When Alice Greczyn’s parents felt called by God to exchange worldly employment for heavenly provision, they followed their faith into homelessness with five children and a cat in tow. Homeschooled and avowed never to kiss a man until her wedding day, Alice had plans to escape the instability by becoming a missionary nurse—plans that were put on hold with the opening of an unexpected door: the opportunity to be an actress in Hollywood. What followed was a test of faith unlike any she had prepared for, an arranged betrothal she never saw coming, and a psychological shattering that forced her to learn how to survive without the only framework for life she had ever known.
This unique coming-of-age story takes place within a Christian subculture that teaches children to be martyrs and women to be silent. Revelatory, vulnerable, and offering catharsis for your own journey through faith and doubt, Wayward is a deeply intelligent memoir of soul-searching—and finding the courage to live in your own truth.
Review
"A necessary addition to the literature surrounding spiritual abuse . . . Greczyn honors the survivors of such trauma and provides a pathway for others to follow." -- Garrard Conley, author of New York Times best-selling memoir Boy Erased
"You will smile, you will cry, and you will be riveted . . . Wayward isn't just a book you read. It is a book you feel--with every beautifully written page. A truly towering achievement." -- Ali A. Rizvi, author of The Atheist Muslim: A Journey From Religion to Reason
"By turns soberly reflective and laugh-out-loud funny, Alice Greczyn's Wayward provides a refreshingly honest look at the psychologically abusive nature of evangelicalism in crisp, engaging prose." -- Chrissy Stroop, PhD, co-editor of the award-winning anthology Empty the Pews
"A deeply compelling coming-of-age story about a young woman as she journeys from faith in a patriarchal religion to doubt, and from doubt in herself to faith." -- Linda Kay Klein, author of Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free
"Religions may disagree on a lot, but one thing they agree on is how essential it is that a woman remain pure and chaste until it's time to be subservient to her husband. [Greczyn] describes how dehumanizing it is to be viewed as--and to view ourselves as--an object precariously perched atop a 'pedestal of purity.'" -- Yasmine Mohammed, author of Unveiled: How Western Liberals Empower Radical Islam
" Wayward vividly illustrates the experience of growing up in the frenzied fold of Charismatic Christianity . . . [Greczyn's] journey will become required reading for those seeking to heal from religious trauma, recover a sense of purpose, and rebuild a life worth living." -- Jessica Wilbanks, author of When I Spoke in Tongues: A Story of Faith and Its Loss
"An engaging story of one woman's struggle to escape and heal from the Christianity of her youth, while at the same time providing intelligent insights into the scientific analysis of her experience. I was moved by her description of intense efforts as a child to have charismatic experiences and then impressed by her grasp of the neuropsychology involved." -- Marlene Winell, PhD, psychologist, and author of Leaving the Fold: A Guide for Former Fundamentalists and Others Leaving Their Religion
Description:
The Glass Castle meets Educated
When Alice Greczyn’s parents felt called by God to exchange worldly employment for heavenly provision, they followed their faith into homelessness with five children and a cat in tow. Homeschooled and avowed never to kiss a man until her wedding day, Alice had plans to escape the instability by becoming a missionary nurse—plans that were put on hold with the opening of an unexpected door: the opportunity to be an actress in Hollywood. What followed was a test of faith unlike any she had prepared for, an arranged betrothal she never saw coming, and a psychological shattering that forced her to learn how to survive without the only framework for life she had ever known.
This unique coming-of-age story takes place within a Christian subculture that teaches children to be martyrs and women to be silent. Revelatory, vulnerable, and offering catharsis for your own journey through faith and doubt, Wayward is a deeply intelligent memoir of soul-searching—and finding the courage to live in your own truth.
Review
"A necessary addition to the literature surrounding spiritual abuse . . . Greczyn honors the survivors of such trauma and provides a pathway for others to follow." -- Garrard Conley, author of New York Times best-selling memoir Boy Erased
"You will smile, you will cry, and you will be riveted . . . Wayward isn't just a book you read. It is a book you feel--with every beautifully written page. A truly towering achievement."
-- Ali A. Rizvi, author of The Atheist Muslim: A Journey From Religion to Reason
"By turns soberly reflective and laugh-out-loud funny, Alice Greczyn's Wayward provides a refreshingly honest look at the psychologically abusive nature of evangelicalism in crisp, engaging prose." -- Chrissy Stroop, PhD, co-editor of the award-winning anthology Empty the Pews
"A deeply compelling coming-of-age story about a young woman as she journeys from faith in a patriarchal religion to doubt, and from doubt in herself to faith." -- Linda Kay Klein, author of Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free
"Religions may disagree on a lot, but one thing they agree on is how essential it is that a woman remain pure and chaste until it's time to be subservient to her husband. [Greczyn] describes how dehumanizing it is to be viewed as--and to view ourselves as--an object precariously perched atop a 'pedestal of purity.'" -- Yasmine Mohammed, author of Unveiled: How Western Liberals Empower Radical Islam
" Wayward vividly illustrates the experience of growing up in the frenzied fold of Charismatic Christianity . . . [Greczyn's] journey will become required reading for those seeking to heal from religious trauma, recover a sense of purpose, and rebuild a life worth living." -- Jessica Wilbanks, author of When I Spoke in Tongues: A Story of Faith and Its Loss
"An engaging story of one woman's struggle to escape and heal from the Christianity of her youth, while at the same time providing intelligent insights into the scientific analysis of her experience. I was moved by her description of intense efforts as a child to have charismatic experiences and then impressed by her grasp of the neuropsychology involved." -- Marlene Winell, PhD, psychologist, and author of Leaving the Fold: A Guide for Former Fundamentalists and Others Leaving Their Religion