a gripping and heartwarming story of an intelligent woman extracting herself from the quagmire of religious dogma in which she was raised. It is also the story of the redemption of a life which was seriously off the rails. From a miserable life with a miss-matched mate to true love. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever had to put up with "God works in mysterious ways" as a non-answer to any of the many obvious questions which examining a religion based life bring up. Kudos to the author. This is the kind of book where you really connect with the story and can't wait to find out what comes next.
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