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Peeing on Hot Coals: Drowning the Devil

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This coming of age memoir is dramatic-and-heart wrenching, as young
Patsy Lou takes us on a journey through the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma and Texas at the time of our nation’s greatest environmental disaster. You will keep reading to find out what more could happen to this sweet child of the Great Depression after she endures severe burns down there at age seven when she pees on ashes that were hiding under hot coals. Patsy Lou grows up listening to scary sermons about The End of the World and being thrown into a lake of fire for the least infraction of guidelines set by evangelical zealots. And with it all, her delicious sense of humor will make you LOL as you read Peeing On Hot Coals.

344 pages, Hardcover

First published September 25, 2014

11 people are currently reading
755 people want to read

About the author

Pat Montandon

10 books14 followers

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5 stars
35 (44%)
4 stars
24 (30%)
3 stars
15 (18%)
2 stars
3 (3%)
1 star
2 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Profile Image for Jitu Rajgor.
12 reviews5 followers
April 12, 2016
This memoir of Pat Montandon is a wonderful story about the struggle of her early life.I couldn't put it down till I completed (3 days). Love, romance, sorrow, hatred, friendship, emotions, bad and good relationships, every thing from her past was beautifully written in this memoir.Pat Montandon is an amazingly versatile personality of this century. Some pages of this book made me cry, but at the end it brought me the greatest joy of my life, the joy of knowing a noble person so far from I live, so strange and different from my society.Though Pat's writing is very lucid and easy to understand for those who are not fluent in English,at the same time it is no less valued as a literary work. I highly recommend this book to every reader who love reading good stories based on a real life, you will not regret considering my recommendation.
Profile Image for Dawn.
59 reviews8 followers
January 10, 2015
I won this wonderful book from the giveaway on good reads . Never boring, I couldn't believe his much one person could go through . The story is told with such first person charm that I never wanted to put it down . I was happy to see that despite some unfulfilling times that the author did meet at least one truly fantastic man that would let her experience a glorious and selfless love.
Profile Image for Katie Robinson.
101 reviews7 followers
December 15, 2014
I would give Peeing on Hot Coals 10 stars if I could. Mrs. Montandon is an amazing writer I felt so many different emotions reading her memoir. What a strong family she had herself included.
Profile Image for Kathy.
15 reviews
January 7, 2015
I won this book as a first read right before the holidays and didn't have time to read it. Once the holidays were over, I started reading and couldn't put "Peeing on Hot Coals" by Pat Montandon down. The amazing writing and story telling by Ms Montandon are a gift. Her life and family stories kept me wanting for more. One of the best books I have read through Goodreads.
Profile Image for Sherryl Young.
52 reviews
May 26, 2015
SLY

I live in Oklahoma and remember stories my Mother told of the depression and the dust storms. She was one of 8 children in a family whose Father did share cropping, working for other land owners. She said they always lived in old shacks with gaps between the boards that wind and dust came through.
Profile Image for Lorna Boyd.
399 reviews3 followers
December 30, 2018
I would probably rate this a 3.5 if I could, but it’s not a 4 star for me. Parts of it were fascinating, other parts seemed a bit too fabricated.
Profile Image for Rick Perry.
Author 5 books16 followers
June 23, 2019
A little uneven, but really fascinating in places. Occasionally, bogs down in routine events, but overall, an interesting collection of stories from the author's childhood days.
Profile Image for Maggie.
102 reviews
April 23, 2023
I love reading memoirs and true stories and learning about other people lives. I feel like everyone has a story to tell. This was really well written and entertaining. I hate to give any life story less than 5 stars because I feel like sharing your story is really brave. I guess I just had a hard time with the author’s opinions on religion etc.
88 reviews
October 16, 2021
Read more like a novel than a memoir. Very well writen. Very entertaining.
37 reviews
November 11, 2024
amazing book. Reading about all that happened during the Depression and the dust bowl of Oklahoma was shocking to say the least.
Profile Image for Cheryl.
638 reviews9 followers
November 29, 2024
Memoir which celebrates the endurance of the human spirit in the midst of extreme poverty, repressive religious fundamentalism, and fear.
Profile Image for Jamie Barringer (Ravenmount).
1,015 reviews58 followers
January 21, 2016
(ghrrr My original review for this book was accidentally deleted.)
I won a free copy of this book through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

This memoir tells the story of a woman who overcame all sorts of difficulties as a child, including a terrible burn injury that gives the book its name. Her story shows how even when things seem pretty hopeless and depressing, there is always a chance of something better soon to come.

I lent this book to a friend after I read it and she also really enjoyed it. If you like memoirs or 'women's lit', or just inspiring stories in general, you'll probably enjoy this book.
Profile Image for Danielle Woods.
508 reviews7 followers
February 21, 2015
This book is funny, sad, heart breaking , heart warming and a whole lot more!! It is amazing all that Pat went through in her life and is still sane enough to write about it!! Her southern humor will keep you turning the pages and wanting more!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews

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